The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-13
School Troubles.

trouble growing out OF the recent
legislation. changing the time and
the manner of the appointment of
School Commissioners for Garrett
county.
The Constitution of the State,
adopted in 1867, not since amended
or changed in this respect, requires
that 1.-THE General Assembly at its
first session after the adoption of this
Constitution, shall by law establish
throughout the State q thorough and
efficient system CT free:public schools"
&c.
In compliance with this provision
of the Constitution, the General AS
sembly, at its January session, 1868,
passed bill entitled "Public Educa-
tion," providing 50 general system of
free public schools for the State of
Maryland" Subsequently. in 1870,
the Act of 1868 was repealed and re-
enacted with amendments, and the
Act of 1870 was, in 1872, repealed and
re-enacted with amendments by
Chapter 377 of the laws of said year.
No further change was made in the
law until within few years, during
which local laws have been passed
for few counties exempting them to
some extent, principally in the mode
of appointing School Commissioners
for partisan purposes, from the pro-
vision and operation of the general
law, viz Chapter 377 of Act of 1872 !;
but, as yet. the constitutionality of
those local laws has never been pass
ed upon by the Courts.
That act Of 1872 provided general
one system of free public schools
| throughout the State, 1t required
the judges of our courts to appoint
the School Commissioners, and as
has been determined by the Court of
appeals, if no new appointment
should be made before a certain tim e
fixed by the statute. the Commission
ers then in office were to hold over
and continue in office for another
term of two years the failure of the
judges to make such new appoint
ment operating and having the same
effect as an order for the re.appoint-
ment of the old Board of Commits
sioners. The Secretary, Treasurer,
and Examiner also holding over in
the same manner.
Under this law all the various
School Commissioners for Garrett
county, except what is termed the new
Board, were appointed or held oyer !;
during all of which time the Repub-
licans had minority representation
in the board. Under that law Messrs
Miller, johnson and Glotfelty were
appointed in December, 1885, and
subsequently qualified. and by them
was DIR. Bartlett elected Secretary,
Treasurer and Examiner. Suisse
quently Mr.. Johnson resigned and
Mr.. Winterberg was appointed in his
stead. No new appointments having
been made in December, 1887, those
gentlemen held over in the manner
and to the effect and extent above
stated, Afterwards, however, DIR.
Glotfelty resigned, leaving in Office
Messrs. Miller and Winterberg as
Commissioners and DR.. Bartlett as
Secretary, Treasurer and Examiner.
These gentlemen continued in the
discharge of the duties of their re-
spectiYe Offices until July LIST, 1883,
and now claim to be the only prop
erly appointed and legally qualified
persons having the power and au-
thority under the Constitution and
laws to exercise the rights and dis
charge the duties of said offices. The
Republicans having minority repre-
SentatiOn, and the Democratic men,
bers not being in harmony with, and
all being Objectionable to the "ruling
faction" of the Democratic party, the
latter desired and requested a change.
The Judge refusing to make any
change and declining to make new
or any appointments at all in De-
cember, 1888, leaving the old board
to hold over, it became necessary for
the "pOWerS that be" to seek some
other means by which to accomplish
their purpose. and hence resorted to
legislation, and through the efforts of
our Democratic Senator and member
of the House of Delegates, and the
aid of the "ring power" procured the
passage of Chapter So of the Acts of
1888, local law applicable to Garrett
county alone. having for its object
and purpose nothing more than the
removal of the persons composing
the old board, Notwithstanding that
board has, as is conceded, given us
the best administration of School
affairs and made the best financial
showing of any board since the for
/