The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-12-06
Communicated.

Well the avalanche has come and
the people of Garrett county have
avowed to run the school machinery
in the ground-for a while vet.
The survivors Of the crash are eX-
perlcncing varied sensations, shaped
by their aims and expectations.
Many hopes for the betterment of
our schools and the rapid growth
Of our county have been crushed
and the disappointed ones, the
friends Of education, are wearing
countenances about as grave as
though they were listening to their
own funeral orations. We svmpa-
thize with disappointed ambition
and hope that some plan will be
adopted by which the standard of
our schools will be improved. No
mans ignorance should Justify him
IN signing his own death warrant,
nor can his allegiance to his family
Justify his utilization with aiding
and abetting the element that aims
at the overthrow Of his dearest
earthly lnterests-the education Of
his children.
Some of the heavy taxpayers who
opposed the issue of bonds favor
'levYing a direct tax, but only suf-
ficent sum to defray the indebted
ness acquired by the erection and
equipment Of the new school house
in Oakland. This method would
do for the present time only, and
our school term would be very little
if any, longer than it was last year,
The same problem of building
would arise next year and year after
year until the fifteen or twenty
houses now needed shall have been
erected and our school terms would
follow along in the same old rut,
getting narrower and shorter, until
a man could not be found wearing
the title of school teacher.
If levy of S25, 900, the amount
asked for, could be made for
building fund and all the needed
houses be built at once, we could
run our schools a reasonable term,
and in few years our increased
taxable property would enable us to
keep our schools open long enough
10 reap the benefit of the state APP
preparation. But just as long as
we drive investors away for want of
schools, just so long we fail to re-
celve the benefits from increased
7aluation and our present taxable
property will greatly depreciate in
value. What we need to raise the
standard of our schools, lengthen
the terms, and give us better teach
ers, is ready money. The bond
system would have given us the
cash, and, we think, would have
given entire satisfaction. 1t would
have been so mild that scarcely
taxpayer would have felt the weight
Of slightly increased tax, and by
keeping the schools open Z! months
the amount received from the state
would have exceeded the interest on
the bonds by about $3.50 annually
and the taxpayer would, virtually,
not pay one cent Of interest on the
bonds, BY a direct levy we would
save $3.50 year, but it would
come pretty heavy at first. The
increase in valuation would, in a
few years, increase the amount of
our annual tax sufficiently to make
a lower rate on all taxable property.
l concur with OK Y Z" that the
teachers salaries should be raised to
a fair basis with adjoining counties,
thereby stimulating the teacher to
greater efforts in preparing himself
for his duties. The standard of
our schools cannot be successfully
raised without infusing greater en-,
ergies, higher ambitions and nobler
purposes in the minds of the teacher.
Make the salary an object to the
teacher and he will prepare himself
to render better service and the
patrons will receive the direct ben
eft.
If l were to suggest a plan to
bring up our schools to an equality
with other counties, since the de-
feat of the bonds, l would say sub
nit it to the people once more at
the earliest possible day and make
it for bonds or for direct tax.
Krug, Md, Dec. 5, 1894. X.
| Rogers SarsapariIIa.
| A Snnnifin for oil 100 lnrnr fnr