The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-12-28

scrutiny and many forebodings. 1t now
meets with the appreciation of lax payers
and parents alike, who would regard it as
rctrogression to give it up. The report
goes on to say, that with the grading Of
the schools comes a larger number Of pu-
pills, teachers of more highly educated
| class, larger salaries, a better average at
tendance, longer school year and less
| tax The drivers often act rs local mail
carriers the people are brought into closer
touch, real estate has advanced in value,
| and when offered for sale, the advertise
ment rcadS,-"Children conveyed to
school," instead of the old one Of "a
school near
The Hon. o. T. Corson, State Com
missioner, in his report says: The eX-
penses have been reduced. the attendance
has been largely increased, the quality Of
the work much improved; that where the
plan has been adopted, it has met with
general favor and has received the warm
| est support of educators, who regard it as
| step forward in placing country schools
| on a higher plane of efficiency.
This plan has found favor by legal en-
actment in Maine, New Hampshire Yer
| mont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, Iowa, North Dakota
| and Nebraska. The laws of Wisconsin
and Rhode Island are said by their State
| Superintenden to be ample for the . ur-
pose.
Such laws having been found to work
well in the school room, and at the same
| time to have reduced expenses, should we
not give some attention to them. If it is
! possible to provide transportation for our
children to the towns or to larger schools,
with an improvement in the instruction
that is offered, ana a saving of money in
the expenditures We cannot pass them by.
| Even far away Australia has taken up the
theme. We, Americans, who So proudly
hail our flag, must not let the isles Of the
sea take precedence.
| In our county We have two schools,
one on peninsula jutting out into the
bay, with Is pupils at the most, the other
in nearby village, with Sc pupils. The
two schools employ three teachers. The
children of the smaller school could be
| transferred to the larger, by the estimate
of a practical and responsible livery stable
man, with saving of over 800 per
annum.
This is subject calling for careful
thoughtful attention. There are many
difficulties in the way, especially the con.
| ditions of the roads, the natural divisions
| by streams of water and, in some sections
mountain chains, and above all the cost
In every case the distance should be
limited and confined to small schools.
| On one point am satisfied, that in the
building of new houses we should endea
vor to confine ourselves to not less than
| two room houses, Oh the ground of eff
cheney as we'll as cost. We must no,
| jump at conclusions, but if we can re-
duce the expenses and at the same time
| increase the average attendance chat
bane of our schools; if we can lessen
| tdl uiuCSs, IL uOt DlOt IL Out IL NC Cdu st
cure better school houses, and by reason
of increased salaries, better prepared
teachers, it is an end to be sought.
| In the school room there would be bet
ter work, more competition, more en-
thusiasm, and that confidence which fol
lows numbers. 1t would incitc to greater
effort on the part Of teachers and pupils
1t would the better prepare our children
portant factor, the tax payer.