The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-02-15
Length of the Public School Year.


The difference in length of time the public schools
are kept open in the various counties of Maryland
is sufficiently great to call for some comment,
From recent reports of Examiners learn that the
schools are kept open ten months in the year in
five counties of the state, namely, Anne Arundel,
Baltimore Hartford, Kent and Queen Anne's. Nine
coun ties of the state have school nine or nine and
half months in the year. In the counties OF Car
roll, Caroline, Frederick, Dorchester, somerset
Washington and Worcester the public schools are
kept open seven and half months in the year.
Two counties have school less than seven months,
in one of these, Garrett, they teach only five
months.
We might propose to account for this difference
in one of four ways: First the relative proportion
of property in the county; secondly. the position
in which the county is situated in the state; third
ly a better understanding in some counties as TO
the proper length of time children should go to
school, or fourthy on the ground that the citizens
in some counties have not given sufficient atten-
ton to the facts which determine the length of the
school year for each county.
The difference cannot be accounted for on the
ground of poverty, for Frederick and Carroll are
among the most prosperous counties in the state
and yet these have only seven and half months of
school.
Without attempting to give the philosophy of
the difference in length of school year, it may be
apropos to state that the fourteen counties which
keep their schools open nine months or more, pay
annually into the treasury county school tax
ranging from twenty-five to thirty-two cents the
hundred dollars worth of property in the county.
Those counties having school year of seven and
half months or less. pay for the same purpose
smaller rate on the hundred dollars worth of prop
erty.
Among those interested in public education,
there is growing sent iment in favor of a fixed
school year for all the counties in the state
properly, they are in favor of minimum school
year. There is some question to length of such
year; but as very many counties at present have
about nine months of school, it is thought that the
School Law, if changed at all, should be SO modi-
fed as to give each county in the state mini
mum school year of about nine months.
think can see indications of sentiment grow
ing in Carroll county in favor of extending the
school year, so that might have three and half
instead of three terms of school.
lam quite sure that if our County Commissioners
felt that the people really wanted an extension of
the school year. and would be willing to express
themselves in its favor and give it their financial
support then the Commissioners would readily
take the proper steps to give us eight and half
instead of seven and half months of school.
There Is no county in the state more deserving
than Carroll. and should like to see our county
stand nearer the 'front.' enjoying the privileges and
blessings of free education to an extent not sur
passed by any other county in the state.
One cent on the hundred dollars%gill give each
child in the county an additional week, and five
cents will extend the school year a half term. /
would like to see 81 months of school next year.
s. SIMPSON.