Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-07-04

of all the young. has the right to com
pei the people to support the schools.
That which is necessary to the well be-
ing of the State should he supported by
those who enjoy the privileges of the
State. Now. nothing is more necessary
than the training of those who are to
come after US and bear rule The
views thus expressed by Luthur have
gained universal currency here: and il
Is everywhere recognized that the State
has stake in tho children, and must
guarantee her own future by seeing that
they do not lack the means to improve
themselves.
But the State cannot shirk her respon-
sibility.
This education must be provided at
the public expense. The government
cannot afford tn have another act as
step mother to the children of the State
by entrusting their education to other
agents, nor even take the risk of leaving
Ia parents the performance of the duty
of educating their children. The risk
would be too great: the results too un
certain, especially in view of the amaZ
concerning the instruction of their off
spring.
In addition, the systematic education
of all the people is too giant task for
any private enterprise to accomplish
successfully. II is too momentous in its
Importance to be subject to the perils
and mis- chances of private caprice and
salf interest or to the incon>tant applica-
| tim of tickle heueyoleuCe
A system of free public schools has ex-
listed in this State for nearly forty years.
and vet the number of illiterate persons
shown bv the last census is surprising
Therefore il is folly for the State to fail
or refuse tn see that much vet remains
to be- done. This condition demands
the most serious consideration of our
most thoughtful and wisest educators
and public men The State must see
that her children are educated. | do
not see how il is impossible to avoid
this view or escape from this position.
especially when we consider the pecu-
liar character of our form of govern
ment, both State and Federal. depend
ing as 1t does for its safety and perpetu-
ity upon the intelligence, the honesty
and the patriotism of its citizens.
I'VE should not befog our Judgment
in haze of self congratulatory COM
placency because we have advanced so
far and done so much since 1868. DIR.
j. NJ Rice, who processes to have made
a study of the public school system of
the United States, says. that the pro-
fessional weakness of the American
teacher is the greatest sore spot of the
American schools This is pretty
severe arraignment, but we must bear
in mind that the opportunities for any
one to study the science of teaching
with view to making it a profession
have only existed for comparatively
short time. 1t is to correct this weak
ness that Maryland established the State
Normal School in 1865, and later the
Frostburg Normal School. 1t is realized
first class work can only be done by
specially trained men and women.
The same critic in 1893 in speaking of
Maryland, though | believe he visited
only the schools of Baltimore, said that
the glaring fault in the administration
, of our schools was the lack of direct
aud thorough supervision. This was no
doubt absolutely true at that time. but
provision has since been made by the
Act of 1900 which created the office of
State Superintendent of Public Educa-
ton for more thorough supervision than
before. The duties of the position have
been so efficiently and vigorously ad
ministered by the present incu mbent
that | can but feel the result of this
legislation has been altogether fortu.
nate.
The plan to provide the school chill
dren of the State with free school books,
, which aroused such violent opposition
when first proposed, but which survived
many defeats and at last became a law,
seems now to meet with universal ap-
prevail, and justly SO. Its beneficial
effect is no where more pronounced
than in the stimulus to parents TO send
their children to school and to the chill.
dren to attend regularly. This can be
easily proved by comparing the average
attendance any year after the schools
. were supplied with books with any
year before the law was passed have
selected at random for comparison the
year 1873, when the average attendance
was less than 80 per cent. of the enroll
mcnt, and the year 1902, when it ran
up Ia over Sc per cent. Ii is much more
economical and reduces the average
cost per pupil to have the schools regu-
larly attended, as the teachers and the
equipment must be provided even
. Though tnt CltSSeS are IlOt Hull anu the
equipment lies idle part of the time
The State gets the maximum use from
the books and can also buy them in
large quantities on better terms than
the parents of each scholar can do at re-
tail, so that here there is also consider
able saying tn the people as "a whole.
The poorest children, who otherwise
have the least chance of advancement
and who are therefore most likely to
become burden to the community. are
thereby given an equal chance with
others who are more fortunate, and