The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-01-11
LETTER FROM SUPT. BROWNING
To the Teachers. Trustees and the
Patrons Of the Public Schools.

OFFICE OF THE
BOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
FOR GARRETT COUNTY.

ISLJ OOunIy.
By permission of our editors | ac-
cept this means of conveying some bits
Conformation and vertured instructions
TO you. In September was established,
for the first time, school journal in
our State, know as the Maryland Edu-
catiOnal Journal.
1t is new and very worthy enter
prise, and certainly very important
factor in our educational career, whose
life and usefulness depends largely up
on the liberal patronage, the intellectual
use made of, and the generous support
given it by the teachers and friends of
education in the State. The editor of
the Maryland Educational Journal has
asked me to send him the names of
teachers who would write articles for
publication in the Journal. | have sent
my first list of names, with whom |
am sure the editor will correspond. |
ask you now to not refuse but do your
best. You can do justice to yourselves,
credit to your county and crafty your
superintendent. Make your communi-
cations short but to the point. Then
may say, too, that the Maryland Ed
ucational Journal should be the property
of every teacher in the county. Sub
scribe for it, write for it, read it. 1t is
full of splendid articles and keeps YOU
in touch with every county in the State.
Send your name and address with SOC to
2O6 N. Liberty St, Baltimore Md.
Another most excellent organization
is our State Reading Circle. 1t costs
but 25c a year to belong to it. By read
ing the entire course and writing the
required thesis you can merit a profess
ional certificate from the State Board of
Education. Why not avail yourselves
Of the generous offer of your school
board? To all who take the course and
DO the work required the board will
furnish free of charge the major book
of the course, a standard work worth
from $1.25 to S1.50 These books are
now in the office, many of which have
been distributed to the teachers who
are wide-awake and willing to work
and grow in the profession that needs
them; send for your book those who are
members, and those who are not send
in your name and 25c and become mem
bers
And our own county organization
must.not be sighted nor neglected At
our last county institute its organiza-
ton was almost unanimously voted for,
and yet bnt q few teachers are members.
It costs you 25c year and if its contem-
plations be forcefully and faithfully car
ried into effect it cannot but benefit the
individual teacher and effectually com
bine the educational forces of the
county.
We are all waiting and watching with
much interest the outcome of the Gram
mar contest, so ably arranged by Mr..
Rathbun, President of the county or
ganization. Some one will win S., some
one else So 80 and all who enter the con-
test will get the benefit of their efforts.
There are many teachers in this
county where splendid efforts and ster-
ling worth is recognized by all who
know them, and there are some who
need help, who need help, who need ad-
vice and who, if they will avail them
selves of what the State and county
offers them, can in a little while merit
no less praise. Then there are a few
whom l fear have missed their calling.
Let us all cheer up, take new courage
in the new year, join all the good edu-
cational organizations and let Garrett
be heard from with pride and credit.
To the trustees and patrons of the
county-lt sometimes happens that
some school or schools close. when the
school year is not half gone. This is so
at present with some schools of the
county. This is discouraging, provok-
ing and distressing, and to no one more
than county superintendent. When
tilC SeRuoS 10 etIl < I'lNtSilllC VI SiChHGSS, no
one feels at fault and the board invari-
ably provides for the makin5 up of the
time lost.
But what shall be done to remedy the
many other reasons? | know of no
school closed this year on account of
sickness, but several for other reasons.
May l, in all kindness, suggest some
reasons for some of the troubles. In
my opinion, in some instances it is the
teachers fault, and some it is the fault
of the patrons and trustees. | NAV
be wrong. But may reason with YOU.
In the first place, many of the teachers
are illegally appointed. 1t is a practice
among teachers to get contract, go to
one trustee and get him to sign it, then
to another and by some persuasion Sc
cure his signature; the third trustee
she knows not TO be her friend and she
SHES clear of him. She sends in her
contract and the board, without know
ing any reason for the absence of the
J, Il -