The Democratic advocate., 1908-01-17
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
What Has Been Accomplished by the
Present Board Of School Com
miSSionerS.


ers has been in charge of the public schools
of Carroll county for over seven years. When
| we entered upon our duties the teachers of the
| county received from $3.50 10 $270 per school
wear of seven and half months, which was
the length of the school year at that time. 1t
was evident from the beginning that if the
schools were to be placed upon higher plane,
of usefulness the efficiency. qualification and
| equipment of the teaching force would have
| to be increased. The Board wanted higher
standard of ability, recognized obligation and
faithfulness in the performance of duty 10
develop the efficiency and retain competent
| teachers. it was evident that the compensation
| of teachers would have to be increased. AT
the beginning of our term in 1900 the teachers
of the county received $39, go; in the year
just closed, 1907, they received $54. .8O6 Is. an
increase of $14, 892 Is. which is more than
one third additional. The following amounts
as salary have been paid to the teachers dur
ing these years 1901, SAL .S63.S2; 1902,
Sal 915 Sc; 1908. $44, ,ss7 .O3; 1904 sac. .5O7 46;
1905, $54, 147.69; 1906. $54, 1928; 1907,
$54, ,806.13.
| While the compensation has been increased:
more than one-third. it is obvious that the
teachers efficiency, ability and usefulness to
the county have been increased. -
| During these years the Board has built
eleven school houses at cost of $14, $50. 0O. =.
|
dams Retreat, the second story at Taneytown
nor the Stony Ridge house, for which we re-
| ceived insurance. g
| The Board has also placed steam heaters in
| Hampstead, Union Bridge, Manchester and
| Taneytown; likewise we have placed maps.
globes and other equipment in all tine school
houses in the county. The school year iss
| now nine months instead of seven and half!.
| and instead of $3.50 to $270, the teachers now
receive from $500 to $3.50 per year. This does
not include grammar school, principals and
| high school teachers, nor does it include a
few teachers in small schools not running
full year for lack of number of pupils required
In stating what has been done in public
education the Board seeks no credit for doing
anything special. This is intended to be
simply frank and honest presentation Of
what has been done in performance of duty,
The Commissioners assume these obligations
honestly, and in each case to the best of their
Judgment they move in the way duty points,
The present Board has not contracted one
cent of debt, but on the contrary on coming
into office we found debt of S28 O00. 90 made
by former school boards. Under the condi:'
tons by which this debt had been wisely re.
funded, we have paid out of our own funds as
interest and principal $9750. The Board is
now liquidating this debt at the rate of 81, 900
year iu addition to the interest. $
Dy reason vi lucreaSeu elllCleuCy III puuiC
school work, or from some other cause, many
private schools in the county have closed, and
the children are now attending the public
schools. We found several private schools in
Westminster, and from 200 pupils to 225 at
tending the then so-called High School in
Westminster. Most of these private schools
have been closed, and we now have fully
accredited High School with 45O pupils in
attendance. 81
In the Westminster High School there are
more pupils to the room than can be properly
taken care Of The Board has been wrestling
with this difficulty for more than two years,
and all that time we have been seeking a
solution of the problem. The teachers are
doing their duty faithfully and to the best of
their ability, but in some of the rooms there
are more than 10 pupils to the room, and it is
not possible for one teacher to give adequate
attention to that number of pupils. We have
now reached time when increased accom-
modations and additional teachers will have
to be provided. 1t is the Judgment of the
School Board that public education in West
minister calls for additional rooms so that
adequate relief may be furnished before
another school year opens. The crowded
conditions in other parts of the county call for
additional teachers as assistants. For lack OF
funds the Board has not been able to meet
these demands. al
As it is the purpose of this Board not to go
in debt, this simply means that unless addi-
tional funds be provided public education in
Carroll county will have to take backward
step. The only reason the Commissioners
have been able to do as well as they have done
with the money al command is the fact that it
has always been the practice and the policy OF
this Board to buy all supplies at the lowest
wholesale cash prices, and to keep down thy
expense account as much as possible by eco
nomically supervising all expenditures and
repairs, such as roofing, flooring. painting and
heating the school houses. :.
The total cost of public education in Carroll
county last year was an average OF I'll. II per
pupil. That means school year of nine
each pupil. tits expected, and it is desirable
and proper, that Carroll should compare
favorably with other good counties, not only
educationally, but in every way. A compari-
son with a few other fairly representative
counties will give some idea as to the eco
nomical administration of school finance in
Carroll. As stated above, Carroll's rate per
pupil is $11. II per school year of nine months.
In Hartford the rate is $14. 53;in Kent, $14.52;
in Howard, 4.42; in Queen Anne's, 1888;
in Talbot, 500.
The county tax rate for schools in Carroll
is 20 cents on the $100; in Hartford it is q
cents; in Talbot, q cents; in Queen Anne's,
25 cents; in Kent, "a cents. and in Cecil it is
81 cents on the 800. This is perfectly fair
statement, and it shows comparatively that
other counties are paying from So to So more
than Carroll per pupil for the school year, and 4
that in other counties the school tax rate on a
the 500 is from cents to II cents more than 1
it is in Carroll. 4
These facts are presented to give some idea 4
of what is required in order that the publict
schools of a county may be run with credit
and with some success. The Board has en-
deavored to do what is right in public school 1
matters, and the Commissioners feel that their.
efforts have met with fair amount of appre..
citation. To criticise is very easy; persons I
who can do and who will do nothing else will .
often criticise. or object to the proceedings, !;
such persons having only partial knowledge
of the facts in the case.
The School Board has met with splendid.
CO. operation. The County Commissioners
have always been fair and generous to our;
Board and we desire to express our thanks \
TO them for the interest they have always
taken in public education. The County Com !.
missoners and the School Commissioners all
accept Office as a ''publc trust, and with the
facts fairly laid before the patrons of thei
schools and the taxpayers, there is every
reason to assume that whatever may be con-
sidered necessary for the welfare of the chill
dren and the progress of the county will bel
done. Y
In all that which goes to make good coun-i
ty, we consider Carroll to be one of the best in
Maryland, and it is our faith that she will noti
be found wanting in any call to public duty
If we should attempt to enumerate all the;
perplexities encountered by the Commission |
ers in their epdeavor to educate 1000 childrenA
in the best way, and with the least loss and.
| waste of money and effort, this article would
be indefinitely extended, and no good accom- |
plished. To carry out the provisions forS
public education in Carroll is our business.