Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-02-12


sion which has this question in charge.
Would you like to state your case to them y
The teachers with one voice said they
would, and the Governor conducted them
to the board room. where he introduced
them to the commission. They were cor
daily received and laid their case before
the commission. When they left one of the
teachers told the commission she was
charmed with the Governor"
The members of the commission present
were State Senator j. Charles Linthicum
State Senator W. Mccullough Brown, Prof,
M. Bates Stephens and Mr.. M. b. Nichols,
of Talbot county.
INFLUENCE OF SENATOR AS HEAD.
The Governor. in addressing the COM
mission, said:
This commission. like the others that
have been appointed, has at its head
member of the Senate who, when the
proper time comes to present to the GEN
eral Assembly such legislation as you think
proper to recommend, will have gone over
the whole subject and will be able to in
form his fellow-members of the Senate
the reasons and arguments by which you
reached your conclusions, so that no bill
presented will be without sponsor. Every
one of the bills will have some one present
in the Senate who will be able to present
it in such manner as to very largely as
sist in its passage.
I'VE have heard some complaint that
they pay taxes who have no children to
90 to school, That is fallacy. All prop
erty in the State pays something for the
public schools. Parts of the State that
have less property than others get the same
advantages from the amounts the others
pay. That is true in every department of
government. 1t is very excellent pro-
vision. 1t would be bold man who would
now lay his hand upon system so close
to the hearts of the people. 1t has done
much good. and has given our State its
standing among the other States Of the
Union.
SCOPE INVOLVES MUCH WORK.
81 do not want to alarm you, but con-
slider the scope of the work of this commits
sion involves more than any commission
that has been appointed. except possibly
one. You take up not only the public
school system in all its many details, but
1t contemplates going over the educational
facilities of the State. whether they are
entirely maintained at the public's expense
or not. 1t will require you to look into
institutions, because appropriations made
to the institutions are made just like the
general appropriations are made. frequent
ly by some individual in the Legislature
who is greatly interested in some project
in his county or section. and the appro-
priation is made very often through his
energy and activity without any regard to
the part it is going to play in the educa-
tional system of the State.
THE public school system has wonder
fully developed. The high schools are do
ing great work, and so are the manual
training departments. | do not say 1t as a
fact. because ! have no information to
warrant it. but feel that perhaps there
are appropriations made to institutions in
the same locality that are doing the same
work that high school is doing. If that
should be the case, prudence and wisdom
suggest that the appropriation to the pri-
vate institution should be withdrawn.
Where the high school is doing the same
work and capable Of meeting the require
ments IL is neither wise nor economical to
appropriate money to private institutions
in the same community doing the same
work. This idea was suggested to me by
some people at the last Legislature. The
withdrawal of certain old academic funds
to be applied to high school work was
suggested. These are questions for you to
pass upon. whether it is feasible and right.
Any inequalities in the system or anything
that takes the States money not for pub
lie service. Of course. is unwananted.
Public money is given for public pur-
pose. and think along those lines there Is
an opportunity to save right substantial
sum Of money to the State. To save the
States money harms no one. Money vast
ed does no one any good. either as indi-
viduals or as institutions. 1t is mistake.
1t enables you at all times to improve the
very thing you are struggling to put upon
an economical haaia
For GRADUATING SYSTEM.
81 have always had an idea that there
was great opportunity in the State for
a Gradual mounting up to a State educa-
tional institution. There ought to be some
system by which, step by step, you can 60
on until you have the highest that your
State can afford. do not know that our
plan is altogether happy one in reference
to scholarships. Perhaps better system
might be evolved. so that the State can
give an opportunity to the poor boy and
girl to 60 up as far as the State thinks il
wise to appropriate the public money to
do.
Another matter : have always believ.
ed that the public school teachers salary
ought to be looked into-not as mere
compliment to the particular teacher, bu
as one of the most important servants that
the State has. The idea must be the i'm
prOvement Of the teacher, not so mucl
that they shall have more money for thei