The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-02-12
POLITICS SEEN IN
STATES SCHOOLS


sin politics." Politics are apt to
prevent the State Board from acting
with vigor; to determine the COM
position of the county boards; to
affect the choice of the county sup
erintendents; even to enter into the
selection of the one-room rural
Schoolteacher.
OF course, there are exceptions.
Some of the county boards are ex-
cel!ent; some schools are entirely
free from political tairt. But, in
general, political and personal con-
siderations impair the vigor, indie
pendence, thoroughness and eff
cheney of the school system. The
public does not begin to realize the
seriousness of the political infection
or the damage it does.
The above is an extract from re-
port to the Maryland Educational Sur
vey Commission by DR.. Abraham
FleXner and Frank P. Bachman, nat
ionwide experts, representing the
General Education Board, with head
quarters in New York. This board is
supported through endowment by John
d. Rockefeller. The Maryland Survey
Commission consists of r. Howell
Griswold. Jr., chairman; DR.. J. Nc
Pherson Scott and Col. Albert w. Sisk,
"'hc were appointed by Governor
Goldsborough, to whom they formally
transmitted the report which they ap-
proved. They ask for an earnest con-
sideration and thoughtful study of the
report, with the hope that it will help
to bring improvements in the public
school system of the state in direc-
tions needed The work of the two
experts was confined wholly to the
counties and wholly to the schools
supported by the State. The investi-
cation did not extend to the state
aided colleges and other higher insti-
tutions of learning. To carry through
q survey of these institutions a small
appropriation by the General Assem-
lily will be necessary.
"We do not PROPOSE" says the re-
port, "any fundamental changes in
the general structure of the public
school system of Maryland nor do we
suggest that the state increase at all
its appropriations to the schools.
But there are other aspects which
will cause grave concern. A few
counties possess good and steadily i'm
proving schools; good schools are
found here and there in other coun-
ties. But the large majority of the
schools are poor; teachers are, for the
most part, poorly trained; instruction
is Ineffective and obsolete; children
attend school with disastrous irregu-
larity; school buildings are far too
often in unsatisfactory condition,
school grounds neglected and untidy
"The county superintendency is in
on unsatisfactory condition. In the
first place, the law does not even re-
Quire the county superintendent to be
a trained or experienced school man;
in the second place, adequate provision
for skilled assistance exists in only
one or two counties.
FINALLY, the states large school
fund is not distributed so as to ac
accomplish the greatest possible good.
For it is distributed almost uncondi-
tionally. The counties get their quota
whether they do their educational duty
or not, with the result that the back
ward counties sometimes do much
less than they ought and some we'll
to-do counties do much less than they
should
'The state fund thus becomes a
source of positive decentralization. 1t
can be converted into real help and
stimulus only if payment by the state
is conditioned upon the performance
of local duty"