The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-02-11
MANY DEFECTS IN
STATE SCHOOLS
Take Education Out of Politics,
Expert Advice to Maryland.

Expert ADVICE 10 MdFylano.
TEACHERS BADLY TRAINED.
General Educational Board Of New
York, After Inspection of Every
County In the State, Points to Need
of More Superintendent, Higher
Laws.
Baltimore, Md, Feb. 6.-The Legis.
lature of Maryland in 1914 authorized
the appointment of Commission to
procure a survey of education in Mary
land and appropriated $1,000 for its ex.
penses The Governor appointed as
members of this Commission B. Howell,
Griswold. .Jr. of Baltimore: Col. Albert
w. Sisk. Of Preston. and DR.. ]. Me-
PhersOn Scott. of Hagerstown.
At the request of the Commission.
the General Education Board of New
York undertook to make the survey:
agreeing to bear any expense Incurred
in excess of the state appropriation.
The results of the survey are made pub
lie to-day.
The Report is the work of Abraham
Flexner and Frank p. Bachman. The
former is the author Of THE American
College" and several years ago con.
Quoted for the Carnegie Foundation in
vestigations of medical schools in the
United States and Europe; Dr. Bach.
man, formerly Assistant Superintend.
ent of Schools in Cleveland. was a
prominent member of the HanuS Com,
mission which investigated the New
York schools and is the author of i'm
portant educational studies.
Every County Inspected.
Every county in Maryland was visit
ed and typical schools Of all kinds We're
studied throughout the state; the rec
Ords of the state and county depart
ments were carefully examined; and
much new material was gathered. The
material is set forth in a cOmprehen-
stve volume dealing with each detail
of the situation
public education in Maryland is on
the whole soundly organized says the
report of the General Education Board.
Further, the state deals generously
with its public schools in the matter of
money.
"We do not propose therefore any
fundamental changes in the general
scructure of the public school system
of Maryland nor do We suggest that
the State increase at all its appropri-
atoms to the schools.
But there are other aspects which
will cause grave concern. A few coun-
ties possess good and steadily improv
ing schools; good school may be
found here and there in other counties.
But the large majority of the schools
are poor; teachers are, for the most
part, poorly trained; instruction is in
effective and obsolete; children attend
school with disastrous irregularity;
school buildings are far too often
in unsatisfactory condition, school
grounds, neglected and untidy.
Need Of More Superintendents.
'"The County superintendent is in
even more unsatisfactory condition. In
the first place. the law does not even
require 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.
I'm most counties, therefore, an I'M
trained official without expert aid, GER
tificates teachers. arranges courses of
study, supervises instruction, and ex
amines for promotion pupils who at
tend scff6ef el act OF
their parents please.
FINALLY, the states large school fund
is not distributed so as to accomplish
the greatest possible good. For it Is
distributed almost Internationally. The
counties get their quota whether they
do their educational duty or not, with
the result that the backward counties
sometimes do much less than they
ought and some well-tO-do counties do
much less than they should.
''The state fund thus becomes a
source of positive Generalization. 1t
can be converted into real help and
stimulus only If payment by the State
is conditioned upon the performance Of
local duty.
"In view of these conditions, it is
easy enough to understand why fun
damentally correct type Of organization
produces unsatisfactory educational re-
suits in Maryland. But, as a matter
of fact, the state does not even fare as
well with its present rganization as it
might: why not?
Education Is "In Politics."
"a few words suffice to explain.
Public edcuation in Maryland is in
politics. Politics are apt to prevent
the State Board from acting with Wig
or; to determine the composition of the
County Boards; t6 affect the choice of
the County Superintendent; even to
enter into the selection of the one
room rural school teacher.
"Of course, there are exceptions
Some of the county boards are excel
lent; some schools are entirely free
from political faint. But in general po-
htical and personal considerations i'm
pair the vigor, independence. thorough
ness and efficiency of the school sys-
tenn. The public does not begin to real
lie the seriousness of the political in
lection or the damage it does"
The report of the survey says that:
Baltimore County must be singled