The midland journal., 1917-08-24
TO THE VOTERS OF CECIL
COUNTY:


different citizens and taxpayers
whether or not | thought 1.-The Tome
School for Boys" should be taxed,
and if elected would l be in favor
of repeating the law which now ex-
empts it from taxation. There have
in fact been so many inquiries about
what position l intended to take on
this question should 7 be nominated
and elected, that | thought best to
answer through the columns of the
local papers.
1. The question naturally involves
the discussion Of why it was ex-
empted from taxation in the first
place, and why, being so exempted,
should it now be taxed.
In order to answer this, it will be
necessary to give the reasons for its
exemption, at the time the Legis-
lature exempted it (1898), and the
reasons as they exist now why it
should no longer be. exempted.
This naturally leads to discus
sion as to the purposes and objects
which its founder, the late Jacob
Tome, had in mind when "The
Jacob Tome Institute of Port De-
post, Cecil County, Maryland" was
Incorporated. (That was its origin
al name. 1t is now called "The
Tome School for Boys.")
His objects, purposes and inten-
tions can be best learned from the
certificate of incorporation he had
prepared and approved by the Court,
and from his last will and testa-
ment by which it was endowed. He
stated in his will that he endowed it
for the purpose of the free edu-
cation and instruction of white chill
dren, both male and female, in Cecil
County and Maryland, between the
ages of 10 and 18 years. and the
certificate he had prepared states
that the preference of admission to
the school should be first, to the
orphan children of Port Deposit;
second, the children of Port Deposit;
third, the orphan children OF, Cecil
County; fourth, the children of Cecil
County, and last, the orphan chill
dren of Maryland.
The Jacob Tome Institute having
been incorporated for the free edu-
cation and instruction of orphans of
Port Deposit, of Cecil County, and of
Maryland, and endowed to the ex-
tent of several millions of dollars
for its maintenance, the Maryland
Legislature of 1898, realizing the
great public benefit to be derived
from a free educational insti-
tuition of this character, in ap-
preciation of the great public good
intended by its benefactor, exempt
ed its property and buildings from
taxation.
Since that time the objects and
purposes of the school have sue
cessively and gradually been chang
ed by the different boards of trus-
tees who have been in control, and
the splendid benevolent intentions
and purposes of Jacob Tome as ex-
pressed in his last will and in the
original charter of its incorporation
of the free education and instruc-
ton Of orphans along the lines
specified by him, which would enable
them to engage in the trades and
occupation of earning an honest
livelihood, have been thwarted and
set at naught. His fondest dreams
have been blasted. The trust he
created in the interest of the weak
and helpless orphans of Cecil County
and of Maryland has been openly
violated and set aside, and today in
stead of having the free school for
the education and instruction of or
phan children" as he intended, we
have the very opposite. 1t has been
changed so entirely that it has now
become one of the highest priced
preparatory schools in the country,
and for boys only, when orphan
boys and girls were both intended by
him to be benefited, and where
none now but the sons of the rich
are welcome.
In proof of this, | ask how many
orphans of Port Deposit, of Cecil
County, and of Maryland are now
enrolled among its students? How
much benefit is it now to the people
of the State of Maryland and Cecil
County in educating their orphans,
both boys and girls" as originally
intended?
A high tuition fee is now annual
ly charged, boarding school is es-
tablished instead of the free school,
to which orphans cannot afford to