The Republican., 1919-04-10

OcNIlS anu SAlASAAeos g-C3SSN
8. For maintaining the school sys-
TEN as will be required during 1919
1920, and as set forth in the Budget
Of the County Board OF Educa-
tion .................. .SS9, $40
Grand total. .S204, ,6i0
Since it appears wholly impossible
and impracticable to raise such a
large sum Of money as S204,610 from
direct taxation in the county by a
levy to be laid on the county next
week by the Beard of County Com
missioners, certain items called for
in the above had to be eliminated. To
raise such a sum for school purposes
alone, when united with the other
pressing needs of the county, would
create a tax rate so high as to throw
many property owners into bankrupt
cy. drive others from the county, put
an unlimited number of properties
under the hammer for sale for taxes
and create a general upheavai in the
economic and busines life Of our cit
liens, with the result that general
confusion and discomfort would fol-
low.
Accordingly, it was decided at the
conference between the two bodies of
public officials 20 propose a bond issue
to the people of TIE county to meet
the first two demands amounting to
not less than S1O5 coo, it being nee
essary for such a bond issue to be
authorized by the General Assembly
of Maryland of 1920, the loan there
under to be reraid in small portions
each year by county taxation during
the next several and following years.
After the several school communi-
ties are heard from more definitely
such bond issue would likely have to
totalize S175,OO0.
1t was also decided that the Board
of County Commissioners would levy
as large an amount as possible this
year, consistently with it's other obli-
cations, to meet the needs of the va
rious schools as set forth in the Bud
force of the county shall be composed
Of men and women who are qualified
for the responsibilities incidental to
teaching, and since the State Depart
ment of Education is outspoken in its
determination not to issue provisional
certificates along the lines that have
prevailed during the last year or two,
and since there is too great a ten
| dency among the school authorities
of the county to shorten the terms of
the smaller schools of the county with
the result that Garrett county had
during the school year of 1917-l91S
only an average school year, for all
the schools of the county, of 1893
days in length as pointed out in the
annual report of the State Board of
Education for the year 1917-1918,
then it follows that fair and remuner-
ative compensation must be provided
and granted in order to attract to and
hold in the profession of teaching only
such men and women as are qualified
for the possibilities of the work
with the result that the people of the
county will receive in some measure
the results that they desire from their
schools. Without such funds being
provided there will result a still
greater shortage of teachers than
now prevails, or a denial of school
privileges to those whose schools can
not be continued for the legal school
year of at least $50 actual school
days. In this connection, the follow
ing data is submitted: On February
| 20, 1919, there were 164 teachers in
actual employment, of which number
112 have had less than six years ex-
perience as teachers, and sc of these
| l12 have had less than three years
experience. Sixty-six of the 164 held
regular state certificates and 90 held
merely provisional certificates. In a
letter to the County Superintendent
of schools of Garrett county, dated
February 10, 1919, the State Super
intendent of Schools states in part
Il shall certainly have to have a
change of mind if we grant provis-
ional certificates next year" To just
what extent war conditions have been
responsible for the very large num-
/ Der Of provisional certificates in Gar
rett county, the county school author
/ tiles are unable to determine with
any degree of accuracy, but they are
of the opinion that such war condi-
tions are responsible in only very
slight degree. In order for Garrett
county to secure an adequate number
Of regularly qualified and certifcated
teachers, it must provide sufficient,
attractive and fair compensation, and
especially so since the county must
now enter into competition with other
counties as never before in order to