The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-11-03

In all discussions concerning pub
! tic questions, it seems only fair and
right that all the facts in the case
| should be submitted to the people.
With this thought in mind l wish to
submit to the voters of Dorchester
County a few facts and figures which
! l know to be correct.
During the past two years l have
visited every county seat in Mary
land and large number of the Hush
Schools of the State. I have not
seen as unsightly a high school as
ours in any town in Maryland large
,or small. The exterior is had
enough and the interior is certainly
far worse.
On the Eastern Shore, Queen
Anne's County, has perhaps the fin
est school buildings with Caroline
second The Bond Issue in Queen
Anne's recently defeated was for
$6S,000 tied up with consolidation
scheme which was very unpopular.
Caroline builds new High School
every few years, largely by direct
taxation. At Greensboro, four
ten room building mas just been con-
pleted at cost OF IS 900. 1t seems
to me that this is fine habit for
any county to acquire. The Wicom-
leo County High School in Salisbury
is a splendid school building, if we
would compare it with ours, but the
school. is so over crowded that por-
table buildings have been erected to
meet the emergency. The Bond Is
sue there was voted upon at spec
ial election and thus had little chance
of passing.
Over in Western Maryland in Car
roll county, Bond Issue for $780,
600 for schools and roads has recent
ly been defeated nevertheless Car"
roll county has in the last five years
built a number of fine well equipped
high school buildings
In Oakland, Garrett County,
town of not more than two thousand
people High School, costing $780,
900 was built few years ago and
paid for by direct taxation. Garrett
county is a very poor county. In
Allegheny county where Mr.. Edward
F. Webb of Dorchester, is Superin-
tendent, bond issue for nearly a
million dollars was authorized re-
Gently and there are today fourteen
school buildings being constructed
throughout the county.
At Lisbon, Howard county; at Up
per Marlboro, Prince George coun-
ty at-Prince Frederick, in Calvert
new High Schools have been
erected during the past two years. In
Anne Arundel county, a county very
similar to Dorchester, in many ways,
a bond issue for $150,000 was voted
upon two years ago and carried A
fine example of public spirit was
shown by the citizens Of that county,
when every site, upon which the new
school buildings were erected, was
giben to the County Board of Educa-
ton.
Hartford county is voting next
week upon bond issue for S250,00O
with a good chance of winning. Dur
ing the past twenty years Dorchester
has spent about $4,000 for
school buildings. Few counties have
done as little. 4
l have never been able to under
stand why we should have referen-
dunn for school bond issues only.
We do not vote upon road bond is
sues nor upon DOuu ISSUES W CoNSi
incurred by our County
Commissioners without authority.
Are good roads more essential than
good schools? -
1t has been stated that the cost of
school maintenance in Dorchester
has increased 5000. This is not
rue 1t has increased 1890. Is
there anything that we buy today
that has not increased to as great an
extent.
Regarding the statement that the !,
has decreased in the /,
past ten years, it is true that the en- i,
-ollment has decreased from 665S in
l912-1913 to 6149 in 1922, but at
he same time the average attend
lnce has increased. In other words
more children actually attend our
school now than ever attended.
am a taxpayer in Dorchester
and must admit that have I
not calculated how much this bond
ssue will raise the tax rate on 500.
believe it is right that the girls
and boys of Dorchester should have
for an education equal
@ those of children elsewhere. 1t
will be a pleasure to me to work, to
pay any additional tax which this
oond issue may impose for the bene-
it of the future citizens of Dorches-
.er county.
KATIE CHAMPION KERR