Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-03-04
SATURDAY. MARCH 4. Is22.
THE GENERAL EDUCATION BILL

One of the most important CON
structive measures now before
the Legislature OF Maryland Is
the General Education bill. which
has already passed the Senate and
on Thursday passed its second
reading in the House by vote
of, approximately, three to one.
lust why there should be any OPP
position at all To this bill IS not
easy 10 see.
1t embodies a program based
on the principle that education IS
a duty of the State and that the
wealth of the State shall educate
the children thereof, regardless OF
where the wealth is located and
of where the children reside. The
final purpose OF this program is
stated 10 be: competent. we'll
trained teachers in hearty accord
with American ideals i'll every
public school position i'll Mary
land, so that there may be an
equal opportunity for all children
of the State.
This program is the result OF
specific request from Governor
Richie. transmitted to the State
Department in letter of Septem-
Der 81, 1920, which was given by
him to the press and i'll which he
proposes the following problem :
The determination of what may
be necessary to put the elemen-
tary and high schools of the State
on the highest possible plane and
to place education in them within
reach of everyone" This pro-
gram has been before the people
of Maryland since April, 1927,
constructive criticism of it has
been invited, and the program has
produced a most favorable inn
preston as to Maryland's desire
to take a leading part in the edu-
cational reconstruction now go
ing on everywhere.
One of the practical features of
the pending bill is the guarantee
that any county that cannot car
ry the new State program for all
school purposes on local school
tax rate equal to the average now
paid by all the counties OF the
State (siXty-seven cents) shall
have an allotment from the State
Equalization Fund to enable the
county to carry the new program
ON the present average tax rate
for the schools.
As a result of this equalization
fund, for instance, Anne Arundel
county would receive, approx
mately, 100000 as its share OF the
allotment for the ensuing two
years. Moreover, this equaliza-
ton fund would be derived from.
indirect State revenue and would
not be a charge on the State tax
rate. This amount to be received
from the State Equalization Fund
by each county has been accurate
" calculated from data furnished
by the County Superintendent oil
schools, and this amount IS writ
ten in the State School Budget,
the total of which. as submitted
by the Governor to- the Legisla-
ture, being $3.5O0.000. and dedi-
Gated to certain specified school
purposes.
As a result of the State Equal
cation Fund every county in the
State will be able: CD To pay
to its present teachers a salary
slightly above the mere subsis-
tence level" and establish II fair
and moderate salary scale. CD toI
gradually secure better trained
teachers as vacancies occur; 81
TO provide for training the teach
ers already in service; "a TO
furnish an adequate supply of |
text books and materials of in
struction; go to keep its school
buildings in decent repair and
comfortable; Co to afford all the
children OF the State equal oppor-
tunities for schooling and under
adequate conditions: and, in
short, to do most of the things