The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-02-02

Editor, OF Democrat and News
Having been confined to my house
for the past two weeks with grippe,
1 have had ample opportunity {"
think about two of the most import
ant adjuncts to community life-im
proved roads and schools. In 1872,
while a member of the Legislature /
had the honor of introducing the
$3,175,O00 road bill which was sub
sequently passed as the Price bni
with the Percy amendment. and l al
so secured the Vienna High School.
which cost ten thousand dollars.
The Record states that Mr.. Percy
said there was only one mile of stone
road in Vienna District. This Is
not true as is shown by my letter IL
the Democrat and News, the Woro
state" not 'stone" was used which
is entirely correct, and the mile il
question was secured by my unaiden
solicitation of the State Roads Com
mission. This is the only mile OF
stone road in Vienna district, bulil
by the State. The remainder of the
road was built under the State Aid
Act, as you all know. The Record
declined to publish this letter, or ht
would not have made the mistake a.
everyone who travels the road knows
that there are three and one-haA
miles of stone road in Vienna dis
trict 1t lis an old saying how fig
ures they do lie when self inJer9s,
they defy, and 1 repeat there is but
one mile of stone road built by the
State in Vienna District. In my
Judgment Improved Roads" anC
High Schools" are the two most i'm
portant factors in rural life.
Through the efforts of my father
Algernon S. Percy, fifty years ago,
little red schoofhouse was built, ONT
mile from our door, and the writer
can recall some of the best teachers
who ever taught in our State.
Forty-five years ago, Dr.. James Z
Phillips, a graduate of Princeton
taught this school, and since the!
can remember some other prominent
men and women, namely: DR.. EugcTe
Hodson, Mr.. William Mcbride, Mrs
William Mcbride, Miss jamie Flint
and Mr.. George A. S. Stevens, who
afterwards became q prominen1
lawyer in Atlantic, Ga. | can alsr
recall other prominent men VIII.
taught in other sections of our cour-
ty. The late Judge Henry Lloyd
Judge Pattison, Gov. Harrington, Mi
r. Watson Webb, Joseph VicKers
and a great many others too hume
Gus to mention.
In those days there were less II
experienced and fewer teachers il
+
day, and when our Cambridge High
school can turn out a graduate 1.-The
Gov. Philips Lee Goldsborough, v he
is not onl va credit to our county
but an honor to our state it ought
to compare favorably with some 81
our colleges.
Two years ago 1t was agitated to
consolidate the Big Mills School with
the Vienna High. At that time M
neighbors requested me to write q
petition to the School Board protest
ing against consolidation. At thai
time 1 thought 1 was doing them a
favor and did as requested. After two
years of careful study of the sftua-
ton and reading what has been &C
eomplished in the South and West l
feel that I have helped to satisfy the
patrons of this school, but at the
same time I have helped to rob the
scholars of this school of the oppOr-
tunities and advantages of a High
School education, which prompts
mt to write this letter. I realize in
a few years they will be called upon
to take our places and it is the duty
of every citizen to 90 everything in
his power to fit them for this task.
There was a time when l looked with
pride at this little building where
most of my school days were spent
in winter days, as I worked on the
farm during the spring and autumn
time. AS look at this little insig-
nificant building to-day, that cost
about $500, and down about two
miles towards Vienna, pass the
colored school that cost SO 0000, I
feel this school is disgrace to our
community and a reflection on our
School Board.
There are two million of pupil sin
the United States today attending
community schools, which ought to
sufficient proof to anyone it is the
proper thing to do. T. J. Coates,
President of the State Normal School
in Richmond, Kentucky, describes
the one room school as 20 little
house, on a little ground, with a lit
tie equipment, where a little teacneI,
for a little salary, teachers little chill
dren little things" Cambridge
should have an appropriation not
onlp large enough for the needs of
brid oa hrt of sufficient amount
to consolidate the rural schools. I