Evening star., 1927-05-22

but the administration is left to the
county authorities There are $50 high
school and 250 elementary school pu.
pills The other is at Glasva, nine
miles south of La Plata. 1t stands at
crossroads with two or three other
buildings and was erected largely with
money raised i'll the neighborhood.
This section includes some of the most
prosperous of Charles County farms.
The school has a total enrolment of
250. One hundred are in the high and
$50 in the elementary grades.
But with these two recent eXcep-
tions the only provision for higher
education in Charles County has been
privately endowed institution--the
McDonough High School at La Plata.
Attached to this school is a history
both romantic and moral.
Shortly after the American Rovolu-
ton, an Irish immigrant named Maui
rice j. McDonough opened a little
store at Pomfret. about five miles
from La Plata. Most of his business
was obtained from door to door. The
little old man used to tramp the dusty
country roads from farmhouse to
farmhouse with his tin pans and other
commodities loaded on his back.
McDonough presumably was man
of very slight education--but aven at
that he was a scholar compared with
some of the people among whom he
traded. There were no schools of any
kind. The richer families. of course,
sent their sons and daughters away
to be educated. The poorer people re.
manned in ignorance.
When the old Irishman died in 1904
there was d provision in his will,
leaving my fortune which l have
amassed from my industry antl
frugality" in Charles County to a
board OF trustees. which was instructed
to administer it so as to provide edu.
cation for the poor children in an area
of about 10 square miles around La
Plata. The fortune" however, was
somewhat less than $4,000. Nobody
knows today just what it was The
trustees were puzzled. Even in those
days of low prices the interest on
81 900 would not have gone far toward
CARRYING out the wishes of the tes-
tator.
So the money was invested and COM
pound interest began to work its
miracles. The trusteeships descended
from father to son and still are in the
original families. A century passed
$50 900. which was considered suffi-
cient to establish high school. which
was set up at the new county seat.
Practically free education has been
provided, with board and lodging, for
hundreds of the young men and WON.
Ell of the county.
With the completion OF the public
high school at La Plata the Nc
Donough High School will go out of
business. and the income of the fund
will be used to provide scholarships at
various colleges. The old tin peddler
with his $1,000 accumulated by my
industry and frugality" remains the
county's most conspicuous benefaetor.
| He is buried in the churchyard of st.
Joseph's Catholic Church at Pomfret.
Over his grave the trustees have set
up a monument. and there the pupils
make an annual pilgrimage.
Charles County is fairly we'll pro-
vided with facilities for elementary
education There are 35 one-room.
8 two-room and graded schools. The
school population is about 1000, al.
, most equally divided between white
and Go1ored There are 72 white
teachers and ~ colored. AS rapidly
as possible the one-roon1 schools are
being closed and consolidated build
ings provided, with bus transportation
furnished free for the younger pupils.
This is by no means so easy in pure.
ly rural county as in the Maryland
and Virginia counties. adjacent to
Washington, aud the progress Is nee.
essarily slow.
Tbs eeunty ppropriates $4,000 a