The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-06-13
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
RELATES SCHOOL GROWTH
Tells Radio Listeners How Edu-
catiOnal System Has Advanced


more than kept in the race with the
other counties of the State, measured
by these same ten units. In 1918, for
instance, the index number of the
efficiency of the schools of the coun-
ty was 28.8-a trifie more than one
fourth efficient. But today, for the
school year of 1929, only ten brief
years later, this same index number
was raised to 67.1-for 1928 the eff
cheney of the county's public schools
was 21a times greater than it was
only ten years ago.
Perhaps this advancement of the
schools has come more through cor
rect analysis of the problem confront
ing the people of the State as learned
by them from the IS efficiency rating
of its public schools as announced in
1918 than through any other means.
The plan for securing better schools
was directed along the lines of more
adequate financing and securing pro-
fessionally trained teachers, each Of
which will be considered in the order
named
Just how much money is necessary
in order to finance adequately a
school system?
The State legislature of Maryland
answered this question in 1922, after
setting up an advanced scale of
teachers salaries, by saying through
legislative enactment, that for every
76 cents spent for teachers salaries,
paid according to the State scale, "a
cents additional shall be provided for
all the other school expenses, exclud-
ing capital outlay or new building
costs.
If the necessary amount is not
secured through county tax rate of
81 cents, upon each 500 assessed
valuation of property, and from other
sources, then the State shall provide
the necessary remaining balance.
Nor is this amount secured by the
State wholly from State direct tax
but in great measure from the income
of the State from indirect taxation
which form of indirect taxation is less
burdensome upon the taxpayers.
This end has been accomplished
largely through following the prin-
ciples set up at the time the cam
paign was on for more comprehensive
financing of the schools which princi-
pie is as follows:
"The wealth of the State shall
educate the children of the State,
regardless of where the wealth is
located and where the children
reside"
In following the above formula of
determining the financial needs of
school system, the salaries of the
teachers of the counties of the State
have increased over 100000 during
the past ten years. In Garrett coun-
ty, they have increased, for practical
ly the same number of teachers dur
ing the same period, from $4,000 in
1918, to S218,000 for 1928, or an aver
age annual increase of about $4,000.
The same result is evident when we
see that the average salary of ele-
mentary teachers in Garrett county
in 1918 was S542, whereas for 1928
it was $1155-more than double in
ten years.
These additional expenditures auto
matically lead US to our second goal
of employing only professionally
trained teachers.
A trained teacher is defined in
Maryland as one who has four years
of high school and two years of nor
NAL school training or the equivalent.
In 1922 there were 81 such pro-
fessionally trained teachers in Gar
rett county in the staff of 1870 elemen-
tary teachers, whereas, today every
teacher in the rural and town schools
is a trained teacher according to the
above definition with only 6 excep-
tions.
This result has grown out of the
States second goal set up in 1922
when school improvement was in the
air, which was:
"a competent, well-trained
teacher, in hearty accord with
American ideals, in every public
school position in Maryland, so
that there may be an equal OPP
portunity for all the children of
the State"
Back of all and over all of these ad-
vancements in the schools of Garrett
county, have been the best wishes for
success in improving the schools
from our merchants, bankers, farm
ers, professional men and women,
and all of the patrons, without which
active support there could not have
resulted the gratifying conditions
that crown our public schools today.
This liberal spirit of cooperation is
,404. - IL