The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-03-12
Taught and Learned
In One-Room School

OneQ TO the man VINO became state
Superintendent in 1920. The General
Education Boards report on education
in the State was new off the press.
Before its appearance, Dr.. Abraham
Flexner, who directed the survey
seemed concerned primarily in sugar
coating the many unpleasant findings
he felt constrained to reveal about the
schools in most sections. Moreover,
Leonard P. Ayres had just issued "An
Index Number for State School Sys-
TENS" This revealed Maryland MAX
ing 4 Decline for last place in the sis
terhood of States. From twelfth po-
sition in 1890, the State had slipped
to nineteenth in 1900; thirty-third by
1910, and thirty-seventh in 1918.
FleXner's high praise of the Balti-
more county system made DR.. Cook
the logical man to lead Maryland edu-
cation out Of the wilderness. With the
cordial support of Governor Richie
and the enthusiastic cooperation Of
the county superintendent, he I'M
dertook to stem the tide. He had
gained national eminence as the cham
pon of the county as proper unit
for educational administration He
held that both the district and the
township system make uniformly good
schools impossible. With the county as
unit, sparsely populated and back
ward sections Jared much better than
if the financial burden for their i'm
mediate school rested entirely or
largely upon them.
Aid Where Really Needed
DR.. Cook revamped his conception
of the county unit for use in the State.
The authority of the county must not
be broken down but the unevenness of
educational opportunity must be cor
rected. And the measure that accom-
plished the end was the equalization
fund BY this it became possible to
supplement, but only where necessary
the then existing forms of State aid.
The counties and Baltimore City were,
and still are, receiving State aid.
! Since this is based largely on pupil at
tendance, the populous units get a
lions share; the sparsely populated
counties, just a few crumbs, rela-
lively.
The equalization fund gives most
to those counties whose needs are
greatest, in order that they may main
tain good schools, comparable with the
best in the State.
Other Accomplishments
Ma1yland's equalization program
represents the master attainments OF
DR.. Cooks educational career. How
ever, linked to it are other accomplish,
ments of great significance to the
State These include two revisions OF
| the salary scale for teachers - 1925
and 1889; the teacher retiremen sys
tenn, by which teachers and State con
tribute to a fund for old age annui
ties - 1927; and the development OF
the normal schools into teachers col
leges; also the working out of {
scheme of supervision that is wholly
cooperative never domineering
Prosperous counties are encouraged
to build up their own supervisory
force, thus enabling the State depart
ment to render more service to coun.
ties that would not be justified il
engaging a staff of supervisors.
Within less than year Dr. Cocl
will have reached the age where re-
tirement would be compulsory. Fol
some time past he has been planning
to anticipate the mandate of the State
school law on this point. But in dis.
cussing the matter, the intimatior
has always been strong that his inter
est in the public school system would
not Wane In years to come if the
States educational system is subjected
to attack, the chances are that CAP
Cook will forget that he is supposed
to have retired from active partici-
patton in public education.