The Baltimore County Union

Report of R. C. McGinn, Esq., President Board School Commissioners of Baltimore county, to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

As the closing remarks in your communication of the 1st inst., indicate a special desire to have replies to your suggested topics, it may be prudent to confine myself chiefly to them.

In reply to the 1st and 2d interrogatories, I would respectfully state that, under the old law there were 102 Schools in operation, in charge of 102 Principals and 11 Assistants, under the supervision of 13 Commissioners, elected biennially by the people, and 5 Visitors, for each School, chosen annually by the patrons. Teachers were not employed "without procuring a certificate of qualification from a Board of Examiners appointed by the President of the School Commissioners." Of the houses, there were 68 in good condition, 16 in ordinary condition, and 18 greatly in need of repair. The funds by which the Schools were supported, amounted in the aggregate to $46,820.12, arising from a county tax, the Free School and Academic funds, tuition fees, and fines and forfeitures. From the printed reports of the Commissioners, it is evident that the efficiency of the Schools annually increased: and my first official visit enables me cheerfully, to endorse the encouraging statements in the report for 1864. This report also contains a succinct history of the system from its incipiency, most flattering, in its summary of details, to every friend of education in the county.

In the absence of the 2d volume of the census of 1860, we have to refer to the census of 1850, in order to approximate a correct answer to a part of the 3d topic. Though the census to which allusion is made, does not afford a correct mode of ascertaining the number in the county who could not read and write when it was taken, on account of containing the city and county combined, yet, by a pro rata calculation, from which, for several reasons, a deduction should be made in favor of the county, I find the number of white adults who could not read and write, is 4,206— Now, if the yearly increasing facilities for intellectual improvement which have been extended since 1850, and the stimulus which children constantly exhibiting the beneficial advantages of the public school give to the unlettered man incentive to study, together with the mortality of the same time, be taken as part of a basis for forming an opinion, it may be safely asserted that the class referred to is very small indeed.

With reference to the general intelligence of the people, I think no better evidence can be adduced than their system of public schools, the fostering care extended over them, the augmentation of the fund necessary to their support, and the beneficial results arising from their successful continuance. In 1855 the expenditure for school purposes was nearly $22,000 in 1864, nine years subsequent, it reached over $96,000 a monetary proof that the interest in that trust more than doubled. Now, as to the benefits as result a comparison of different reports shows that in 1855 3,700 pupils attended school and 4,112 did not attend, making a total of 8,112 In 1864, the names of 8,001 pupils were registered as having attended during some part of the year, or nearly as many as the entire number of pupils attending and non-attending reported six years before.

A comment might be made on this favorable aspect, but for the desire to make the communication as brief as possible other though not as palpable, proofs of the general progress of the people could be advanced such as the improvements progressing in all parts of the county the increased employment of labor-saving machinery, the feeble hold which old prejudices have upon the citizens the liberal support of too well conducted county papers the large supply of varied literature which is to it the numerous post-offices throughout the county the various societies organized in different sections whose laudable objects are generally not aware the fruit of the assiduous union of their originators and the schools of a higher grade established in several districts so to supply the demand for culture which the poor under the old law was unable to do.

The report for the fall term show an attendance of 7046 scholars There were 102 teachers and Assistants employed The aggregate amount paid for salaries was $9,219 and for incidental expenses, including purchase stoves and repairs of houses, $1,526.01

With so many evidences of the good already accomplished in our county under the old system, and the encouraging prospects prominently before us as unavoidable consequences of the excellent improvements of the recent law, affording as it does, unprecedented and unparalleled advantages. However, with full assurance, I cannot avoid entertaining good opinion of it It may see some modifications in its minor details. But even as it a general supporter its provisions, combined with an enlightened and energetic management of its operations, will develop beneficial results which the present generation can be contemplated only in theory.

Teachers Associations having been wisely recommended as important means for elevating the standard of public instruction, liberal provisions for their encouragement embodied in the School law, would tend greatly to increase their efficiency and usefulness The time specified for the duration of their meetings is so short that but little good can be effected It instead of Saturday the Friday and Saturday of some month, once in each term were given them and a certain minimum amount fixed to be appropriated by each County Board to procure the services of competent lecturers provide educational works and periodicals calculated to diffuse among the teachers a more extensive knowledge of the high and responsible duties of their honorable profession, and of the improved methods of teaching and School government I think the Association would fully accomplish the purposes of the law for their organization.

I find great objection to purchasing books and stationery, or paying for their use, as required by law. The citizens say that they thought the system was to be free, but that the present mode of procuring books and stationery with the increased tax, makes it less free than before It is in my opinion, and that of nearly all with whom I have conversed upon the subject, that the cheapest and most uniform way to supply the books and stationery, would be by an additional tax of two cents The revenue thus arising would be ample for the purpose obliterate the objection, tend to make the system, in this particular, the same in all the counties have it emphatically free, and by relieving the teacher of the onerous duties of book-agent, which consumes much of his precious time, and not unfrequently occasion unpleasant feelings, would better qualify him to bestow his individual attention upon the official duties of the School. As an additional argument, I respectfully submit an extract from the report of the Superintendent of another State : it will be found, almost without exception, that where the system of making the Schools free, by a property tax, has been adopted, the Schools are better, more permanent in their arrangements, and more regular in their attendance, than in those districts where rate bills are still collected.

Very respectfully, yours,

R.C. McGINN

President Board School Com. Baltimore Co.