KING WILLIAM'S SCHOOL. This act provided for the founding of a school at "Anne-Arundel town," or Severn, later Annapolis, to be called King William's school, and its purpose was the education of youth in "Latin, Greek, and writing." The school was to consist of one master, one usher, one writing teacher, and one hundred scholars. It was to be under the control of a board of trustees empowered to hold lands valued at fifteen hundred pounds sterling, and to hold gifts and other property in trust. These trustees were, moreover, authorized to raise one hundred and twenty pounds sterling annually for the payment of the master's salary and for other expenses. The trustees were created a body politic, to comprise not less than eighteen nor more than twenty members, who had authority to make such laws and regulations as seemed necessary for the control of the school, provided they were in accordance with the laws governing the province. The school was to be supported by donations, and as soon as these amounted to one hundred and twenty pounds in excess of what was required to support the school at Severn, a second one, similar to the first, was to be established at Oxford, a neighboring county seat. This was the foundation of the county school system of Maryland. The institution at Severn received but little encouragement, although some donations were made, the chief of which was the gift of a house and lot in the city of Annapolis from Governor Nichols in the year 1715.2 ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNTY SCHOOLS. General dissatisfaction as to school management brought about a general educational reform and alteration of existing school laws in 1723. An act of the Assembly in this year provided for the establishment of at least one school in each county,3 and created a board of seven visitors for each school, who were to control the same. This board was further empowered to purchase for each county school one hundred acres of land, and this land was to be used partly for building-sites and partly for the support of the master. The funds on hand, as well as those obtained by taxation, were to be distributed equally among the twelve counties, later among the thirteen counties, and subsequently applied by the several boards of visitors to the direct needs of the schools. The schools themselves were modelled after the plan of King William's School at Annapolis, and included the study of Latin and Greek in their course. The Assembly, by the same act, together with other acts,5 provided for the support of the free county schools. By these 1 Laws of 1696, chap. 17, secs. 2 and 3. 2 Laws of 1715, chap. IV, sec. 2. 'Laws of 1723, chap. 19. Ibid., chap. 11. Laws of 1704, chap. 27; Laws of 1763, chap. 28. provisions of the Legislature the following duties were laid on exports: on dried beef or bacon, twelve pence per pound; on pork or beef undried, twelve pence per barrel. On imported goods, for sale by nonresidents, were laid the following duties: pork per barrel, one shilling; pitch per barrel, one shilling; tar per barrel, six pence. A tax of twenty shillings per poll was also levied on all negroes1 imported by land or water, and on "all Irish 2 servants being papists;" and there was an additional tax on all negroes exported by land or water to the extent of forty shillings in currency per poll. The proceeds of all fines, licenses, forfeitures, and escheated estates also aug. mented the general school fund. Notwithstanding this apparently well-established system the county schools did not flourish. In some counties their support was not sufficient, and in others they failed for lack of well-directed effort. Nevertheless they made a beginning, and laid the foundation for a better system. A plan for founding a college at Annapolis to educate the youth of the province was presented in 1732 for the consideration of the Governor and General Assembly. Instruction in theology, medicine, and the higher branches was included in the scope of instruction, but, as the plan was not accepted, the proposed college was not founded. FOUNDING OF WASHINGTON COLLEGE. For nearly a hundred years the one system of education within Maryland's borders was that of the county schools, some of which furnished only moderate advantages. But in 1782 there was a change for the better; the visitors of Kent County, representing that their county school at Chestertown was in a flourishing condition, petitioned the Legisla ture for the enlargement of the school into a college. Accordingly the Assembly passed a law, at the session of 1782, founding a college at Chestertown to be known as Washington College. This was the beginning of a new era in education, and led to a sys tem which, if it had been thoroughly carried out, would have early given educational renown to the State of Maryland. The preamble of the act instituting Washington College begins as follows: "Whereas, Institutions for the liberal education of youth in the principles of virtue, knowledge, and useful literature, are the highest benefit to society, in order to raise up and perpetuate a succession of able and honest men for discharging the various offices and duties of the community, both civil and religious, with usefulness and reputation, and such institutions of learning have accordingly merited and received the attention and encouragement of the wisest and best regulated states; and whereas, former Legislatures of this State have, according to their best abilities, laid a considerable foundation in this good work in sundry laws for the establishment and encouragement of county schools Laws of 1728, chap. 8. Laws of 1717, chap. 10. for the study of Latin, Greek, and writing and the like, intending, as their future circumstances might permit, to engraft or raise on the foundation of said schools more extensive seminaries of learning by erecting one or more colleges or places of universal study, not only in the learned languages, but in philosophy, divinity, law, physic, and other useful and ornamental sciences, etc., etc." Then follows an act of incorporation, creating a board of visitors or trustees, with the power to make rules for the government of the college, and the laws and regulations made by this body were furthermore to be laid before the Assembly for revision when the members so required. وو The General Assembly was not only generous in founding the institution, but provided also for its future support. Large sums of money had been given by the citizens of the Eastern Shore toward this object, "and the Legislature having heretofore unanimously resolved that such exertions for the public good merited the approbation of the Legislature, and ought to receive the public encouragement and assistance,' it was enacted by the General Assembly that one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds per annum should be paid from the public treasury for the support of Washington College. In order to raise this special fund, all the public receipts from the granting of marriage licenses, ordinary licenses, fines, licenses for the sale of spirituous liquors, licenses for hawkers, and fines for breaking the Sabbath were to be paid into the general fund for supporting the college. ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE. The founding of this college was similar to that of Washington Col lege. The same reasons existed for its establishment, and like views concerning it were expressed by the legislators. It was urged that King William's School was insufficient to meet the demands for education at that time, and that the West Shore, as well as the Eastern Shore, was in great need of an institution of higher grade. The General Assembly granted a charter to St. John's College in 1784,2 the act of the grant being almost identical with that of Washington College. The Legislature granted four acres for college grounds and buildings, and authorized a committee to take subscriptions for the institution. As in the case of Washington College, the Legislature provided for the permanent support of this institution. This is an extract from the act: "And to provide a permanent fund for the further encouragement and establishment of said college on the Western Shore, Be it enacted, That the sum of £1,750 ($4,666.66) current money be annually and forever hereafter given and granted as a donation by the public to the use of said college on the Western Shore, to be applied by the visitors and governors of the said college for the payment of salaries to the principal, professors and tutors of the said college." 3 Laws of 1782, Chap. VIII. 2 Laws of 1784, chap. 37. ! Students of all denominations were admitted without any religious or civil test, nor were they compelled to attend religious worship. The institution was thus founded upon what men would now call extremely liberal principles. In the same year that witnessed the founding of St. John's College, the Legislature took one step farther toward the realization of a great system of State education. They created the University of Maryland; the two colleges, Washington and St. John's, were united under one government, known as the University of Maryland. The Governor of the State was appointed chancellor, and the president of one of the colleges vice-chancellor of the University. The visitors or governors of the two colleges, together with two members of each faculty, constituted the convocation of the University of Maryland. The convocation was to be called by the Governor of the State on Commencement Day, and was to be presided over by the chancellor. Thus was inaugurated a State policy of education which, had it been carried out, would have been of great service to the State of Maryland in early times, giving unity and strength to her educational system. PUBLIC APPROPRIATIONS WITHDRAWN. But the policy of dispersion of bounty which has been so detrimental to the interests of the State soon began. Had the original plan been carried out, Maryland might have had two efficient and well endowed colleges, and in every county one first-class academy; but, unfortunately, the best educational interests of the State have always been subordinated to local demands and county prejudices. In 1794 five hundred pounds were withdrawn2 from the amount "granted annually forever" to Washington College, and the income of said fund was henceforth devoted to the support of the following acad emies, called in the act, "seminaries of learning": (1) Washington Academy, Somerset County; (2) Charlotte Hall; (3) Frederick County School; (4) Talbot County Academy, not yet chartered; (5) an acad emy to be erected in Baltimore or Harford County. This was the historic origin of the academic donations still given in one form or another to the several counties by the State. An act of 1805 destroyed for the time being the entire original plan for State aid to higher education. These are the fatal words: "The sum of seven hundred and fifty pounds now appropriated by law to Washington College, and the sum of seventeen hundred and fifty pounds appropriated by law as the annual donation to St. John's College, are, respectively, discontinued after June 1, 1805, and the said sum shall remain in the treasury subject to the appropriation of the Legislature to literary purposes and for disseminating learning in the different counties of the State." With the same act the University of Mary2 Laws of 1798, chap. cvii. 1 Laws of 1874, chap. 37, sec. 19. 3 Laws of 1805, chap. 85. land ceased to exist, and with it all really generous State aid to colleges. 1 In 1811, six years after taking from St. John's College the endowment "granted annually forever" to that institution, the Legislature sought to make a meager restitution of the misappropriated funds by passing a resolution granting the sum of one thousand dollars to the college annually, and in the year 1832 this annual grant was raised to three thousand dollars.2 The Legislature also declared that this should be received by the said institution as full satisfaction for its claims on the State. The court of appeals decided in 1859 that the action of the Legislature in regard to the endowment was a violation of contract, and that the institution could collect the sum due it from the State.3 The General Assembly added, in 1832, as ex-officio members of the board of visitors and governors, the Governor of the State, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Judges of the Court of Appeals. St. John's College was suspended during the War of the Rebellion, but was reorganized in 1866, at which time the Legislature voted to restore the annuity of three thousand dollars, and to grant the sum of one thousand two hundred dollars annually for five years commencing with June, 1868. The latter provision was renewed in 18725 for a term of six years, and again in 1878 it was extended to 1880. It was also provided in 1872 that the sum of ten thousand dollars per annum, for five years, should be devoted to the payment of the board of fifty students, two from each senatorial district. And in consideration of the above gifts there were granted one hundred and fifty free scholarships, which entitled the holders to tuition and room rent. Fifty of these students also received board on the condition that they pledged themselves to teach two years in the State after graduation. One very sensible appropriation at this time was that of five hundred dollars for the library. In 1878 the number of students entitled to receive free board was twenty-five, one from each senatorial district, and the amount appropriated for this purpose was cut down to six thousand dollars for 1878-79, and was fixed at five thousand two hundred dollars for the following years. The amount received in 1888 by St. John's from the State was the annual grant of three thousand dollars, together with the five thousand two hundred dollars granted for boarding the twenty-five pupils, one from each senatorial district. THE COUNTY SCHOOLS. The system of county schools and academies continued, and these institutions were still supported from the general funds. Many of them were favored by small land grants, while others were aided by means 'Laws of 1811, resolution No. 38. 2 Laws of 1832, resolution No. 41. 4 Laws of 1866, chap. 101. |