The state of the school system in St. Mary's County prior to 1839 cannot be determined easily because of the lack of extant local records.  Legislation (Acts of 1838, Ch. 362), taking effect in 1839, revamped the educational operation in the county.  Commissioners of Primary Schools were established for each election district.  The first commissioners, three in each of the five election districts, were named in the law, with subsequent vacancies to be filled by the board of county commissioners.  Initial duties of the school commissioners included the division of each election district into an appropriate number of school districts,
selection of sites for school houses, and 
appointment of five trustees for each school district.  The school trustees were responsible for acquiring a lot, not to exceed one acre, by purchase, gift, donation, or condemnation at the site selected by the school commissioners, getting the school built and maintaining it, and employing a teacher. 

The county commissioners assumed the powers and duties of the commissioners of the free school fund for St. Mary's County.  The school commissioners were directed to inspect all schools annually and report to the county commissioners on conditions, number of students, and recommendations. In turn the county commissioners filed an annual school report with the General Assembly. 

In 1842 (Acts of 1841, Ch. 202) the voters of each school district were authorized to elect annually the school trustees.  One year later,

The St. Mary's County school system was again reorganized in 1853 (Acts of 1853, Ch. 279).  A Board of School Commissioners replaced the Commissioners of Primary Schools.  Members of the board, consisting of one person from each election district, were appointed by the orphans court for four year terms.  The register of wills would serve as treasurer of the school fund.  The school board took on the appointment of school trustees, to be done every two years.  The trustees were directed to revise and 
describe the boundaries of their districts and report to the school board which would submit it to the county clerk for recording.  In addition, the trustees were required to determine the 
number of white children, between the ages
of five and seventeen, in their respective school districts and report the figures to the school board.  It is unknown whether these last two provisions were ever executed.

The school board was given the authority to hire teachers, based on recommendation from the school trustees.  The power of dismissal, 
however, was vested in the trustees.  The 1853 law specified two local sources for school funds.  Trustees could collect $1.50 for each child attending a school, unless the parents or guardian could proved themselves indigent.  The county commissioners could levy a school tax on assessable property.  These funds plus those from the state were to be divided equally
among the school districts by the school board. 

School records prior to 1865 include St. Mary's County Levy Court (School Papers) 1838 [MSA C1695] and St. Mary's County Board of

The 1838 file contains a time roll from one teacher, showing the name of each indigent student, number of days in attendance per month, and total attendance for the year.  An extensive set of time rolls appears in the 1839 folders, and thereafter only one such record, in 1841.  Several time rolls list both students and parents, for example, John, Catherine, and George Ann, children of George Batty and Benjamin, Elizabeth A., and Priscilla J., children of William and Ann Clocker, father deceased.  Another early record that does not appear later is an account of school funds for 1836-1837 and for 1839, which lists for each school the number of indigent children taught, name of the teacher, amount approved and to whom payable, and date and amount of the draft.  The number of indigent pupils ranged from two each under teachers George J. Spalding and George Saxton and thirty-nine under James Rock. 

In 1839 the Commissioners of Primary Schools in each election district filed reports on the establishment of school districts, which included boundary descriptions and the names of the appointed trustees.  To some of the reports were attached surveys and plats.  Twenty-three school districts were created - three in Election District 1, five in Election District 2, seven in Election District 3, five in Election District 4, and three in Election District 5.  Subsequent reports from the school trustees outlined the acquisition of land for schools and the building of schoolhouses.  Similar trustees reports continued to be filed through 1847, many containing surveys and plats of the school lots. 

Financial records between 1840 and 1853 consist of affidavits from the trustees, certifying 

DISTRICT COURT 3, KE 
    (Civil Docket) 1993 [MSA T1743] 
    (Natural Resources Docket) 1993-1994 [MSA T2817] 
    (Special Proceedings Docket) 1993 [MSA T2994] 

DISTRICT COURT 3, QA 
    (Civil Docket) 1992-1993 [MSA T2444] 
    (Natural Resources Docket) 1991-1993 [MSA T2970] 
    (Special Proceedings Docket) 1991-1993 [MSA T2991] 

DISTRICT COURT 3, TA 
    (Civil Docket) 1991-1994 [MSA T388] 
    (Natural Resources Docket) 1991-1994 [MSA T2973] 
    (Special Proceedings Docket) 1993 [MSA T2993]