only 1 per cent third grade certificates. In 1920 one-third of the teachers
held first grade certificates, one-third second grade certificates, and one-
third held third grade certificates. In the financially poorer counties,
which could not carry the minimum requirements of the Stnte program
on a county school current expenses tax rate of 67 cents plus other
forms of State aid, the State provided the additional amount necessary
through an Equalization Fund from 1923 to 1933. Through legislation
in 1933, the 67 cent county school current expense tax rate required of
counties sharing in the Equalization Fund has been reduced to 47 cents
beginning with the school year 1933-34.

During the school year ending in June, 1934, there was at least one
supervising or helping teacher in every county in Maryland. This is
the twelfth year that this satisfactory situation has existed. The State
pays two-thirds of the salaries according to the minimum schedule of
the county supervising and helping teachers and of county superin-
tendents. The improvement in the results of the tests in reading and
arithmetic is one evidence of effective supervision.

The improvement of instruction through supervision is accomplished
by organizing the content of the curriculum into definite units of in-
struction in the various subjects; by setting up specific goals of accom-
plishment for each grade in the various subjects; by giving standardized
tests in the "three R's" to check on the accomplishment of goals and to
plan appropriate remedial teaching for deficiencies revealed; by analyz-
ing with teachers the achievements to secure more suitable classification
and to provide adequate guidance for individual pupils who vary mark-
edly from the average; by constantly urging the improvement of
physical and hygienic conditions in the schools; by stimulating teachers
to do the best work of which they are capable through visits to the
classroom followed by helpful conferences and through participation in
professional group meetings of teachers conducted by the supervisor; by
breaking down the isolation of teachers in rural schools and giving ade-
quate educational opportunity to country children; by building up new
content and methods with older experienced teachers who may be in-
clined to fall into a dull routine; by utilizing the strength of superior
teachers for the benefit of the entire group through demonstration
lessons; and by helping the public and parents to understand more
clearly what the schools are trying to accomplish for their children.

In the fall of 1933 there were 45 supervising or helping teachers
employed for the 2,808 white elementary teachers scattered over the
9,870 square miles in the Maryland counties, an average of 62 teachers
for each supervising or helping teacher. Since there are very few non-
teaching principals in the Maryland county schools, the counties are
helping teachers to improve instruction with a relatively small corps of
supervisory officials.

The average current expense cost in 1933 of educating a pupil in the
schools of the twenty-three counties was $51.71. Graded schools having
three or more teachers, with better trained teachers, more equipment,
and expenditures for transportation, cost less per pupil than rural
schools having one or two teachers, chiefly because the classes were
larger. Transportation was provided at public expense for over 40,000
county pupils at a cost of $858,000.

t First grade certificates represented normal school graduation or the equiva-
 
 
 
lent; second grade certificates in 1920 represented high school graduation; and
third grade certificates represented less than high school graduation; those
holding regular second and third grade certificates were required to have a
maximum of six week’s professional preparation for teaching.