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SCHOOL RECORDS FOR ST. MARY'S COUNTY,
1865-1916
(Part I of two parts) by Pat Melville This article will deal with records, other than proceedings, of the St. Mary's County school commissioners, including (Annual Reports) 1871-1916 in series C1515, (School Reports) 1896-1916 in series C1697, and (Accounts) 1866-1897 in series C1502. Also considered will be (School Papers) 1865-1895 of the board of county commissioners in series C1696. The annual reports contain copies of the yearly statistical compilations prepared for the State Board of Education and recorded in form books. For the county as a whole and for each school the records provided data on school buildings, pupils, teachers, curriculum, and school funds. The county summary page showed the number of school houses according to type of construction, number of teachers and assistants by male and female, number of terms schools were open, number of students attending each term, and number of students studying specific subjects. Other statistics about schools included the number having fenced lots, outbuildings, blackboards, good furniture, and wall maps. Entries for each school encompassed the school number, election district number, name of the teacher, attendance figures for each term, teacher's salary for the year, other expenses, total expenses, and receipts from textbooks. A summary page categorized and totaled the receipts and disbursements. The school commissioners received funds from the state school tax, state free school fund, state donations, |
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county school tax, book sales, and state appropriation to
colored schools. After the mid-1870s other income was
derived from oyster and tonger license fees. Most of the
funds were spent on teachers' salaries. Other
disbursements included rent, construction, repair, and
furnishing of school houses, interest on loans, salary of
the secretary of the board, expenses of the commissioners,
and office supplies.
The format of the annual reports changed somewhat over time. In 1875 the statistics began to emphasize the number of students in each grade, rather than specific subjects. In addition, the books were divided into two sections, one for white schools and one for colored schools. After installation of the free textbook program, the records after 1896 included a section listing the books, publishers' names, cost per book, total costs, appropriation for books, and for each school the number issued, lost, on hand, new, good, and tolerable. The school reports consist of form books in which were recorded statistical information about individual schools, providing much of the same data pertaining to students and expenses as found in the annual reports. School reports exist for white schools for 1896-1916 and for colored schools for 1915-1916.
The accounts show receipts and disbursements of school
funds as handled by the treasurer of the school board.
Only one volume, 1866-1891, dealt with the full range of
school finances. Until 1876 the entries listed all
income sources and detailed expenditures. After that the
treasurer recorded
(continued on Page 2)
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