"Vaccination In Public Schools" was the title of a public notice that appeared in a local newspaper on Aug. 14, 1872, reminding parents and school children that summer was about to come to end and soon it would be time to hit the school books.
Dorothy Elderdice found the public notice in the now-defunct Westminster newspaper, The Democratic Advocate, according to research for the Historical Society of Carroll County by historian Jay Graybeal.
Elderdice was a local writer who was better remembered for "her interest in community theater, costume(s) and pageantry," wrote Graybeal a number of years ago.
The public notice read: "At a meeting of the Board of County School Commissioners held on July 1st, 1872, the following resolution was adopted:
"Resolved that the Board will hold teachers responsible to the extent of a forfeiture of their certificate in the event that any pupil who has not been vaccinated shall introduce the disease of Small-pox into the public schools of this county. By order of the Board, J. M. Newson, Secy."
Seven years earlier, on Aug. 7, 1865, "after a bill had been passed by the state to provide 'a uniform system of Free Public School,' the Board of School Commissioners of Carroll County was organized," according to "Schoolbells and Slates," by Joan Prall.
In 1865, Prall reports, Carroll's school commissioners were Joshua Yingling, Zachariah Ebaugh, Andrew K. Shriver, J.H. Christ, Washington Senseney, William A. Wampler and Andrew J. Wilhelm.
Prall wrote that in 1877 that, "all the commissioners, Reese, Hering, Zollickoffer, Prugh, and Dr. Reindollar, were present at the April meeting when it was decided that teachers' salaries would not be diminished that spring term even if a lot of pupils were absent due to 'contagious' disease. …
"Before August (1877) had ended the commissioners had decided to pay teachers $50 for their first 15 students, $2.50 more for each additional student up to 25, $1.50 for each additional student from 25 to 35, and $1 for each additional student over 35."
Married women need not apply
According to "A History of Public Education," written by Jackie Zilliox for Southern Maryland magazine, in Maryland, in the 1860s … "Teachers were required to be single; to attend to the students from 9 a.m. until about 4 p.m., or when the classroom was clear of students and cleaned for the next day; to serve a 10-month term; and to provide for or prepare lunch for the entire class."
In Carroll County, Prall reports, "For the school year 1928-'29 the School Board adopted a resolution barring married women from teaching (except special cases)."
In the Maryland Archives publication, The Archivist's Bulldog, author Pat Melville wrote in Reports on Education, 1869-1916 "From Carroll County in 1887 came the following statement: 'It is idle and ridiculous to boast that we have the lowest tax rate in the state, when at the same time we are obliged to close the schools to get funds for building and furnishing necessary schoolhouses.'"
Hmmm…
When he is not savoring the last days of summer, Kevin Dayhoff may be reached at kevindayhoff@gmail.com.