A Brief History of the Wicomico County Public School System (Taken from the Maryland Manual Online) The Wicomico County Board of Education originated in 1816 as the State School Fund Commissioners, which headed the County's new public school system. Later, it reformed and was renamed as the County School Commissioners, and the Board of County School Commissioners. State School Fund Commissioners. The General Assembly, in 1816, appointed nine commissioners to oversee the State school fund in each county (Chapter 256, Acts of 1816). The commissioners were to "establish a central free school in each election district" and report to the General Assembly on how funds were used. In the colonial period, free schools offered a curriculum that included "Latin, Greek, Writing, and the like" (Chapter 31, Acts of 1694). [It is not clear from the 1816 law if "free" refers to the classical curriculum or the lack of tuition.] County School Commissioners. In 1825, a statewide public education system was formed (Chapter 162, Acts of 1825). Justices of the levy courts in each county appointed nine school commissioners who were to divide the county into school districts. The levy courts also appointed up to eighteen inspectors of primary schools for each county. The inspectors' charge was to examine teachers, issue teacher certificates, visit schools, give suggestions to teachers and school trustees, and report to the county school commissioners. Elected by the voters of each school district, three trustees were to purchase schoolhouse sites, repair and furnish the schoolhouses, and hire all teachers within the district. Authorized to keep records of school commissioner meetings, a district clerk was elected by the voters annually. A district collector collected monies from school taxes. Board of County School Commissioners. In 1865, the State Board of Education called for a “uniform system of Free Public Schools” (Chapter 160, Acts of 1865). The public school system
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