The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-12-05

1
establishment of Public Schools. j
John i. Wakefield. ESD, in the chair,
On motion of Mr.. A. Il. French, b.
w. Lott was appointed Secretary.
On motion, the Committee appointed
at a previous meeting, to take into con-
sideration the best means to supply the
children of the town with school rooms
for the winter, and to ascertain the pro-
visions of law for the support of schools,
reported by their chairman, Hon. G. X.
| Smith, as follows: l fea
Report.
The undersigned Committee, appoint
ed at a meeting held at the School House
in St. Paul, on the evening of the 9th
inst, to take into consideration the best
means to supply the children of the town
with school rooms for the winter, and to
ascertain the provisions of law for the
support Of schools, have considered the
| subject and find, by the act entitled IAN
act to establish and maintain Common
Schools, passed by our Territorial Leg
islature, that there shall be elected an
nually, at the general election, three per-
sons in each School District, to be called
School Trustees. This law is the law Of
the Territory, and its operation and
power commenced with this day The
general ell elton of this year is passed,
and it would seem as if no organization
of School Districts could take place I'M
der the law, and we would be without,
until after the general election of next
year.
4 We are helped cut of this difficulty,
however, by the aid of the llth section
of Wisconsin Statutes, at page 1873,
bound VOL, which does not conflict with
the Territorial law on the subject, and
is therefore in force in this Territory.
We remark that it Is provided in the
Territorial law, that an annual tax of
ere fourth of one ner cent, on tie al
valorcm amount of the assessment shall
be raised for school purposes: fifteen per
cent Of all monies arising from licenses
granted forthc sale of spirtuous liquors,
and fifteen per cent of fines collected for
criminal offences. And that by the 9th
aud 10th sections of the Territorial Act,
we may organize the town into one or
more School Districts, elect Trustees,
sc. Before this can be done, however,
by the provisions of the 9th section OF
: the Territorial law, the County Com
missioners should. as they are authoriz-
ed to do, divide the same into School
Districts. After this shall have been
done, we may, by the 10th section, vote
tax of six hundred dollars, to purchase,
: build, hire, repair and furnish school
house.
We conclude, therefore, that all the
seeming difficulties of the law may be
reconciIcd and that an efficient and en-
: erectic organization may take place I'M
der those sections, and the 1lth section
of the Wisconsin statutes entitled " An
act to establish common schools" re-
commended that two persons be appoint
ed by this meeting to call on the county
, commissioners and request them to d.
vide the town into a suitable number of
school districts, after which an organiza-
ton of the districts shall be brough,
about agrceably to the requirements Of
law And we in like manner recon-
mend that committee of two be ap-
pointed to call on John r. Irvine, anC
ascertain the amount due for the erection
of the school building now occupied b,
this meeting and whether he is willing to
: transfer the title to the let upon which the
building stands to the school trustees, 70.
the use Of the districts: Provided. the
amount due shall be paid or assumed tc
be paid in reasonable time by them.
We also recommend that a committee
Of two be appointed to receive deed tc
the school trustees of the district for a
lot from Mr.. Randall which he proposes
to donate for school purposes and tina,
said committee take such measures to-
ward the erection of school building
, on said lot as the exigency Of the case
seems to require.
We would recommend as Il winter ar
rangement demanded by the best inter-
opened without delay: one in the lower
end of the town in building which it is
in contemplation TO erect imme diately
on the lot to be donated by Mr. Randall
Another in the basement of the Metho-
dist church or in Mr.. NeiII's Lecture
Room, both of which have been kindly
tcndered free of expense: And lastly
that the school now kept in this room be
continued.
We take pleasure in recommending as
teachers of the several schools In con
temptation, the Misses Bishop and SEQ
field, and the Rev. Elder Hobart as
worthy, capable, and every way qualified
to be employed, and finally suggest the
following resolution
Resolved, That the six gentlemen
who may constitute the committee here
inbefore recommended, together with b
w. Brunson, Esq, be a school commit
tee to supervise the schools and bring
about the measures recommended i'm the
foregoing report, and that they continue
to act with all the power and authority
of school trustees until the town shall be
divided into school districts bv the COM
missioners, and such districts be fully or