Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-06-17
rsNKERrNG THE SCHOOL LAW,

4
The Legislature prior to the adjournment
in April last passed resolution authorizing
the State Superintendent Of Schools to revise
and codfy the school laws of this State. In
accordance with this resolution, DIR. Ladd,
the State Superintendent, made report Of
his doings to the Legislature last week. The
DR.. has revamped the whole school law, ma
king many changes, some perhaps for the
better, and some certainly for the worse
Change of laws every year, is the curse of
legislation in this State. This JOB let out to
the Superintendent to revise the school law
was one entirely uncalled for by the people;
We venture to say that not half dozen dis
trictsin the State, deemed any essential change
desirable. But the job was asked for and
the Legislature having disposition to be po
litically magpanimous, granted it.
| The predecessor of the present State school
officer beset the, Legislature continually to
engraft on the school law his antedeluvian
notions; he seemed especially DESTROYS to
have incorporated in our school system some
fragments of law passed in Massachusetts
more than forty years ago, and long since be-
come absolute, practically. We refer to his
plan Of a central school in every town in the
State. The present incumbant does not ap-
pear to be quite SO Anticipated, or disposed to
go quite so far back in search of fossil remains
Of old school systems. He simply proposes
III his report TO the Legislature, to abolish
the modern Office of Town Superintendent,
and so back only some twenty years, to the
revival of three school commissioners in each
town. Three commissioners of schools, or
school inspectors, were once a pat of the
schoo! system of most of the States; this part
Of the system Las however been mostly drop
! fsi, and one of more efficiency and better
suited to the progress of our common schools
substituted, Especially has this been the
case IN those States where the higher school
authority in the State has been vested in a
State Superintendent instead of Board of
Education.
The oder States of the East, whose school
systems have been guided and moulded by
some of the best educational men of the age
are the safer models for us to follow; at any
rate we should not adopt what they have cast
aside as unsuitable. The plan of elccting
three School Commissioners has long been
abolished in New York and many other
States, and the office of Town Superintend-
ent substituted in its place. Experience has
proved that men of better qualifications for
the trust have been secured, and greater eff
cheney given to tho system. Why our Su-
movement i'll Wisconsin, we cannot conceive.
If it is desirable to secure men of still better
qualifications and greater fitness for school
officers, itwould be preferable to abolish the
Office Of Town Superintendent so far as the
inspection and supervision of the schools are
concerned, and substitute instead thereof
County Superintendent. In that case we
might obtain men of suitable attainments and
qualifications, to elevate the condition of our
schools, and who would devote their undivi-
ded attention to them. The proposal of the
State Superintendent to substitute three
School Commissioners in the place of one
Town Superintendent in each town, will, if
adopted, necessarily greatly increase the ex-
pense; this, however, would be small con-
sideration provided that any god results
were to be gained to the cause of educa-
ton.
The State Superintendent also proposes to
reduce the number of school district officers
from three to two. There may be merit in
this but we do not see it. His report chang
es the time of the annual meeting from Sep
TENDER to October-this is matter uncalled
for, but it is a change. therefore change we
must have. 4 variety of other alterations
are recommended, one at least of which may
be an improvement; it is proposed to make
the Town Treasure of each town the collect
ing officer for all school district taxes.
Now lnasmuch as the State Superintend-
ent has spent time and labor in reporting
new school law, it is proper the Legislature
should pay him well as per expectation; but
as for the report itself, in our judgement the
interests of our common schools demand its
rejection.
VALLEY OF THE AMAzoN.-This I'M
mensc region OF country, which has for CEN
turies been shut out from the commerce of
the civilized world, is doubtless destined ere
long to assume a position commensurate with
its vast Importance. Only think of vast