The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1853-04-08

may establish general rules for the govern ii
ment Of the schools of the township. They h
may establish German schools if necessary or ii
desirable. They may appoint one of their 5
number to act as Township Superintendent, |
if they see proper, and allow him fair COM b
pensation for his services. They may arrange a
the size, boundary, &C., Of school districts, as b
in their judgment the best interests Of the G
schools require. They shall have power to
determine the studies to be pursued in the {
several grades Of schools, and shall establish
such rules about the preservation Of the Dis {
trict Libraries, &C.. as may be necessary. II
it is thought advisable to recommend the es-
tablishment Of High School, the Board must
call meeting Of the people of the township,
and after laying before them the probable ex-
pense Of school house, &c, the people shall,
by their votes, say whether they will tax
| themselves for this purpose. They shall es-
/ innate what amount of money is necessary
for these purposes, other than the payment OF
teachers, and certify it to the County Audit
or. They shall, if they judge cxpedient have
! power to tax the property of their township, |
in no case beyond two mills on the dollar, for
the purpose of sustaining teachers in the cen
tral or high schools, or for the purpose Of pro-
longing, after the State funds have been ex-
hausted, the terms Of the several sub-dstrict
or primary schools in the township, or for
both purposes, which assessment shall al
80 be certified to the County Auditor.
: Such are the chief duties of this Township
! Board of Education. We have examined the
, matter carefully, and we cannot see the caus-
es Of alarm for the liberties Of the people that
: trouble, SO much,t Imagination of our neigh
d Dor. We see power placed in this Board, but
). we also see that this power should exist some
,chere, and in such shape as to be available
l. when its exercise is necessary or cxpedient.
n We know Of no better or safer plan than to
ID entrust it to those who are elected for the ex-
Is press purpose of using it. We can conceive
!, no reason why the Board should act in oppo-
j. sition to the wishes Of the mass Of citizens
1t with whose interests they are identified. II
they assess tax, their own property must, in
oil cases, p1y its share, ana it will be more
&. than probable that the aggregate they pay
at will be more than that OF an equal number Of
IN citizens generally.
of The truth is, in order to carry out any sys-
a TEN of common schools there must be such
Id an organization as to ensure vigorous, prompt
H. action. Where too many things essential tc
H. the vitality ofa system are left to the people
IN to be acted upon by them in their primary
o. meetings, the chances are that some portion
IN of the business will remain undone, and there
IN will be a failure in part of the machinery
nd Our experience in Representative Democra
es cy, rs our Government is, has taught us thai
e. it is better to delegate the power to do Ger
ed tain things necessary to be done, to some eff
It's iicicnt agent, and hold him responsible for it.
nd proper exercise, than it is to attempt to have
nd them done by the mass of the people. Wher
n we remove all the temptations To dishonest
he improper conduct on the part Of the agent
no when we strip him of all patronage, ant
We make il his interest to act from high, patriot
Il. ic, and even selfish motives, there is little
US danger to be apprehended from such a source
l. And therein consists the peculiar excellence
O. Of the system under discussion. 1t constitutes
I'd an efficient and responsible Board of the best
men in each township, and cntrusts them
Of with the execution of an important measure
& involving the interests and prosperity not on.
a ly of the people at large but especially of the
l. members Of the Board. 1t holds them respon-
t. sble to the people, and takes from them the
st est and protection.
&c Such are our views upon this provision OF
C the new school law. We have no sympathy
l. for the cant and humbug pretence that its pro-
y Wis ions arc tyrannical and dangerous to libcr.
il ty! We cannot subscribe to the sentiment
e that the bill was smuggled through the Leg.
Is islaturc, and that the members did not know
J. what they were about when they voted for it.
n This is no doubt true of portion Of them
but not of the thinking and working members
6. We have great confidence in the honesty aud
ID integrity of Senator RICE, who drafted the
IF bill, and we cannot be made to believe that he
e and the ardent friends of common schools
le who stood by his side in the struggle, were
e nctua,ed by any other than the most honoru-
;. BILE and patriotic purposes. We desire to call
h the attention of the people Of Ohio to this
l. subject /; is one in which the masses have
:. deep interest. We regret to see it assailed,
j. rs we believe, from the most low and repre-
hensible motives, by paper that has had II
i controlling influence with its party. We
: shall regret to see 1t sustained in its present
: warfare upon the most beneficial and import.
: ant act Of the Legislature.
II is singular sight to see the Journal de-
+. Tending law passed by Locofoco I.cgsla-
ture, and to see the Statesman making war
:, upon it. But so it is, The people must de-
( eide who is right.-O. S. Journal.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
4 "An Eye Witness" writing to the Ohio
State Journal, from Worthington, under date