The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-04-04
Alabama School Law.


fective system must become an important
measure, we take occasion to present to our
readers some of the leading features Of the
Alabama act.
The first article creates the school fund, and
is rs follows:
Section |. To create fund, to be known
as the Educational Fund" for the establish
ment and maintenance of this system, the fol.
lowing sums of money are hereby set apart
and appropriated:
!, The annual interest at s per cent. on that
portion of the surplus revenue of the United
States deposited with this State: under act Of
Congress of the 22d of June, 1886.
2. The annual interest at eight per cent. on
the proceeds Of the sales of certain lands
granted by the United States for the use Of
schools in the valuclc>s sixteen sections in this
State, under the act of Congress of the llth
of August. 1913.
3. The annual interest at six per cent. on the
fund which has accrued, or may hereafter ac-
crue, from the sales of the sixteenth sections in
the several townships of this State
d. The annual sum Of one hundred thousand
dollars from any moneys in the State Treasury
loC othcrWlSc appropriated.
5. All sums of money which may hereafter
accrue from the escheats to this State.
g. Every bank, and every insurance or ex-
change company hereafter chartered in this
State, shall pay an annual tax of one hundred
dollars, or in that proportion, on every hundred
Thousand dollars of its capital.
T. Every railroad company in this State shall
pay an annual tax of one hundred dollars, al
ter the same shall have declared dividends.
s. Every agency of any foreign bank, insu'
rance or exchange company, shall pay annually
Il tax of one hundred dollars.
SEC 2. The said sums of money shall be
drawn and paid from the State Treasury and
dsburScd in the manner hereinafter directed.
1t will be seen from the above that Alabama
has not been niggardly in her appropriations;
indeed she has devised scheme Of public in
struction which must confer LASTING honor on
the patriotic Legislators who were instrumental
in having it enacted.
The government aud regulation arc provided
for as follows:
SEC. |. For the uniform and efficient admin
slra,ion Of this system, the following officers
shall be appointed, with the powers and duties,
and according to the manner herein provided: {:
|. A Superintendent of Education through
out the State.
,. Three Commissioners of Free Public
Schools in each county.
3. Three Trustees Of Free Public Schools
IN SEC. Sec Z. The superintendent oi Education
shall be elected by the General Assembly: shall
hold his office for two years; and shall receive
an annual salary of two thousand dollars, to be
paid to him, as herein provided, as other sala
rirs are paid to the officers Of this State.
SEC. 9. 1t shall be the duty Of the said Su.
pcrintendcut to exercise general supervision
o, er all the educational interests Of this State
to disseminate information among the people,
10y tn delivery of lectures and addresses, and
the circulation of instructive documents, essays
and other publications, as to the Importance OF
Free Public Schools, and the best methods for
their management; to prescribe instructions to
the commissioners of the counties, the trustees
Of the townships, and the teachers of the
schools, for the systematic performance OF
their duties, and the proper management of
the schools. as well in the course of studies to
be rnrsued, the books to be used, the divisions
into classes, and the methods Of government,
us in all other respects which he may deem es
scntial; to carefully guard that no scctarian
religious. views shall be ncucatcd in such
schools; to collect from every available source
correct information as to the number and ages
Of children in each township and county III
this State, who of them receive education, and
who do not, and to what extent respectively;
the situation, advantages and wants OF each
township and county, as to schools and the
means of education, and the best method Of
promoting them; and to report the same at
leas. once in every six months TO the Govern
or to he laid before the Legislature at its next
session, and to causc copy OF such report
to he published and circulated lhroug hout the
State to prepare and preserve, in well bound
official books, complete and particular exhibits
Of the condition of the Free Public School
Fund of each township in every county, sre.
cially discriminating rs to the portion derived
from lis Sixteenth Section Fund, and from 9th
cr sources, designating the amounts OF moneys
apportioncd to the said townships aud counties,
the number of schools, teachers and pupils,
and the ares and classes of these, the amount
of expenditures in each township, and from
what resources made TO hold his office in the
State Capitol, in room which shall he assign
cd for that purpose by the Governor, and to
keep it open during the usual office hours for
the inspection of his books, by all visitors,
when he is not elsewhere officially engaged !;
to see to the faithful disbursement and app-
cation of all moneys set apart and approprla-
ted by this act; to report annually (as to the
same, to the Governor, to be laid bei"re the
General Assembly to visit each county in the
State at least once in every two years, to as
certain the condition of the public schools
therein, and by public addresses TO awaken the
people to the Importance OF extending the Gehe.