The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-05-10
May Sd, 1865.
Explanations and Instructions
by the state superintendent.

| by the state Superintendent.
| 1. Directors not 10 be contractors. II is vi
oialion of the school law and sound policy,
for Board Of Director 10 enter into a con-
lrac, with one of their own number for the
erection of school houses. Such contracts
are wrong, upon principle, and the Superin-
tendent canno, hold them az Otherwise than
illegal and void.
Q. Directors mol TO be teachers: No person
can serve as Directors and Teacher al the
same lime. One office or the other mus, be
surrendered.
8. Houses buih ty adjoining districts: Un-
der the 23dsecon, division TX of the School
law, ii is the duty Of the directors of aGjoin-
ing districts 10 provide school hou ses, as we'll
as tuition, for pupils who cannot be Otherwise
properly provided for in their own dislrict-
But if it becomes necessary 10 erect houses
al the joint expense and to be jointly owned
| by such adjoining districts, great care should
| be taken to have the title properly secured,
/, SO as TO preven: ftturs trouble and litIga-
ton.
4. Il person paying tar in ttoo districts can
only send his children TO the schools ofthat in
ickich he resides: A person residing in one
district, and paying school tax on properly
in another, does not thereby acquire right
10 send bis children TO the. schools of any
district, except lha; in which he resides.
s. Powsr Of teachers over pupils out Of school:
The authority Of teachers over Pupils out OF
the school house, is a question over which
the Department, has. under the law. only ad-
viso,y, and not absolute, power; and defer
ence TO former decisions on the subject, has
delayed instructions thus far on this point.
But numerous and increasing complaints from
! single schools and entire districts, OF bad con-
duct and acts OF insnbofdin alton, al The school
house and under The eye of the directors and
teacher, have been received. These cases,
so demoralzing in their character and sub
versive Of The discipline of The schools, yet
neglected BY parents, and not properly cog
nizabIe by the Courts, require the statement,
here, that in The opinion of the present Su-
perntendenl the jurisd iction and aulority of
the Teacher over-pupils is neither Limited by
the school house walls, nor TO the time the
! school is actually in session.; but that, as a
general rule, in all matters legi,mately con-
ected W h ihe schools and the manners and
morals Of the scholars, the teachers juris-
dic,or commences at the moment when pu-
pills leave the parental roof and control 10 go
10 school, and continues until .beir return
| from school,
g. County Commissioners 10 furnish iator-
nation as TO taxdble property: When Directors
are at loss to know what are proper sub
jeo,s of taxation for schohl purposes, they
should, under the 29ih section Of the school
| Law, call Oh the County Commissioners for
the desired information.
! 7. 1larimun Of Assessment: The highest as
sessment tina, can be made upon taxable
! property for school purposes, is thirteen mills
| on The dollai.
| g.. Amount Of tat on persons, trades and oc-
svpations II the assessed value of person's
trade or occupation be less than 5000, il is
no, taxable al all for school purposes. If II
be valued at from 5000 10 SO SO, the tax should
be so cents If il be valued at more than
$3.50, the tax should be SO cents, and then in
addition 10 the SO cents, one per cent on ev-
ery dollar of the valuation above $3.50, and
and This is tbe highest limit which the law
authorizes in this particular.
9. Farmers are exempted from an "oecipd-
iion" taz, by the s2d section of The Act Of
isth April, 1874, pamphlet laws, 1874, page
4s7 J and the Superintendent has no cohlfol
over the subject -.
10. What single ytresnisn are taxable: twill
be seen by the iii. Act of 18th April, 1884,
pamphlet laws 1894, page 5i2) that The
poll tax on " single freemen" is only appli-
cable to such single freemen, above the age
of 81 years, as "shall not follow any occu-
patton OF calling," and mol to unmarried men |
generally. lH zF r
IL. Non.residsnts not to be Directors; No
person. can serve as Director, who does not |
reside in the District for which he was cleo.
ted. -sst7 tFb39
i2. Vacancies BY removal from District to
Be flled by appointment; When Director has
removed from the district, tits the duty of
the Board 10 fill the vacancy by appoint
meni, until the next regular election. . 'i9e
I 'is Last adjusted paltiation not TO Be modia- |
cd or enlarged; In levying school,ax, Drec-
tors as limited, In their assessment, under
the 2s.h section of the scaooI law, 10 the
lalast adjust ted valuation,n furnished by the |