Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-12-28
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Replies to Important Questions.

The following circular from the SUI
perintendht Of Public Instruction,
should receive careful perusal from
all interested parties:
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ISsT
Indianapolis. Dec. II, 1855.
Gentlemen of the Indiana Press -
Will you do me the kindness. and the
the people the favor, TO publish the
decisions and comments on the follow
ing questions. that have been submit
ted to this Department from various
parts Of the State for solution?
They have been SO frequently re-
peated that Il seems desirable that the
answers should be more generally
known. and thus forestall the repIti-
ton Of the inquiries;
/. Can teachers, qualified to IN
struct only in photography, reading,
writing, and arithmetic, be legally
employed?
The trainers Of the law evidently
contemplated cases in which II would
be desirable. nay, even necessary, II
there be school for the season. to
employ teachers with less literary
qualifications than section l49 speci-
lies. Ii less qualifications will meet
the present wants Of given district
1.-THE pupils being young. or but little
advanced In their studies, and they
request the township trustees. in the
manner provided in the tooth section
of the Revised School Law, to em.
ploy for said district n teacher compe.
tent to teach only the aforesaid -four
branches; and il, with full knowledge
of that deficiency. the people still press
their suit, then the end Of the law foi
them is met and their wishes may BE-
legally gratilied in accordance with the
spirit and letter Of sections 1906 and
LOT Of the aforesaid and above schoo
law.
The State standard Of the literary
qualifications Of teachers is fully and
distinctly stated in section 149, bul
sections 105 and i07 were intended
to give the people of n district the
privilege Of elevating or depressing i
to suit the cxigencies OF their case il
any given year. IL is occasionally de-
sireable, on account os the advanced
progress Of pupils in some localities
to have instruction given in supple
mcntary studies, not embraced in the
said programme: so also il is equally
important that the people in other dis
tricts. wishing, for obvious reasons
only the first four branches To b.
taught in their school given year
should have their preferences gratifed
when made known in the way indica
ted in the statute.
consider sections i05 and l07 81
a sliding scoie authorized to be USED
by parties desiring il, on presentation
of "a petition in, the manner aforesaid
However undesirable the sliding dom
process may be. yet | see nothing il
the said section limiting the due,fio,
of the course. The petitioners them
selves must be the judges Of wha
will best suit their circumstances a
the time The question is, therefore
answered IN the Affirmative.
1t may be proper to add. by way o
practical commentary, let the exsmin
ers state distinctly in the certificate
the specific studies. and that il il
granted on petition Of the people o
the district. and therefore cxoneiate'
the Trustees and the Commonwealth
from all censure In the premises. ant
consequently is valid only for on,
term, in that locality. This viii ope
rate as u slimulant to their ambition
to reach The State standard. for il III,
individual can teach in one place, anc
that. too, for only n single session
without fresh examination and re
newed fee. IL will readily occur I,
him that protracied course in tina
direction win ultimately result 10 los,
OF both fame aud funds. The proprie
y Ofthis precautionary suggestion !