M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-01-17

D thun has usually been observed in tn
progress OF symilOr systems eIsewera.-
) Ge1eral education is recognized By th
Constitution Of 1851 as duty of Gov
eminent no less than pstental obi
gaiion, sud The law of March Ia, 1855;
, no1 only Iunishe d ample provision lu
= schools of every grade, but will memhc
able IN our annals for establishing IL
principle that they are open TO all
Free or common Schools in the fulles
sense OF the terIi. Instead Of d nike
Stale aud County tax of a mill aud
half for their support, he act in uues
non directed a State School tax, an
; that its proceeds he distributed ffor
the State Treasury ia proportion TO tn
respective counties, Every iownshi
was constituted disiTict,and entrusleu
to Board Of Education consisting of
representative ifom each sub distric
who are authorized to make or aller sucI
sub.distIicts,t to assess taxes for the con
SIruc.ion Of schools houses and the ex
tension Of school terms, and to exercist
whatever general supervision Of educa
Iional Interests may be consistent. will
the duties eujoihed upon the local dir
ectors in each sub b-dislIect,
"A sufficient period has now elapsed
Tor you to determiu whether the people
are generally satisfied with the presen
law, or in what respectis requires mod
lhcation. There has been the State
School Fund. Those counties which
include populous cities are assessed
with gredteramounts than the enume "a
lion Of youth entille the 10 receive,and
in one instance the amount received is
only abont one half The sum contributed
to the State Fund. Still, il is easy "a
see that if we consider the chi Id as the
object Of public regard--as ward of the
State Tor certain degree Of instruction
THAI the direct application Of the
public bounty 10 the youth OF the coun-
lies in proportion to the annual erume,
ration, is neither illogical nor incon.
sisiart,. 1t presents fair subject,
however, for the consideration Of the
General Assembly.
The organization Of township
Boa rds of Education, which. TO the ex.
tent Of their powers and duties, reduced
the authorities of local directors was d
centra Iizing measure. and has undoubt.
edIy produced a greatertdegree Of uni
iormity and efficiency; but it is grave
question whether the division of juris
diction between those bodies has not
led 10 disagree ment and confusion, aud
ether power Of taxation vested in
Boards Of Education has not been inju.
diciouily exercised.
| deem il highly important that the
school act should accurd!el p define the
powers and it is quite possibly that for
mer moved by the opinion aud advice
OF the State Commissioner, The pre-
sent system owes much 10 the habiIual
and judiciouS epositions of that Off
Ce.
Boards of Education are required to
furnish schools for seven months Of the
year, ssd they are authorized to direct
assessnents tor school purposes other
than lof the payment of teachers =
under which head tbs item of school.
mouse construction is included. They
may OIso direct assessments not exceed.
lns two mills on the Olor lor The sup.
port OF Central or high schools, when
legally established, aud for the purpose
OF ptlousing alter the state funds have
been exhausted the terms Of the several
sub district or primary schools in the
township" There does not seem to be
any Iimila lion Of the power OF taxation
"Ior school purposes other than the
payment Ut teachers"
The taxes assessed for school purposes
in 1854 amounted to 81 ,295 424, and in
1855 to 81 ,24G,3i6, amounts almost
equal to The state school tax of a mill
aud halt on me grand duplicates. The
largest portion ol these assessments
were doubtless for school house struct.
ureS aud top:Olnog the school beyond the
period OF seven months, and may pc re
gdrded as eXtraordndGy expenditures.
Why should not the proposition 10 incur
them be submitted to he conSide ia ion
oi the people of the township? As the
ervices Of members of Boards of eiuca.
sion, are gratuiIous those officers are
tusualy warm friends of education. ara
there is danger that their zeal in its
behalf, however honorable to them indi.
vsdually, may sometimes fail ~ be sus
tanned by puolic opinion, a state Oi
things certain TO produce an injurious
reaction and 10 impair the usefulness OF
our school system. 1t would be better
~ distribute a certain degree Of educa
licnsl progress over several years, and
be sure me mesnwhile ol cordial senti.
menL Of public approval, than 20 pre-
clpItate Ihe same results within sin.
g'e year. and thereby ulienate the sym.
pathieS ol community. The latter must
accompany aud sanction all our school
movements, and no more serious error
can be committed than TO mistake the
lenthusiasm vi a few Tor a conviction OF
the many. Let every style be carefully
considered aud fnIly matured, and If ur.
usual III its nalurel ratified by majur.
NY OF the district at meeting calleu
iUI its discussion, aud we may conf
IDENTIFY dismiss our fears Tor the future
prosperity aud advancement Of The
cause vi popular education.
The Report of tha Board Of trustees
furnished very lull aud satisfactory
account OF the past history and pres