The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-17

education 10 recognized Uy inc Oonsusu-t
ton OF 1851, as duty Of Government no
less than a parental obligation, and the
law Of March IL, 1853, not only iurnish- y
ed ample provision for schools ot every
grade, but will be memorable In our an 9
nails for establishing the principle that I
they are omen to all-Free or Common v
Schools, in the fullest sense oI the term.
Instead of a mixed State and County tax i
of a mill and half for their support, the s
act in question directed State School tax, 2
and that it's proceeds be distributed from the :
State Treasury in proportion to the euu- Z
meration of youth Of school age within the c
respective counties. Every township was \
constituted district and entrusted in v
Board Of Education consisting Of repre- :
sentative from each sub.dlstrict, who are I
authorized to make or alter such sub-dis- q
tricts, to assess taxes for the construction c
of schocl.houses, and the extension Of school Q
terms, and exercise what every general su-
pervision Of educational interests may be d
consistent with the duties enjoined upon
the local directors in each sub-district.-- c
A fund of one-tenth of mill yearly was ap.
propriated "for the purpose Of furnishing l
school libraries and apparatus to all the q
common schools of the State" and the su'
pervs ion Of the system was confined to
State Commissioner elected BY the people. g
| In other respects the present school law is [
digest of previous legislation, and was in. {
tended to relieve the public mind from the
| confusion and uncertainty caused by ire
quent and inconsistent amendment.
A sufficient period has now elapsed for
you to determine whether the people are !
generally satisfied with the present law, or
/ IN what respect it requires notification
| There has been some complaint OF the man.
ner OF distributing the State School Fund.
Those counties which include populous cit.
les are assessed with greater amounts than
the enumeration of youth entitle them to
receive, and in no instance the amount re-
ceived is only about one half the sum con-
trlbuted to the State fund. Still, it is easy
to see that if we consider the child as the
object Of public regard-as a ward Of the
State for certain degree Of Instruction
that the direct application of the public
bounty to the youth of the counties in pro.
portion to the annual enumeration, is Meth.
er illogical nor inconsistent. 1t presents
fair subject, however, for the consideration
of the General Assembly.
The organization of township Boards of
, Education, which, to the extent of their pow
+ ers and duties, reduced the authority of To-
cal directors, was a centralzng measures,
and has undoubtedly produced greater de-
gree Of uniformity and efficiency; but it is
a grave question whether the division of ju.
risdiction between those bodies has not led
4 to disagreement and confusion, and whether
the power Of taxation vested in Boards Of |
. Education has not been iDjudiciousy exer
/ cised.
. deem it highly important that the school
1 act should accurately define the powers and
duties of these officers, respectively; al
though it is quite possible that former un.
h certainty in this and other respects, has
d been removed by the opinion and advice of
h the State Commissioner. The present sys-
h tenn owes much to tho habitual and Judi.
). cous expositions of that Office.
4 Boards OF Education are required to fur
;. nish school for seven months of the year,
g and they are authorized to direct assess.
i ments "for school purposes other than for
y the payment of teachers" under which head
q the item of school house construction is in
If cluded. They may also direct assessment
!. not exceeding two mills on the dollar for
N the support Of central or high schools, when
!. legally established. and "for the purpose of
- prolonging after the State funds have been
;. exhausted the terms of the several sub. dis.
d trict or primary schools in the township"
There does not seem to be any limitation
!. OF the power of taxation "for school purpo.
i. ses other than the payment OF teachers
The taxes assessed for local purposes in
. 1854 amounted to 81, 1895, ,424, and in 1855 to
a $l,246, ,346 amounts almost equal to the
q State school tax of mill and half on the
q grand duplicates. The largest portions of
q these assessments were doubtless for school
). house structures, and to prolong the school
d beyond the period Of seven months, and may
be regarded as extraordinary expenditures.
Why should not the proposition to incur
them be submitted to the consideration of
the people Of the township AS the servi-l
4 ces of members of Boards of Education are
r gratuitous, those officers are usually ardent
i friends Of education, and there is danger
that their zeal in its behalf, however honor
ablc to them, individually, may sometimes
fail to be sustained by public opinion, a state
of things certain to produce an Injurious re.
action and to impair the usefulness of our
!, schoal system. 1t would be better to distri-
: = butte certain degree of educational progress
over several years, and be sure meanwhile
of cordial sentiment Of public approval,
= than to precptate the same results within
u sing lie year, and and thereby ALLEVIATE the
) sympathies of community. The latter must
accompany and sanction all our school move
ments, anG no more serious error can be
committed than to mistake the enthusiasm
of the few for conviction of the many
n Let every style be carefully considered and
e fully matured and if usual in its nature. rat
Lifted by majority Of the people of the dis
: trict at meeting called for its discussion,
! and We may confidently dismiss our fcars for
the future prosperity and advancement of
+ the cause Of popular education.
J. A Il must approve the humane motives which
have multiplied institutions of this character
, throughout our country. They are, howev-
d er attended with great expense, and there
7 / fore should not be increased beyond the
clenr demands Of humanity and justice.
The Report of the State House Comssion-
: ers will advise you of the progress of the
i work under their charge during the past two
years. 1t is to be regretted that the means
e placed OF the command OF the Commissioner
q by the late legislature, were not sufficient
r to have the halls Of the Senate and House of
8 Representatives ready for occupation by the
present General Assembly. The sums so
far appropriated for the erection and compile
n ton of the new State House amount to-
r $706,575. ssss
Every department of the Government is
7 deeply interested in the speedy completion
y of this building. The health and conven.
j. ience of the General Assembly and of the
n Judicial and Executive Officers of the neo.