Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-01-17

Il
gress.
The State Of Ohio Is iustl y distinguished for
a liberal and enlightened system Of public in
struetion. Contemplated by the territorial leg |
islalion of Congress, it was undertaken BY the
peop!e Of the State as soon as the exigencies of
frontier and the exposures Of war would al
low. and has encountered less obstruction and
more encouragement from the public sentiment
than has usually been observed in the progress
Of similar systems elsewhere. General educa-
ton is recognized by the Constitution Of 1851
as a duty of Government no less than paren-
tai obligation, and the law of March Ii, 1853,
not only furnished ample provision for schools
of ever grade, but will be memorable in our
annals for establishing the principle that they
are open to all-Free or Common Schools, in
Il e fullest sense of the term. Instead Of
mixed State and County tax Of a mill and
half for their support. the act in question di-
rected State School tax, and that its proceeds
be distributed from the State Treasury in pro-
portion to the enumeration of youth Of school
age in the respective counties. Every town
ship was constituted district, and entrusted
in Board of Education consisting of repre-
sentative from each sub.district, who are au-
thorized to make or alter such sub-districs, to
assess taxes for the construction of school
houses and the exention Of school terms, and
to exercise whatever general supervision OF
educational interests as may be consistent with
the duties enioined upon the local directors in
each sub-distrct A fund of one tenth Of a
mill yearly was appropriated for the purpose
Of furnishing school libraries and apparatus ia
all the common schools of the State and the
supervision Of the system was conided TO I
State Commissioner elected by the people, II
- other respects the present school law is dl
:" gest OF previous Legislation, and was intende,
=, to relieve the public mini from the confusio
and uncertainty caused by frequent and ncop
sisent amendment.
- - A sufficient period has now elapsed for 20
to determine whether the people are general
satisfied with the present law, or in what res
pect it requires modification. There has bee
" some complaint as to the manner of distribu
" ting the State School Fund. Those countie
:. which include populOus cities are assessed wit
n' greater amounts than the enumeration of yout
er enltle them to receive, and in one instance tn
in. amount received is only about one half tn
a.. sum contributed to the State Fund. Still, it
=, easy to see that if we consider the CHILD
IN the object of public regard as a ward of tt
est State for certain degree of instructon-lh
Of the direct application of the public bounty
the youth of the counties in proportion TO Il
-. annual enumeration is neither illogical nor il
=, ~ consistent. 1t presents fair subject. howe'
'he err, for the consideration of the General Asser
r. bly,.
the The organization Of township Boards Of L.
ise ucation. which, to the extent of their powe
). and duties, reduced the authority OF local d
90 rectors, was a centralizng measure, and h
Gu undoubtedly produced greater degree of ul
tn rormty and efficiency ; but it grave que
OF tion whether the division of jurisdiction
-. tween those bodies has not led to disagreemt
-, and confusion, and whether the power of ta'
mas ton vested in Boards of Education has I
'an- been injudiciously exercised.
of deem it highly important that the sch
tive act should accurately define the powers a
duties of these officers, respectively; althou
e'"' it is quite possible that former uncertainty
I'M this and other respects has been removed
of the opinion and advice of the State Comm
sioner. The present system owes much
oc. the habilual iudclous expostions of that
:. fee.
o" Boards of Education are required to furn
r.. ., IL
gor. are authorized to direct assessments %
usi- school purposes other than for the paymen
:; =, teachers" under which head the item Of sch
house construction is included They may
F'n so direct assessments not exceeding two m
bu- on the dollar for the support of central or h
the schools, when legally established, and "
the purpose of prolonging after the State fu
=, have been exhausted the terms of the sevt
" sub.district or primary schools in the 10Y
teu' ship" There does not seem to be any lin
Ted tons of that power of taxation "tor sch
sew. purposes other than the payment of teacher
- The taxes assessed for local school purpo
> in 1854 amounted y 295.424, and in 1855
uo" ST. GAG, $40. amounts almost equal to the 81
The school TAX Of a mill and a half on the gr'
lbu. duplicates. The largest portion of these
tain sossments were doubtless for school ho
or expenditures, and to prolong the schools
" yond the period of seven months. and may
regarded as extraordinary expenditures. "
~ ~ = should not the proposition to incur them
"'e" submitted to the consideration of the pee
'O"' in the township 4? As the services of m,
bers of Boards of Education are gratuti,
ouIa tho officers are usually ardent friends Of
freu' ucation, thus there is danger that their
anu in its behalf, however honorable 10 them,
the dyidUally, may sometimes fail TO be sustai
ue' BY publ opinion, state of things certain
feach produce an injurious reaction and to impair
M 10 usefulness of our school system. 1t woult
''Nes better to distribute certain degree of ed
tional progress over several years, and be