The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-12-05
[For the Cate City.


BsarA ~ Eaucasien.
The remarks which propose to make on
the subject above indicated, arc suggested
BY vital necessity thu abolishnsnt d ths
Board. Time and experience have abun-
dainty proved thas the Jth-Uhssi Legislation
out Ok which has sprung much Of the cum-
brous machinery Of our educational system,
has not met the requirements Of the people.
The evil 10 traceable, to q great extent, to
that feature OF the Constitution which pro-
vidss for the creation of the Board, and de-
6nssit dates. Under the fostering care Of
]. G. Hall and other members OF the Consti-
tutional Convention, the Constitution invests
the Board With the authority to provide for
the education Of oil the youth Of the State
through system Of common schools. With
reference TO schools, the Consultation recog-
nises the Board as the only law-making pow
or. The action of this Board, however, il
made subordinate to the Legislature. This
latter body has the power to alter, amend or
abolish, but ito creation or enacsing power is
taken away. 1'he Board, then, and the Gen
eral Assembly are separate legislative pow
srs in the State. II is true that the Board is
some how subservient to the Legislature
but both bodies are separately invested BY the
Constitution with law-making power. If
this circumstance IL not anomalous in legis-
lation, we know OF nothing exactly like it.
During the session OF the Legislature that
followed the adoption Of the Constitution,
the General Assembly ealously careful Of
it's prerogative-passed school law. Dis
tinguished Democratic members OF both
Houses we're the most xsalous advocates Of
the new law; and it is well known that the
whole system received the parental impress
and enforcement of the Democratic State
Superintendent Of Schools. The Legis,
lature virtUolly abolished the function.
Of the Board, by enacting the presen,
school law. 1t clearly had no such
power under the Constitution and the Su.
preme Court, a year afterward, very judi
ciously pronounced the law Unconstitutional
new difficulty then arose. ALI contracts
made under the law, became, at once, inval
i'd and Of no effect; and the diminutive leg
islature, styled the Board Of Education, WA
compelled, rs the last resort Of desperat,
legislation, to pass q "ourative acs," b,
which oil contracts under the school Law wer,
rendered ef6oient and binding.
In view Of the practical working Of tn,
present school system, We conclude that tn
School Board is not needed. II 10 q super
auous Legislative body, costing the State
large sum annually, and accomplishing moth
ing which the true Legislature should no
perform. The popular voice calls for it
destruction. The Constitution should be 9,
changed rs TO dispense, at once and forever
With the School Board; and we hope thu
the coming Legislature will take the initia
tive step in this work Of snnihilation.
wish not to be understood as condemn
ing the school law itself. Ihave spoken only
Of the School Board and ito prerogatives
and not Of the Law itself. In many portions
Of the State, the law has produced bene6csn
results; but in other portions through thu
| Negligence OF the County Superin ten dense
and the general apathy Of the peopls--the
Law has fallen into disrepute. When the
supererogatory School Board will have been
| thrown aside, the Legislature will have op.
portunity to make such improvements in the
law az are demanded by popular necessity.
Yours, truly,
Indianola, Iowa. j. M. DIXON.