The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-11-24
For the Upton Advertiser.
Township Districts.

Township Districts.
| propose in this communication to
present some thoughts on the TOWNSHIP,
District system Of organizing common
schools.
This part Of our School law had its or
igin with the Hon. Marturin J.. Fisher
1t was the hcoeliuy fco,ure in the act
which he prepared, and presented to the
Legislature of 1873, and which act he
strongly urged them to pass. On the
18th of March, 1853, Mr.. Fisher had the
qualification Of knowing that his efforts
in behnlf Of public schools, were apprc.
ciated; for upon that day, his act with
some amendments, was passed.
The great object Of the Township Dis.
trict system is protection In many parts
of the State, and indeed, in cur county,
there are ncighborhoods where a few
families have located. They have come
in goo d faith, expecting that ere long,
they should be in the midst Of a -four.
ishing settlement. But the Spectator,
whose watchful eye has ever been on the
look out for good bargains, saw this in
tnnt colony, and concluded that there
was good place to invest money; so he
entered all the land near by. lie has
thus completely enclosed them-shu,
them in from schools, churches, Gc.-
These people have not been able 70 re.
lease thensclvcs-not even "seH ou'
aud look for more favorable homes
Their children have grown up around
them. In some nc'ghborhoods, they
have not numbered more than a dozen.
yet, their rights have been as sacred az
iftherc had been hundred. There ha,
never been school provided for them,
because their parents have been unable
to do so. They could not build school
house, for tax Of ten mills on the dol.
lar, on all the taxable property of an or
binary sized sub District, would have
been required for a long time, to build a
comfortable one. Besides, the amoun.
of public money drawn by these dozen
scholars, would not go far towards sup.
porting a school. To raise the balance
among themselves would be impossible
These people have toiled to support them.
selves, and to improve the country, and
in so doing, have improved the specula-
tors land, and now, is it not just that
the Spectator should pay his share p
Can he pay it for a better purpose, than
to educate the children in his opn neigh.
borhood :? know that in som, Town.
ships there could be Districts formed.
where the pca''e could support schools,
for they have been favorably located but
these people should assist in supporting
the weak in their milst. The State fay.
.ors them every gear, by giving them a
handsome sum Of public money for the
support Of schools, while to these weak
aeighbors it gives very mcagre sun
why, are the former thus favored; sim
ply, because they are favored with many
children. Should they not DO willing to
do for Others, as the State docs for them
The Township District system comes
to the rescue of the weak IL all the
sub Districts arc strong, this system does
not effect them, and in such condition.
Gf the people were all disposed to do
riyht,) might not be needed.
The law, hence, very wisely provides,
that each civil Township shall! constitute
a School District that this District shall
be divided into a requisite number Of sub
Districts. That in each sub District there
shall be taught one, or more schooi for at
least trenty four reeks each year. It
provides f)r District Board whose duty
Il il. to SEQ that schools are supported
for az lea.a the tiu 9, named. 1.-THE peo-
pie refuse to vote tax to build school
house, or school. houses, the Board Is Gun.
powered to rent, kae, or otherwise pro-
cure suitable room for school room.
There is no alternative, they must attend
10 these things, unless the County Su-
is Satisfied that school is
not required. The sub District system,
thus, provides schosl Of trenfy.four
week., annually. for esry sub Distrie,
"a the State, waere a school may be
needed, consummating its designs.