, 1859-12-14

The Board OF Education ia now in session.
It opened on Monday the 5th inst, and will mo-
badly continue from two to three weeks. As
few persons in tho State or elsewhere are &C.
quainted with the nature, duties and powers of
this Board, will make succlnct statement,
showing it's origin, object and workings. 1t
was established under the following clause in
the new Constitution:
"Thc educational interests Of the ate, in
GLIDING co,nmon schools md other educational
institutions. shall he under the management Of
n Board Of Education. which shall ccnsi5t OF
the Lieutenant Governor, who shall be the pre-
sidirg officer Of the Board, apd have tho cast
ing rote in case Of tie. and ONE member 10 be
elected from each judicial district in The State"
{Ast. ix. Sec. y, "and shall hold the Office for
the tern. Of four years." "a Tile board shall be
divided as nearly as practicable, into two equal
vacated after the expiration Of two years; aud
one half Of tic Board shall be chosen every two
years thereafter"
SEC. 3D. "The Governor Of the State shall be,
tz-cJfcio, member Of said Board"
SEC. 9. t'Tha session cf the Board shall be
limited to twenty days, and but one session
shall be held in year, except upon extraordi-
nary occasions, wien, upon tue recommends
tion Of two-thirds of the Board, the Governor
'uny o,dcr special sessloa." (Sec. S.
1crrpe AVN
Dy Section 12-"Thc Board shall provide for
the education Of oil tile mouths Of the State,
,nlougn system ol common oeooo!s 70 &c
kcrs IN each district ut least three months in
saSn yeas. ~ 1seu9u o-ls nG I'M power
ann aosn0Ily ~ :eg.s:a'e Inu MAKE aa 9eeo!nt
tions Of lcaring that receive aid from the School
or University Fund of this State" But We tind
the following provision for supervision Of its
acts ~ I'VE Leg'sia1nre' ehe osaens1ole oo]ec1 0!
which Is 10 eorfect any g'ar1ng error the board
may coMu". AL acIs sules ana regulations
uesad sad hp ,ha Gs5sr rs OF re-
altered. ansnceo' or senea!eo, they shah not be
re enac'ea " uae n9a'o ol haneat'oh.
ms 0oAto shaA nate no power 10 levy
tates Ei'.:. =! uahe eappsoPi'a1H!onso money. ne
nnaca!lou1' H., ana oen9sl funos ano hanos saall
u ~ unaes ,an ,ne con..o' and aGa management o! she
-. "a ~ provide 5oF Inc contingent expenses Of
Inc e boafo. ...
11elr mslaRe nnd Per diem Is the same Is
Tug members of the General Assembly.
hare here presented you wlth q conssitu-
'.onal rev os ths Board o. hd1cat,on OF the
language Of that instrument. It will be seen
that II CONSISTS Of thirteen members from
each oi ths eleven judicial plslrlcts|tec Coz.
ernoF ano Laeuteuhut GcseEnor being r.
ogse9o members.
The idea Of separate Legislature body en-
novel one. Let us consider this subject
moment
The experience Of older States teaches us that
in the press Of lending ndteriaf interests, or in
the excitement Of political struggles which
often mark the discussions Of our Legislative
have been overlooked and neglected. Any one
ut all familiar with educational movements else
where. knows that it requires peculiar cast Of
mind and careful attention and patient inyesti-
cation 10 ascertain what measures and acts are
best adapted to promote the general good Of
facts be disclosed Of The means by which the
Free School systems Of other and older States
hare been achieved, it would be found that in
Auences deeper than legislative bodies had
mored. projected and pushed them forward to
their present perfection. in New York, in
aystems owe their origin. permanency and use
iuiuess to tue devoted Efforts and untiring zeal
OF prir1te citizens, who have urged the claims
Of the youth tor an education By the State, to
their own disadvantage, and waged the war at |
their own cost. Long did the people wait in
edge for the coming Of men Of large huuanities,
who, while they labored for tho public veal,
also wrought willingly with their own hands'
for their own support.
In Iowa there Ia no occasion for this. Rich
in nstire gteatness-rich in Intelligent fteemcn
rich in spr12htly and euterprising youth she |
has chosen to set apart body Of men and |
made it their special duty to look aftcr the gene
raj educational interests Of the people, aud |
have particular charge Of those institutions
which derire aid from public muniticenec. Tho /
expressed will Of people through q constitu- |
tionai or other public convention is sell |
dom up to the standard Of the best |
minds among the people. We are proud
TO regard the snat<ssat iateresk among us