Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-12-16
Correspondence of the Muscatlne Journal.
BOARD of Education.
SENATE CHAMBER, DEsMoINEs, Iowa,

DEAR JOURNAL:-After the reading OF tn
4 minutes, this morning, the standing commi
tees were announced.
A discussion sprung up on motion Of MI
o Garfield, touching the County Superintend
, ency, in which Messrs. Garfield, Connolly
Mills and Roszell participated. The poo
officials were rather severely handled by SOM
of the speakers.
The Hon. Thos. II. Benton, Secretary 0
the Beard, then read very able Report, which
will be ready for distribution in day or two
He reviewed our school system, contrasting i
with the old system, and, as far as figures and
facts could be obtained, proved most conclu
sively the superiority of the present Free
School Law over the old system. He advo'
Gated the continuance of the Office of County
Superintendent, considering it essential to the
success of our present system of free schools.
He proved most conclusively that the present
law, with the County Superintendents, was
more economical, and cost the people less,
than the old system, with the School Fund
Commissioners, &c.
The Committee on Printing recommended
the Iowa School Journal to the favor of the
Board, and 600 copies, daily, were ordered for
the use of the members, at cost of $12 per
day, or 5000 for the session, at the option Of
the Board.
A communication was received from the
Auditor of State, in answer to a resolution
offered by Mr.. Roszell, calling ON him for
information relative to the Websters Diction-
ary question. The communication consists
too much of figures and facts, and is too
lengthy, to give you synopsis. 1t stated
that the Dictionaries had been received, and
were ready for distribution at Dubuque, Iowa
City and Burlington, and others had been
ordered for Desmoines and Council Bluffs.
Adjourned. D.
DEsMolNEs, Iowa, Dec. 8, 1859.
DEAR JoURNAL:-There was nothing of
interest transacted, yesterday, by the Board:
Petitions, memorials, and notices of bills, &c.
The balance of the day was spent in consult
alton and comparison Of views.
The Board held short session, to-day, and
adjourned, to allow the committees an oppor-
tunity to consult together and prepare
business.
Mr.. Roszell introduced bill, this morning,
to amend San Act to provide for the election
and define the duties of the Secretary of the
Board of Education" 1t requires the Secre-
tary to give bonds for $4,000, instead of
81 900, as at present, and fixes his salary at
81 200, Cat present 81 ,5Oo,) and his con:in-
gent expenses, for travelling and clerk hire, at
$500, (now $750,) and does away with his
visiting schools and meeting the County
Superntendents, &c. This reduces the Sec
retary's expenses $3.50, and does away with
that part of the law requiring him to travel
all over the State. 1 think Mr.. Roszells Bill
will pass.
Mr. Cooper introduced Bill, this morning,
to amend can Act to provide system of
Common Schools" Mr. Cooper's Bill runs
through the entire School Law, making some
quite material alterations in the detail, while
it retains all the essential features of the
present system.
The Township and Sub-Distrlct system
remains unaltered, but the Township Board
of Directors, as at present, is done away with,
and in their place is substituted Township
Board consisting of the local Directors of the
Sub Districts, with the Township Clerk to act
as Clerk Of the Township Board. He confers
more powers on the Sub Districts than under
the present law, authorizing them to employ
teachers, determine how long they will have
school kept, whether they will build a
school-house, and attend to their own affairs
generally.
The Township Board, at their meeting,
shall determine how much tax is necessary to
be raised to keep up the school the required
time, as we'll as the amount necessary to build
school-houses, &C., and certify the same to
the Township Clerk, who, in like manner,
notifies the County Judge, whose duty it is
when so notified by the Township Clerk, to
levy the same on the taxable property of the
Township District, or Sub Districts, as deter,
mined or agreed upon by the Township Board
of Directors.
Should any SubDistrict wish to build a
school house, and the Township Board fails
to assess the tax for that purpose, or should
the Sub District wish to build a more
expensive house than the Township Board
are willing to have the entire township taxed
for, then such Sub District may vote upon
themselves such additional tax for such pur
pose, and notify the County Judge of the
, amount necessary for such purpose, who shall
) levy such amount of tax on the taxable prop
, erty of said Sub-District, for the purpos,
, indicated.
. He does away with the Office of County
Superintendent, anu substitutes in its plac
/ the County Examiner, to be appointed by tn
d County Judge, and to receive per diem 70
, the time actually spent in the duties of hi
e office. This will interfere somewhat will
n certain family arrangements, but am salts
fled that something of the kind will pass a
this session of the Board The ms will ente
= their solemn protest against it, but the Out
I will look more pleasantly than they have sine
. the election.
These are all the material changes proposed
and, as near as I can judge, they echo th
: minds of most of the members present. Ever,
) member of the Board is earnestly laboring t.
!, the best of his ability to make school Law
. that shall be acceptable, and at the same tim
: efficient, and afford good opportunity t