St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-01-19

cunt to 1912, l57 As; making an ag-
gregatc of S57S,356 OF. have no
knowledge of any state in the Union,
whose ordinary expenses, when view
ed in connection with the nature of
our political organization, the extent
of our population and territorial lin
its, will compare more favorably, or
whose people pay lighter state tax
for the privileges they enjoy, than do
ours. This fact, it is believed, will
not escape the attention of the emf
grant who is or may be seeking a
home in the great valley Of the Mis-
sissippi.
BOARD OF EDrCATfoN.
Our Educational interest will claim
your special attention. On the 18th
of March, 1853, the General Assembly
passed an Act entitled "An Act for
the Public Instruction of the State Of
Iowa" This act, with the exception
of those portions of it which provide
for levying taxes and appropriating
money, was subsequently declared un-
constitutional by the Supreme Court
The Board of Education at its first ses-
sion, held in December, 1858, were
much perplexcd in determining the
extent of their jurisdiction, fearing on
the one hand that they might cncroach
upon the powers of the General AS
sembly, and on the other, that they
might fail to perform to the full ex-
tent, the duties required Of them un-
der the constitution.
After much reflection and delibera-
ton, they reenacted the law above re-
ferrcd to. with some slight alterations.
1t took effect on the first day of March
last, and under it our school system
has operated as successfully as we
could reasonably y expect in view of a
change from a system with which they
were familiar, to one materially differ.
ent in its essential features. Objcc.
tions have been made to some of its
provisions, but in the main it appears
to have given satisfaction.
The Board, at their recent session
held in December Of last year, made a
variety Of Amendments, which they
believe will remove all valid ohjcc,
! tons.
Under the provisions Of the consti
tuition, all laws passed by the Board
of Education are subject to alteration
amendment or repeal by the General
Assembly. The law as amended vii
be laid before you for your considera
tion; and it is earnestly hoped tha
you will only make such additions to
it as you may deem essentially neccs
sary to give it vitality, without mate
rally changing its provisions.
Repeated and radical changes in
our school laws, though sometimes
necessary, are always attended witt
temporary Inconvenience, and fre
quently with serious injury, and hence
it is particularly desirous to avoi,
them, unless they are indispensable,
to the prosperity Of ours chools.
Popular education is one Of thu
most important interests of the State
\ much greater number of the pcopl,
are personally identified with its fail
urc or success than any other suhjec
of legislation. 1t is scarcely neccs
sary to say that the utmost pre-
caution should be observed in any
thing you may deem it your duty t.
do for the promotion of this great oh
icct and in this sentiment | am ful
lv persuaded that | have your heart,
concurrence. 1t is all important tha
the school laws should be considered
and acted upon definitely and iinall,
at an early day of the session, i'll OF
der that they may be published an,
distributed in time for the school dis
trict elections in the Spring. Thei
circulation in pamphlet form shoulC
not be restricted to school officers, hu
should be sent broadcast among tn,
people, in order that they may be
come familiar with their provisions
| At least every head of family shoul'
be supplied with a copy. We hav'
over one hundred thousand voter
who are interested in our school dis
trict meetings, and to enable them Il
become familiar with their duties an,
: obligations, the school laws should b'
circulated exclusively among them.
The subject of disseminating th'
Board of Education has been discuss
ed by some of our public journals
. While ! much regret the unfortunate
position in which We are placed b.
the educational provisions of our con
stitution, should seriously question
the eXpcdieucy of such a measure a
, present. The Board have endcavore'
faithfully to perform the responsible
duties imposed upon them, but a
nearly every step they have bee
trammelled by constitutional restrit
tons, and hence their Legislation ha
not been such as it would have bee,
if they had been clothed with full an
exclusive authority to enact all law
for the government and support Q
our common schools.
But it should be remembered ais
that they possess, under the constitl
ton, the sole power to originate al
laws exclusively educational in thei
character.
The constitution provides that tn
General Assembly shall have powe
to abolish or reorganizc the Board c
Education at any time after the yea
1868, and as another session of tn
General Assembly will transpire bt
fore that time any legislation ON tn
subject at present would certainly b
unwise and premature, and woul
probably render our whole education
al system still more complicated tina
before.
FIVE PER CENT. FUND.
: Our admission into the Federal UI
ion transpired in the fall of 1876. A
this time there were very fe,
outstanding military land warrants
, A part Of the compact of admissio
. was, that in consideration the govern
} ment lands should not be taxed by us
the State should receive 8 per CEN
upon the net sales Of the lands with