, 1862-10-18
Public Schools.

peIJ W Tic peOpIe VI IluS county, COHCeihlhS
schools. 1t is time that something was being
done towards the establishment of our common
schools. And what time is better than the pres
ent, now that the business part of the season is
labors Why cannot we improve the present
opportunity-go to work and build school house
in each district, employ teachers, and serd our
children to school, instead of letting them run
around the country learning more evil than good ?
This is a matter that requires a little energy and
perseverance, and it is soon done. There are
children enough, as far as l know, 10 support a
school in each district of the county-yet there is
but one school house within the county. This
state of things is to be regretted but so it is
Even the city of Walla Walla has as yet taken
no steps towards the erection of school house
or the formation of permanent school but
chooses rather to pay from twenty-five to forty
dollars per month for the use of a house than to
own one. This should not be. Your towns
people should take the lead in this matter.
1t would not be very difficult to raise fifteen
hundred dollars for the erection of public school
house, if those who are most interested would go
about it. A large subscription was raised recent
ly for private school, which unfortunately went
under, but nevertheless shows that you want
schools, and are willing to pay your money for
them.
We cannot have permanent schools till we get
the school houses This is the first and most i'm
portant thing to be attended to. The school is
sure to follow, if we only get the house. The
law provides that school houses are to be built by
subscription, which makes it more difficult, as
there are always some who will not do anything
unless obliged to. Hence those who really want
a school must do more, And here let me sug-
gest when a school house is built in the country
give it the most beautiful spot you can find, as
near the center of the district as possible, and al
so have it near to timber and pure water. In
town, let it be entirely away from the noise, and
business part of the city. Do not confne it to
one small lot, but give it a whole square. Set it
round about with trees and shrubbery. Make it
attractive. Have other things to match, so as to
make it well regulated school, and your chill
dren will love to go to school.
Most of the districts in this county are still un
organized The law provides that there shall
be an annual school meeting held in each district,
on the first Friday of November of each year, for
the purpose of choosing district officers, and trans
acting any other school business that may be pre-
sented." The district officers consist of three
directors and clerk. The clerk is elected for
three years; of the directors, the one having the
highest number of votes serves three years, the
next highest two, the next one. This leaves one
director to be chosen at each annual meeting.
School officers are required within ten days af-
ter election, to appear before the County Auditor
or Superintendent and qualify for their office, and
the clerk is required to give bonds security for
the money he may receive. The duties of direc-
tors are to employ teachers, build school houses,
and transact all business concerning schools in
their district. The clerk is to keep a record of
all transactions, the minutes of all meetings, COL
ect all money due the district, pay it out only on
the order of the directors report to the superin-
tendent within ten days after the annual meeting,
the names of all persons in the district between
the age of four and twenty-one years. the length
of time school has been kept the previous year,
amount paid to teachers, school books used &c.
| have been minute in describing the duties Of
school officers because find that these things are
not well understood here; and | hope that the
districts will observe the time for the annual meet
ing choose their officers, and see that they quail
ify according to law. Then you are "body cor
porate," and if you wish to do anything you have
the power to do it. | think there are officers in
the organized districts who do not know the
length of time they were chosen for, and who did
not qualify for their office. If so they cannot le-
gally do the business of the district. See to it
at the annual meeting that all this is corrected,
and made as it should be. Money is accumula-
ting in the treasury which belongs to the districts
1t only be used to pay teachers hence dis
ricts cannot draw it till they have organized and
had at least three months school by a qualified
teacher, previous to the annual apportionment,
which takes place in November of each year.
There will be upwards of one thousand dollars
in the treasury this fall, most of which will have
to remain there for another year, when / hope
that each district in the county will have their
regular term of school, and be able to draw their
money. And l would be much obliged if some
person in each district would report to me before
the middle of next month the state of school af
fairs, the number of children entitled to public
money in their district, &C.. that may be better
enabled to make my estimate and report accord
ingly.
AS many persons are inquiring for the bounda-
res of the districts will soon write them out for
publication. together with some other items of i'm
portance. ]. F. WOOD,
Supt. of Public Schools.