The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-01-01
@'a - From the Des Moines Register.
State Board Of Education.

2" a'ia - From the Des Moines Register eEH
State Board of Educatsor,. otii
This body adjourned on Saturday last, az
te: session of twenty days. It's proceedings
were marked by an unusual amount of prac.
teal ability, a determination was manifest
from the outset on the part of the majority
Of the members to make as few changes, as
possible in the operation Of the present
School system, but we believe those which
were made Will he received by the people
with satisfaction. The following Is a b,ief
synopsis of the material Acts which were
passed: s.s.-......- ........ .... s.........-
IAN Act to render district townships Ii.
bic for the debts OF old districts AMI TO en-
able them 10 sue in certain cases" Under
the Jaw in force praor to the 10Th OF Mar:h
1873, each township was divided into sever.
nj districts Or corporaionS. and as such, con-
tractcd debts, some Of which have not VT
been settled Each civil township was made
a school district. and tho old c,rporations
were abolished. hut no provision was made
for the as Sumntion and payments of ,iabili
ties. The present law renders the townships
'iible for the debts contracted by the old
An Act to authorize tho teaching Of the
German or other 'angnage in Common
Schools" This law prSvi1cs that the Dls
trict meeting may dctermn" by vote whr,h
er,the German or other languane shall ba
Taught in one o. moro Schools ofthe diStric,
with the prov;so that all o,he, branches shall
be taught in the English language.
tAn Act to amend an Act entitled an Act
TNvf han A. II
State University Of Iowa This is a re en-
actmcnt Of the former law. with some mod-
iications. 1t imposes additional duties on
the Secretary Of the Board Of Trustees re
'atvc to the finances and makes. him &c.
otitcio, librarian 1t also abclish,s the off G
| of Curator OF Cabinet of Natural HI tow,
and makes Diploma given to a graduate of
the Normal Department evidence of onalii
cation to teach i'm INV cf the schools
Of the State, wihont procuring a
certificate from the County Superin'e ndent.
1t also provides. when the funds Of the Uni.
versty will permit. for tho establishment Of
| 4 systcm Of Gymnas,ic exercises and gives
the Trustees authority to fix the tlno al
| heir annual meeting.
"An Act defining the dntes and regulating
the compensation of County Superin,en
dents I" This is SUI s.itute for that por.
ton OF the former law which prescribed the
duties of Supcr,ntendents He is required
on The second Tuesday Of April and Septem
her Of each year. in conjunction with two e x
aminers appointed by The Board Of Super.
viSors. TO examine all persons who d.sire TO
teach in the schools of the county and to
give certificates to those whom he may con-
slider qualified. He is also authorized to
m Ike such examination at any other time,
IN which event the person examined must
pay the fee OF one dollar. ia Teachers In
s'itute is held in the county. ore Of the
days fixed for the public examination must
bc chlngel so as to occur during the session
of The Institute. 1t is made the duly of the
Count. Superintendent to visit the schools of
the county once each year and to lecture in
each district township He is to give bond
TO the Stale in the sum of five hundred dol
lars and will hereafter enter upon his duties
on the st day Of January as other county
officers His compensation is TO be three
dollars per day and the same mileage which
Is allowed County Supervisors, iorcyery day
ne is necessarily engaged in performing the
duties required by law, to be paid upon bill
rendered and swornto. withthe proyis, that
his compensation in the aggregate shall not
exceed three delars for each school in The
county in any one year.
AN Act 70 provide for Department Of
military instruction in the State University"
This law provides that the Trustees shall es-
tablish such Department whenever the Gen
eral Assembly shall provide the necessary
means, and that they shall appoint Prof,s.
sor for such department on the nomination
Of the Governor. t4
AN Act to amend An act entitled an act
to amend an act entitled an act TO provide a
system Of Common schools" This il an
amendment to the portion of the f,rmeraw
known in the pamphlet edition as Part VIII.
The new sections become thu substitutes Of
those repealed For instance, section Isl
is the substitute for section 3. and section 2
for section G. &c The act is designed 10
simplify, without materially changing the
70 mer law. 1t makes it the duty OF the
Boa q OF Directors to appoint President.
Secretary and Treasurer from the District at
large: requires the Secret,ry to take the
enumeration of tho District. instead Of the
subdrector; conpelS tile County Treasurer
TO pay over the school district lax quai tcrly,
and t. rendera statement of the amount ,In-
collected annually on the first Monday in
April; creates three funds instead OF two.
school house fund.-" Contingent fund.-
and teachers fund" and requires the
Board of Directors to make all contracts for
the binding Of school houses, aad the sub
director to make all other contracts for the
employment of teachers. &c, as nndcr the
former law. Itmake> 20 change. as TO the
time of holding sub.district or district town,
ship meetings and elections
81 ''An Act to create State Board of Ex.
aminers for the examination of School
Teachers" The Faculty of the State Uni.
versity is made such Beard, of which the
Professor of The Normal Department is Pres
ident, and the Secretary of the Board of
Trustees sz e6feio Secretary The Board ii /
authorized 20 grant certificates, Of squs.iaea-