Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-02-11
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must oppose the abolition ofth Board.
Mr.. O'Brien said the present law
had done much good. But it had one
great defect. Part of the school dis
tricts in a given township may desire
school all the year, and be willing
to be taxed for that purpose. Still
they cannot determine that matter. III
any tax is levied, it must be general
throughout the township so that each
district cannot determine the length
of time it will continue its school.
He favored the independent system
on this account. Under its operations
any given district may continue its
school the year round if it desire.
Mr.. Johnson said tho greatest COM
plant he had heard against our
school law was that it was constantly
changing. The present law was COM
planned of as abstruse, still he believ-
ed it unwise to change now, just as the
people are learning the provisions OF
the present system.
Mr. Darby believed the Board of.
Education had done a good work, but
its work was accomplished. He could
not do an act that would be more thor
oughly condemned by his constituents
than to vote for change in our school
system. But they desired some amend
ments to make the system more ELI
cient. He spoke of the beneficial eff
fects of the present system. 1t this
could be condensed and made more
efficient, he would be glad f; but no
radical change could meet with his
appreciation or the appreciation OF the
citiZeus Of the state.
Mr.. Maxwell believed in the free
school system. Ii the people did not
desire to build school houses and send
their children to school, let them be
compelled to. He gave q chapter Of
his own experience, and argued that
we should not only give to all the OPP
portunity TO acquire an education, but
oblige people To send their children.
Our government must depend for per
petuity upon the intelligence Of the
people. If men will not contribute of
their means to educate the children of
the State, they will be obliged to con.
tribute to the support of criminals, the
natural product of ignorance. He ia.
vored all our institutions of learning,
and believed all should be fostcred 10y
the State. No one of them should be
aided at the expense Of others.
Mr.. Moir said he represented the
general sentiment of his constituents
when he opposed the present law and
asked for an independent district sys
TEN. He showed wherein the present
law had worked injustice in many re-
spects. 1t had retarded the building
of school houses in some localities,
The school houses had increased in the
State no faster than the increase in
population demanded. There would
have been just AS many in the State
to-day, if the independent system had
been in operation all the time. Eve
ny district should be enabled to act in
dependently of other districts. New
England, the land of free schools, re-
tanned the independent school system,
and hc believed we could do no better
than follow in her footsteps.
Mr.. Wolf hoped the discussion
would 60 on until ali the gentlemen
understood what the present law is.
The greatest complaint against the
system came from those who do not
fully understand the spirit of the law.
Mr.. Richards said there was diff.
ference of opinion in Dubuque county
on the question of changing our school
system. He wished time to consider
the subject, and confer with his con.
stitucnts. The law might be amend
cd in some respects perhaps, but any
radical change should be made with
caution and after due deliberation.