American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-02-24
educational department.
Questions and Answers,

the resignation be made?
ANSWER A director can resign
whenever he chooses to do so; but
his resignation will not exculpate him
from the consequences of illegal acts
done when he was director. His res
ignation may be made to the board at
a regular meeting, or by writing ad-
dressed to the President. The resig-
nation of President should be address
sed to the secretary. In either case
it should be entered on the minutes
and the action of the board relative
to the resignation should also be en-
tered.
25. QUESTION Must the collection
of the school tax be given to the low
est bidder?
ANSWER: The law declares that
the collector shall be allowed such
compensation as may be agreed upon
by the directors, not exceeding five
per cent on the money collected for
his services. The highest per cent.
is fixed at 5 per centum; they cannot
therefore give the collector more than
that sum, but it does not bid them to
give the collection to the one who will
do it for the smallest per centum.
If, however, the directors are faith
ful. to the interests of their respec-
tive districts, they will have the tax
collected at as little cost to the school
fund as possible. If, therefore, two
men offer themselves as collectors, one
agreeing to perform the work for three
per cent. and the other for FIVE, and
both give satisfactory security, the
directors should in justice to the dis
trict and in common honesty, give
the collection to the man who will per-
form the labor for three per cent
Still the letter of the law does not
positively require them to do it.
20. CUES. Can literary, or deba-
ting societies be barred by school di-
rectors from holding meetings in the
public school houses, when they are
not occupied for school purposes?
Ans: 1t is clearly the spirit of the
law that the directors have the full
control of the school property in their
respective districts, and can close the
houses against any and every meet
ing if they see fit to do so. Still,
this power should be used with discre-
ton, having in view the best interests
of the cause of sound, moral, intel
lectual and physical education. What
clearly tends to benefit that cause,
should be encouraged. Literary So
societies, or debating clubs as they
are called, may, or may not be so con-
Quoted as to promte the proper edu-
cation of the rising generation. The
proceedings may be of such a char
acter that all who attend will be in
structed, as we'll as entertained !; and
these meetings may also be so con-
Quoted that the whole community will
be injured by them; they may become
mere gatherings of the rowdies of the
neighborhood to engage in political
wrangles. Whatever is not clearly
promotive of the cause of sound, NOR
al, physical, or intellectual education
should not be allowed in the public
school buildings.
q. CUES. Can boy living with
his grand parents and working for
his board, be allowed to attend school
in the district if his parents are resi-
dents of another district?
ANS. Residence in district is one
of the requisites to entitle child to
admission to the public schools, but it
must be a legalresidence in good faith.
Merely being, or bording in the dis
trict for the winter and working to
pay for the board does not constitute
such a residence as is contemplated
by the law. If child works for, or
lives with the grand parents, and
makes it his home during the most or
all of the year, he is then entitled to
the privileges of the school; although
the parents may be residents ofanother
district. But if his home is with his
parents, except at the time the school
is in operation, or few weeks before
and after, he cannot claim the privi-
lege of the school.
If a young person have no home
only where for the time being he la
bors, the case would be different.
Such an individual should be allowed
to attend school in the district in which
he resides at the time.
PRoGRESs IN KENTUcKY.-There was