The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-03-05

10 90 even that there must be a favorable
vote of the township.
If the Legislature had provided by
law that the several Boards of Education
might levy any number of mills necessa-
ry to maintain schools twsnty.four weeks
and refused SO to do, then forfeiture
might accrue. Or if the voters of a
township were authorized to vote great
er levy than three mills for school pur
poses, and refused, such refusal migh
work forfeiture. But neither the Boards
OF Education nor the qualified voters are
authorized to make greater levy than
three mills fer school purposes, and con-
sequently if such levy as made, no for
feiture accrues.
But what is our Commissioner for, if
not to have our school laws plain, simple
and easily understood 1t is not to be
presumed that Boards of Education and
township officers are to be men learned in
the law; therefore our laws have provided
for the election of School Commissioner
whose duty, in part at least, is to see that
there is no inconsistencies in the law; but
! if, in the multiplicity of the business of
the Legislature in providing for the Af-
rican race, the law needs amending, to
call the attention of the Legislature to
that fact.
The Auditor of this county would be
perfectly justifable, under the construc-
ton of the law given BY the Attorney
General and School Commissioner, as
above quoted, in Withholding the State
Fund from some Of the townships in this
county who have net had twenty -four
weeks school; and it is understood that
he will do so until he has further instruc-
tions from the School Commissioners, with
such light as boards interested may give.
The late School Commissioner (Mr.
White)igave the following instructions to
the several County Auditors on this sub
ject. How much more sensibly do they
read, than the instructions of Mr.. Norris:
ga township or seperate school district
ferfeits its annual. share of the school
fund arising from the State tax, if the
board ss education of such township or
seperate district fail to make the neces.
sary provision for continuing the schools
therein in operation, on an Average, at
least twenty-four weeks, the board of
education must be able to show Cd that
the necessary funds asere provided; or (2)
in case such necessary funds were not
provided, that the annual estimates for
school purposes made by them and certi-
fed to the county auditor were as great
as the law authorizes (three mills in towE-
ships). IF the highest local levy azzo,o-
ed By laao is made, but does not provide
sufficient funds to continue the schools
twenty -four weeks each year, the failure
is clearly not the fault of the board, if
the township is properly sub -districtsd,
and, hence, no funds aoih be forfeited
"It is unnecessary for me to add that
no township or seperate district will lose
its share of the school funds to be dis
tributed this year, on account of failure
to sustain schools twenty four weeks zas1
year. Schools must be continued twenty.
four weeks this year Gf the authorized
levy will yield the necessary funds), or
the State funds distributable ne1t year
will be forfeited"
The Legislature, since the laws above
quoted were passed, hass SO amended the
laws as to authorize Boards Of Education
to levy FIVE mills. This will perhaps
remedy all trouble in the futuEe. Why
was it not done bsfore2 The only goot
answer is, "They knew not what they
did,"
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