The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-11

requested me 10 nave the room utIeu
up and suitable cases supplied for
their cabinet. l replied that there
was no appropriation at my disposal
which could be properly applied to
that purpose, and requested the Board
to procure the necessary cases, furui-
ture and fixtures, upon the assurance
that [ would recommend to the Gen
eral Assembly that an appropriation
be made to cover the necessary expen-
ses thus incurred The Board will
inform the Financial Committees of
the amount thus expended. and | trust
that an appropriation will be made to
reimburse the amount thus expended.
EDUCATION.
The common school system of the
State is gradually but steadily improv-
Ing and becoming more thorough and
efficient In the great work of edu-
eating our children and youth. The
increased and increasing pride which
the educators of the State manifest
In the noble profession to which they
have devoted themselves is worthy OF
the highest commentator. Indeed,
l know of no class of our people who
devote so much time and means TO
the elevation of their profession as
the one to which allusion has just
been made. If these efforts snail be
properly appreciated and encouraged,
the time will come when the educa-
ton Of the young will not be entrust-
ed to those who resort to teaching as
temporary expedient to enable them
to prepare for the duties of some
other vocation more congeuial to their
tastes; but our schools will be pre-
sided over by trained teachers who
love the profession of their own, and
who are anxious to excel In the per-
formance of its duties.
Ii is much to be desired that the
time during which the schools are In
operation in the rural districts should
be prolonged, but it may well be
doubted whether it would be wise at
this time to resort to an increase of
the State tax for school purposes to
accomplish that object.
By the act of March 9th, 1867. it is
provided that the trustees of civil
townships, the trustees of incorpo-
rated towns, and the common
councils of cities, may levy an
nuaily tax not exceeding twenty
live cents on each one hundred
dollars of taxable property and twen-
| ty- i've cents on each poll, to be ex-
pended within the jurisdiction assess
ing the same, In the same manner as
funds arising from taxation for com
mon school purposes are required to
be expended. As a similar enact
ment had, in 1854, been declared un-
constitutional by tha Supreme Court,
it was reasonable to suppose that the
constitutionality of the act of 1867,
would be tested in the judicial tribu-
nails Of the State. Such, however, so
far as | am informed. has not been
the result, but, on the contrary, 10
every locality where the tax has been
levied the people seem to have acqui-
esced in the law under which it was i'm
posed as a constitutional exercise Of
the taxing power. Ifthis acquiescence
shall continue, or If Ia the event OF
the constitutionality of the law being
questioned, the courts shall sustain it,
the interests of common school edu-
cation will probably be better sub
served by the aid thus given than by
an increase of the State tax for school
purposes.
When the people Of township, or
of an incorporated town or city are
taxed for the support of the schools
\ Of their own immediate vicinity, il is
believed that they will take deeper
interest in their Improvement and eff :
cheney than under a system which
teaches them TO look entirely to the
State for the means of education.
The act of 1867 is, however. defec-
/ tive in this; it makes no provision for
any return either to the Superintend-
ent of Public Instruction or to the
Auditor of State showing the extent
to which this power of local taxation
may be invoked by the townships and
Incorporated towns and cities Of the
State. So far as the civil townships
are concerned, if school tax is as
sessed under this act, the amount as
sessed In each will be included in the
aggregate of the taxes of the town
ship returned through the County
Auditor to the Auditor of State, but
there will be nothing to show whether
any portion of that aggregate consist
ed of taxes levied to support schools
in the township or not.
As to incorporated towns and
cities, no return whatever is provided
for. [ therefore recommend that
provision be made that every town
ship, town or city which may exercise
the power of taxation conferred by
the act, shall make a return through
the Auditor of the county either to
the Auditor of State or to the S;u-
perintendent of Public instruction,
of the amount so levied and the date
of the levy. Provision should also
be made by which the Superintendent
may be properly informed Of the
practical results of the tax in every
jurisdiction In which it may be levied
in prolonging the term Of instruction
therein.
In the cities and larger towns of
the State the Office of School Trustee
has become one Of great and increas-
ing importance, as well on account of
the pecuniary as the educational in
terests involved. BY the fifth section
of the School Law of March 9th,
1865, il is enacted that the Common
Council of each incorporated city, and
the Board of Trustees Of each incor-
porated town of this State, shall, at
the first regular meeting In the month
of April of each year. and blennially |
thereafter elect three School Trustees. |
It would be a much better arrange
mentif the section was so amended as
to require the election to take place |
at the first meeting (or as soon there
after as practicable,) Of the new Coun-
Gil or Board which may be elected al |
the respective town and city elections |
in the Spring of each year.
A large majority of the towns and 1
cities of the State are now incorpo-
rated under the general laws in force
on those subjects, and under these