The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-04-02
NOW and THEN.

favored with q report OF our Forest
City schools. I now propose TO
!" Report Progress.
Two years ago tho School Board
adopted certain +" rules, regulations,
and restrictions for the govern
ment Of our schools. 't
Among the rules adopted, was
one requiring our teachers to be in
their respective houses At lesst fif-
teen minutes before school time. =, =
Another rule vas, that our sever
al teachers sheuld hold institutes or
teachers meetings, for tho discus
sion Of subjects pertaining to their
profession. -. az..- ........
And ~ another rule waA that
our teachers should make 70 the
President of the Board. monthly re-
ports, showing tho scholarship, at
tendance. punctuali:y, department
and general average Of each pupil !;
these reports were duplicated by the
President. and full duplicate sent
to each school, the county Supt.,
and to the State Superintendent Of
Public Instruction.
The schools of the township were
limited to ten months. -.
The Board graded our teachers
wages to correspond with the grade
Of their certificates. limiting lst
grade to $45 per month, I'd grade
$40. Sd grade S35. and 4th grade to
$50 per month for our winter
schools, and $35, $50, $25 and $50
as per grsdes above for our sum mer
schools. The rules and regulations
adopted by the Board we're all en-
forced. r
The taxes levied two years ago
were, contingent fund 5 mills, teach
ers fund Is mills, school house fund
10 mills or total Of thirty mills.
One year ago the electors conclu-
ded to rebuke such extravaganza
! and for that purpose elacted an en-
tire new board, making Retrench-
ment a necessary qualification.
| Consequently the new Board,
fresh from their constituents, assem-
BILE bound to rctrench. esz.. $50
After organizing, their first Off
cial act was to adopt all the rules
and regulations adopted by their
predecessors and found as matter Of
record, excepting only payment Of
teachers and grading Of their wages
in accordance with grade of certifi-
cate. Retrcnchmcnt must commence
some where, therefore instead Of the
graded prices paid by their prede-
cessors tho Board limited the price
to Forty Dollars per month for the
year. without reference to grade Of
certificate or fitness of teacher.
Taxes levied by this Board were
teachers fund 25 mills, contingent
fund Is mills, school-house fund 10
mills or total of FIFTY MILLS.
It is proper here by way of expla-
nation, that while the Board were
in session they learned of the rob.
berry of our County Safe aud conse-
quent loss to the township Of the
greater part Of our school money for
the year. and they promptly and
wisely provided for tho deficiency,
by the levy Of an extraordinary tax.
yet some Of the electors failed to
see the Retrenchment.
Not q single rule or regulation
adopted by the Board one year ago
for the government Of our schools
has been enforced.
A single member, only, Of the
Board Of last year was reelected 10
the board Of the present year, and
two members hold over by reason Of
non-electlon of successors.
The new Board of the present
year duly assembled and organized.
But they failed to adopt single
rule or segulation for the govern
ment either Of schools or teachers,
nor do they ever fix any limit to ex-
tent Of time our schools are to be
taught. but they do retreush from
thirty to forty dollars per month for
the year, without regard to grade OF
certificate, or fitness Of teachers,
and they also rctrench still further,
by lsvyiag Is mills teachers fund,
10 mills contingent fund, and 10
mills school house fund or total Of
IS mills.
i To show you how liberal We are,
| { with the fund obtained from our
nonresident tar payers for . spe-
cific and laudable purpose it il
only necessary to state that reso-
luton introduced 1t our district
township meeting that, the fuel pur
chased for our schools with funds col.
leoted by taxation for that purpos Sc.
be restricted to its Legitimate use.
was voted down thereby legalizing.
as far 40 our votes could do 80. the
appropriation Of these funds, or the
fuel purchased therewith, for any
and all purposes other than for the
benefit Of our schools.
It may have looked little singu-
lar to some to sec those who pro-
! fessed to be the followers, and those
even who profess to be the teachers
Of Him who says:
| THOU SHALT NOT srEAI,"
making SO tree with
that which does not belong to them,
but it may be supposed the reason
why we do not rightly understand
this master is that we are not post
ed. -
| Submitting tho. foregoing report