The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-03-17
THE SCHOOL QUESTION.

We met with such poor success in attempt
inc TO persuade our people of the wisdom II
rot absolute necessity of adopting the gener
al incorporation act of the state TO take tht
place of our city charter, that we despair OF
being able to persuade them to vote on Mon
day in favor of adopting the general school
law in lieu of our present special city schOoI
law. Yet in this latter case the change is
still more imperative, if possible, than it was
in the former. Indeed if the people are moi
willing to take our word for 1t, we can sol
EMMY assure them they will find gu. when il
is too late. that unless they vote In favor OF
the change-that IS, unless the vote on Mon.
day is "for" the adoption of the state free
school law, they will, IN less than SIX months,
be without any public schools whatever.
Recent legal investigation has brought to
light the fact that our present city school
law never legally passed the Legislature, and
therefore no one can be compelled to pay
taxes under it. Again, the city is so district,
cd and the general organization of the schools
is such, that 1t is very grave question wheth
or money can be legally appropriated to their
support.
In the present financial condition of our
public schools the years revenue for their
support Is expended before the year is half
up, and the money for the otner half year
must be raised by borrowing of the banks
But since the discovery of the legal defects
of the charter and the organization under it,
no banks or men of means will longer be
willing to advance money to the school board
and the only alternative will be 10 close the
schools. Fortunately the city council was in
a condition to make an advance to the school
board on Tuesday evening TO tide them over
TO the close Of the present quarter or year.
but then, under the law as il now stands, the
schools must wind up.
The adoption of the general free school
law will involve no radical change 10 our
present city schools. The wards or districts
can remain the same as at present, and the
high school can be retained The law laws
no other restrictions on The studies to be
puIsucu lnhu tllOSC COOldlnCQ III inc COn5tltu-l
ton, and they apply the same to our city
school law as 10 the general statute Instead
of electing one school director for each ward ),
however, there will be six directors TO elect
by general ticket for the whole city at the
first election, of whom two will hold for one,
two for two and two for three years, and after
This year there will be two to elect each year
to take the place OF those whose time expires.
This Is about all the change it involves
IN our present system. But it will place our
schools on soldllegal basis, with wise re.
strictions against running into debt or in.
dulging in rny absurd ext. avagances. To-
Abort, it displaccs system full.of crudites
by law wisely framed and perfected by
years of close attention and study, and dill
gently compared in its operation with the
best pablo schools in the world, adopting
aud adopting TO ,he peculiar wants OF our
state all the impro, ements in the means for
the general education OF the people that the
intelligence of the age has devised