The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-05-18
Te Teachers and School OAlcsrs.

We would call the attention Of teacher ,
and school directo. to the following de-
cision of Commissioner De Wolf, on the
new School law.
The Legislature last winter passed what
is known as the Hartshorn law, which is
to 60 into effect September l, and which
requires teachers in all the public schools
of Ohio ts pass an examinatien in United
States history. There Is Q considerable
question rs to weather teachers already
made engagements to teach for the coming
year will have 70 be re-examined. The
flood of correspondence on this subj ject has
called forth the following opinion from the
following opinion from the State Depart
ment of Common Schools:
In answer to q merous lssteTs regarding
the Operations of this law, respectfully
submit this opinion: ITO employ" does
not seem TO bear the sams marrow mean
ing as ITO engage" 1T make . contract
With" Wsbster defines the word ITO kesp
in service" ito ase a. agent, asfvAnt Or
representative" and the like. This would
indicate that under Law no peron who has
not received q certificate to teach Unised
States History can be kept in servics" af-
tar the first day Of September next. But
the Constitution protects parties forn such
operation of laws - would "impair the OBJ
iigatien and validity Of contraois." Hence
il 10 Believed that any contract made be-
fore the passage of the above law, April 5,
1882. 10 binding to its end under eertifca
ses which were adequate when the consraci
was made. The passage ef the Law, how.
ever, is notice TO all parties contracting
with the State as teachsss, subsequent TO
such passage, and the Law, a. to all of lis
provisions, becomes . part Of all such
contracts. Hence all persons making con
tracts after the 5th, to teach . common
school in the State for any term consinu-
ing after September l, must, think, have
added to their esrti6eatss United States
history in such manner - 10 cover all the
time to be employed in such teaching II.
ter September !, 1883. -4s ga-s
Az to the claim presented BY some Of the
letters, that certificates running for tWo
three or Eve years are sostracts, cannot
see in them the cbaracteristics of con-
tract. They are certificates obtained By
| teachers in conformity TO the then existing
demand of The State, that teachsrs should
possess certain qualification - condition.
precedent to employment in its schools
Ii certainly may enlarge these conditions
precedent to the validity Of contracts 70 b
hereafter entered ints, and may demsd tn
certified abatement of its oficsrs tha,
theee qualifications are possessed. o
course every one knows that the opinions
of this office are in no sense legal decis
ions. D. F. DEWoLF. Commissionef.
From the above it will Be seen that onlJ
legal contracts made previous to April 5ti
fer Schools to be taught after Sept. Let
can bs ful6lled upon certificates aafsadl
granted. A legd contract 10 one made Wial
| teacher holding . csrsi6cass for pAels tim
| named In contract zset wi =
Hence any teacher who - engaged ,
school since April 5ih, Or who may here
sitter engage one, TO be taught after sept
tlst, should have y. 8. History added 4
his; Certificate, -. rs
/ In order 10 accommodate - man.
teachers as possible, the Board of sxamin
ers will give test in History at each ex
animation this summer, and those holding
CT ti6cates may Be exsmined in this brancl
alone, without extra charge. and have
added TO their certificates, provided tha
the grade would not be such as to chang
the certificate already granted.
! II would be we'll for those who expet
to be examined before Sept 1st to prspar
| for the History tests also, that there ma
! be no question 40 to the validity Of thei
certificates.
That We may have time for the extr
| work, the examinations will begin heres
ter at 9 O'Clock A. NJ. ExAMiNHRs.