Morris tribune., 1883-06-02
MINNESOTA NEWS.
The Text Book Law.

| MlNN IkCUlh NUV Os
| The Text Book Law.
| The following circular from the depart
ment of public instruction, is of general in
terest:
st. Paul, May %, 1SS3-To county audi
| tors: In reply to frequent inquiry by audi
tors concerning the operation OF the text
book law:
l. The eight per cent commission to
textbook agents must be paid out OF the
school funds rising from county taxation, -"
| which is the one mill tax. The general
statement of the law presumes that this tax
| is held in general fund and the commits
sion deducted before distribution to the dis
tricts is made. But in some counties, this
tax is credited to districts immediately upon
| its collection which makes this plan I'M
practicable. In other counties at any CIV
en- settlement at which mnissions are de-.
Quoted, some districts may have paid their
| entire tax, while other districts may have
paid but small part of theirs. In such a
case the commissions due would be paid by
districts unequally, each district paying its
share in proportion to its promptness In
paying its taxes. This will be unjust,
The essential requirement of this law is,
that the commission shall be paid pro rata
| out of this one mill tax.
The following plan is recommended as
the most satisfactory, in being practicable
and fully meeting the requirements OF the
law.
After the auditor has received an estimate
from the county superintendent of how
many books will be needed and sold in the
CO unity, by reckoning per cent. OF that
amount he knows the amount of commits
sion to be paid during the year. Knowing
l -, Rho inf Af fho mil for
he can determine the per cent of the mill
tax to be set apart for commissions. Let
the auditor, then, establish q Commission
| fund" and credt to this fund the required
per cent. of each collect ion of the One-mill
! tax. Out of this commission fand, agents
| commissions would be paid as they become
| due.
Taking the sales of the past year as a
basis, counties which are supplying their
schools through agents should set apart
about l per cent. of the one-mill
| tax.
1t must be understood that this commits
sion is paid pro rata by all districts without
regard to how many or how few books they
buy.
2. The books themselves are to be paid
for by the county. The commissioners are
required to snake provision for the pay
ment of the price" This general statement
seems to imply that fund be set aside iot
the payment to the state, and to be collected
from county agents upon the sale of the
books.
g. Books received from district clerks
may be paid for out of the fund provided
by the commissioners; otherwise, not until
the books are sold.
D. L. K1EHLE, Sup't Pub. Instr.
The State Board of Corrections and
| Charities.
The state board of corrections and charities
met at the capitol Tuesday morning. There
were present Gov. Hubbard, Gen. Berry of
Winona, Hon. II. R. Wells, Preston, Judge
Young, Minneapolis, Hon. W. W. Camp
bell. Litchfeld, and DIR. Dana, st. Paul.
The Office of permanent secretary was ten
dered Rev. FL. II. Hart, of Worthington,
and ills understood that he will accept.
Rev. DR.. Dana, a member of the board,
submitted length port on the objects
in view, which was spread upon the records.
| 1t showed the uses Of boards of inspection
in general-the statements covering the
same ground as did those made at length in
the last legislature when the bill creating
the board was under discussion. 1t will be
necessary for the board, and especially its
secretary, to be thoroughly informed as to
the methods obtaining in public institu-
| tons of other states, and correspondence
with similar boards must be opened and
kept up. DR.. Dana fu ther says:
To an extent we may not anticipate will
careful and thorough inspection reveal
abuses existing, particularly in city jails and
county poor houses. 1t is in the county
poor house encouragement and abuses are
most likely to exist, because of INSULT
Gent appropriations, or because county
boards are constituted without reference to
the duties they have to perform. Hence it
comes to pass that the insane have beer
| found so often mingled with the inmates of
the poor house; that young children have
been found growing up therein in idleness,
and lothing habits of vice; that in country
| jails the sexes are not separated properly,
| and that the cells are overcrowded; that Of
tenders committed for the first time are
| often imprisoned with hardened criminals
| while awaiting trial, and are by the latter
| initiated into ways of crime, and our city
prisons thus converted into schools of vice
| and crime.
The board, after transacting other bust
ness, adjourned to meet July 10 at 10 a. N.
Miss Berenice Avery, of Roch ster, has &C
copied position as teacher in the govern
ment schools in Buenos Ayres, South
America. She expects to leave here about
the first of July, end will make the trip via
Liverpool.
The suspension ofthe bank of Breckin-
ridge will result in the failure OF the Per-
ham BANK.
The Congregational church at Mankato
has extendeda call to Rev. H. A. Bushnell,
from the vicinity of Winona. Mr.. Bushnell
is very pleasant speaker, and is looked
# ho no n the state
In the district court at Albert Lea, Frank
Carpenter and Frank Stanley pleaded gull
ty to the charge of larceny, audt former
was sentenced to serve two days, and the
latter one day in the county Jail.
At the state land sale in Crookston, there
were sold about 1000 acres OF state lands at
an average price of IS per &C e.
Miss Ellen F. Hunt succeeds Miss Searle
who goes to Japan as missionary teacher)
as assistant to the professor of Latin at Carl
ton college, Mortified. She is graduate
OF Laurence university, Appleton, Wis,
from which institution Miss Evans also
came. She has also taken special course
at Wellesley, and has had experience in
teaching.
At Wilmar two year old child of Frank
Carlson, living about four miles south ofthe
town, was instantly killed by being thrown
out ola carriage.
DiSinfectants.
1t is impossible in brief to give
practical directions for the use of disin-
fectapts in arresting the various infec
tious diseases. The subject is too ample.
We can, however, make some general
statements that will be of service.