Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-03-28
The New School Law.

The new school law passed at the
recent session of the legislature pro-
vides that every county shall be by
the commissioners divided into
school townships which are the unit
Of school organization, ana all
school affairs within such are under
one board Of three members chosen
by the people at an election in June.
There are no districts or divisions
within the school townships except
Ivy schools. Briefly, the taxes ere
uniform, the schools tqual and all
funds III the hands Of one board,
which hires all teachers, builds all
houses and directs school affairs.
Each head of family sends to the
school he prefers, Or part of the
ami y may attend one school and
part another, under the proper regu-
lations Yet the patrons of each
schoo! hold meetings and have
some powers consistent with the
general good, and they y arly elect
a moderator, who has advantageous
powers for the school.
This law practically goes into eff
feet in June or by July 1st, but
from the operation Of it the follow
ing counties are excepted until their
boards Of county commissioners de,
eide that the condition of school nf-
fairs in each is such as to permit the
execution of the law therein.
Those counties are, Clay, Turner,
Lincoln. Union, Yankton, Hutchin-
son, Minnehaha, Moody, Lake,
Brookings, Deuel., Codington, Cass,
Grand Forks, Walsh, pembina,
Barnes hn,l Lawrence. In these,
however, all the more general tea-
lures of the law have effect. 1t
ends, let us hope forever, the forma-
ton and alteration Of school
districts and their boundaries
which required SO much time and
caused such universal friction. 1t
lifts the management Of schools into
higher plane. and if the people
will elect township board of in
tegrity and fair capacity the schools
will all he improved. 1t leaves the
superintendents free to do their pro-
per work.
Hereafter the oaths and bonds of
..si d,eVsiss aIAla .o" -,os,ip ooi,voa of-
ficers must he filed with the county
clerk, and those in the hands of dis
trict clerks must be forwarded if in
force. All the general features Of
the present act relate both to dis
tricts and school townships, unless
inapplicable to the former.
The law authorizing school dis
tricts to issue bonds remains in
force where the school districts con-
tinue; and an act confers like pow
ers upon school townships, with
special authority to issue all bonds
which districts were by special law
authorized to issue, according to the
terms of such laws, aud to expend
the proceeds for the same purpose
within the same boundaries.
The law does not affect in any
important way the boards Of educa-
ton, independent districts, etc.
They are governed by their special
laws.
Four months of school are re-
quired each year, and us many as
six if resources permit.
Districts two years old with over
four thousand dollars valuation and
fifteen pupils are required to build
and furnish a school house and
hold public, free schools therein un-
der u qualified teacher. The same
is practically required Of each school
township through its board. We
know that schools have been kept
here and there by districts amply
allie to CO better, and have been
taught by inconpetents, thereby
many children have been denied
the due advantages of schools.
This must all pass away or the ia
vor shall not he given them of pub
| lie law and aid.
School corporations are author
lied to purchase Websters Una
bridged Dictionary for each school
and it is made the standard i'll our
schools.