Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-12-08
OUR SCHOOL LAW.
Written for the Chronicle.

some OF the most important points in
relation to the school law of 1888, and II
reference to the organization of what i.
called Custer School Township under
that law
The law is entitled "An Act to rs
tablish and provide for the maintain
ance of II general and uniform system o
common schools and improve their use
fitness"
BE it enacted by the Legislative AS
sembly of the Territory Of Dakota;
SECTION l. A general and uniform
system Of FIRE Public Common school.
is hereby established and shall he pro
vided for and maintained in ali parts o
this territory included within organized
counties. Those schools which are
within incorporate cities, towns and
villages which now have or NAV hereaf
ter have boards Of education shall bc
governed by such laws as now are OF
may hereafter be in force concerning
them but this act shall not apply to or
| govern such boards of education, except
IN those matters wherein it specifically
refers to them.
All other public schools shall be es-
tabished, maintained and governed nn-
der this act, and for their organization
and government, and the administration
Of the affairs Of all public schools so far
as they have relation thereto. The fol-
lowing officers shall be appointed, elect
ed or otherwise designated. with the
various duties provided in the several
laws TO them relating, viz; A superin.
tcndent of public instruction for the ter.
ritory; deputy, county superinten-
dent Of public schools for each organized
county Il school board con
>iS'ing Of three members for every or
ganized school township, and such other
officers rs may be by law provided or
associated with these in duty.
SEC. ,, Declares every organized
school township ~ distinct municipal
corporation for school purposes, by the
proper corporate name Of the school
township, and by such name shall be
capable and have power TO contract and
he contracted with 10 sue and be sued
IN any court hAvin competent jurisdc-
! i"n,' fully organi zed for all legal pur,
oscs.
SEC 10 c3, Details the duties Of ter
| fitorial and co4nty superintendents,
which are not materially changed from
the requirements Of the old law.
SEC % TO 81 inclusive, Declares the
! manner in which the school township
shall be organized, and by whom il shall
be organized. Sec. n states that the
board of county commissioners Of each
county shall, before the first day Of
June, 1883, proceed to divide the county
into school townships, and they shall in
the performance Of their duty, call to
their aid and counsel the county super
lntcndent of public schools. Sec % ex-
plains their duties in regard to establish
ing the boundaries Of each school. Sec.
@6 declares that the county commission
crs shall number the different TOW nships
and ut the first township election the
electors of each school township shall
choose by ballot name for their re.
spective townships, and should the
electors fail to choose such name in the
above mlnner, the county board shall
Fclect one and SO report it and notify
the school township.
Where the statute provides the man
ner, form and time for these oryaniza-
tions, it is very important that they be
followed TO the letter, otherwise they
will not stand in court of Justice.
What is worth doing at all, is worth
doing well and regularly.
Now, in regard TO the election. l do
not remember whether the notices were
properly made or not, but the election
i self seemed more Of farce than any
thing else. 1t was given ont before and
on the day Of election that no person
had right to vote at that election ex-
cept those having children of school age
in their charge. consequently there were
but very few who attempted to vote
and there was, think, no one outside
of Custer City who came near the polls
The school law does not say who shall
or who shall not be voters at that elec
tion, but is implies very strongly tha,
every citizen or qualified voter withir
the bounds Of the school township has 6
right to vote at this election. The law
also says that this election shall he helt
and conducted n the manner prescribed
bv the statutes of the territory provid
ing for and governing general elections
except as in this act provided. That law
governing general elections saws: Tn,
polls must be opened at 8 O'Clock a. m
and closed at 5 p. IN. This school law
provides they shall close at p. m. Nov
the facts are the polls were not opene,
until the afternoon. These little in
formaliiies at anv other time might no
he worth noticing. but during the organ
iz1tion of n corporation like this, tn
manner. forms and instructions in tn
statute for tho guidance of our officer
having these things in charge cannot n