Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-04-17
THE EDUCATIONAL BILL.

THE EDUCATIONAL BILL.
The Blair Educational bill, as passed by
the Senate on Monday night of last week,
was laid on the Speakers table in the House
on the following day.
next after the passage of the bill there shall
be annually appropriated from the money
in the Treasury the following sums, to wit
The first year the sum of 100000 the
second year the sum of $10,000,000; the
third year the sum of SIS, 100000; the fourth
year the sum of $13,0O0,000; the fifth year
the sum of $11 100000; the sixth year the
sum of $9,OOO,OOO, the seventh year the sum
of S7,00O,0OO; the eighth year the sum of
81, 100000 which several sums shall be eX-
pended to secure the benefits Of common
schools education to all the children of the
school age mentioned hereafter living in the
United States.
Section 9 enacts that such money shall
annually be divided among and paid out
in the several States and territories in that
proportion which the whole number of per-
sons in each who, being of the age of 10
years and over, cannot write, bears to the
whole number of such persons IL the United
States. Such computation shan be made
according to the census of 1880.
Section 3 prescribes the conditions upon
which the various States shall receive the
benefits of this Act, and provides that no
money shall be paid out under the Act to
any State or Territory that shall not have
provided by law a system of free common
schools for all of it's children of school age
without distinction of race or color, either
in the raising or distributing of school
revenue or in the school facilities afford
ed: Provided, That separate schools for
white and colored children shall not be
considered violation Of this condition.
The Secretary of the Interior shall there
upon certify to the Secretary of the Treasury
the names of the States and Territories
which he finds to be entitled to share in the
benefits of this Act, and also the amount
due to each.
Sections 4, and 6 are as follows: That
the amount so apportioned to each State
and Territory shall be drawn from the
Treasury upon the monthly estimates and
requisition of the Secretary of the Interior
as the same may be needed, and shall be
paid over to such officer as shall be au-
thorized by the laws of the respective States
and Territories to receive the same. That
the instruction in the common schools
wherein these moneys shall be expended
shall include the art of reading, writing and
speaking the French language, arithmetic,
geography, history of the United States,
and such other branches of useful know
ledge as may be under local laws. The
money appropriated and apportioned un-
der the provisions of this Act to the use OF
any Territory shall be applied to the use of
common and industrial schools therein by
the Secretary of the Interior.
Section explains the design of the Act
not being to establish an independent sys-
tenn of schools, but to aid for the time being
in the development and maintenance of the
school system established by local govern
ment, and provides that no greater part OF
the money appropriated under the Act shall
be paid out to any State or Territory in any
one year than the sum expended out of its
own revenues in the preceding year for the
maintenance of common schools, not in
Guiding the sums expended in the erection
of school buildings.
Section provides that q portion of the
money apportioned to each State or Terri
tory, not exceeding one-tenth thereof, may be
applied yearly to the education of teachers.
Section prohibits the application of any
portion of the fund to the erection OF school
houses, or for the rent of the same.
Section 10 declares that the money appro-
priated shall be used only for common
schools not sectarian in character, and in
terprets the term "school district to mean
all cities, towns, parishes, and all corpora
tions clothed by law with the power Of
maintaining common schools.
Section II prescribes the manner in which
the yarions Governors shall proceed in max
ing their reports to the Secretary of the
Interior preliminary to drawing their por-
tions of the appropriation, and prescribes
penalties for misappropriation of the funds
or failure to apply them as contemplated by
the Act.
Section 12 prescribes the duty of the Sec
retary of the Interior in making stated re-
ports to the President, respecting the COM
pliance by the States with the requirements
of the Act.
Section 13 reserves the power to alter,
amend or repeal the Act.