The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-05-08
THE BLAIR SCHOOL BILL.
Text of tho Bill as it Passed the Senate

The Blair bill as 1t passed lhe senate
is as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and Hous
of Representatives Of the United State
of America in Congress assembled, Tha
for eight years next after the passage o
this Act there shall be annually appro
priated from the money in the treasur!
the following sums, to wit: The first yea
the sum of seven million dollars, the sec
ond year tile sum of ten million dollars
the third year the sum of fifteen mi!lior
dollars, the fourth year the sum of thir
teen million dollars, the fifth year the
sum of eleven million dollars. the sixth
year the sum of nine million dollars, the
seventh year the sum Of seven million
dollars, the eighth year the sum of five
million dollars which several SUMS shal
be expended to secure the benefits o.
common. school education to all the chill
dren of the school age mentioned here
after living in the United States.
Sec. 2. That such money shall annual.
ly be divided among and paid out in the
several States and Territories in that pro.
portion which the whole number of per.
sons in each who, being of the age of ten
years and over, cannot write, bears to
the whole number of such persons in the
United States; such computation shall
be made according to the census Of
eighteen hundred and eighty.
Sec. 8. That no State or Territory
shall receive any of the benefits of this
Act until the Governor thereof shall file
with the secretary of the interior state.
ment, certified by him, showing the char
acter of the common-school system in
force in such State or Territory the
amount of money expended therein
during the preceding school year in the
support of common schools, not includ.
ing expenditures fo. rent, repair, or erec'
ton of school.houses; whether any dis
elimination is made in the raising or
distributing of the common school reve.
nues or in the common school facilities
afforded between the white and colored
children therein, and, so far as practic.
able, the sources from which such reye'
nues were derived the manner in which
the same were appropriated to the use OF
the common schools; the number OF
white and the number Of colored comt
mon schools; the average attendance in
each class, and the length of the school
term. No money shall be paid out un-
der this Act to any State or Territory
that shall not hare provided by law
system of free common schools for all of
its children of school age, without
distinction of race or color, either in the
raising or distributing of school revenues
or in the school facilities afforded: Pro-
vided, that separate schools for white
and colored children shall not be con;
sidered a 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.
SEC. i. That the amount so appropri'
ated to each State and Territory shall be
drawn from the treasury by warrant OF
the secretary of the Treasury, upon the
estimates and acquisitions of the
secretary of the interior, as the same may
be needed, and shall be paid over to such
officers as shall be authorized by the
laws of the respective States and Terri
tories to receive the same.
Sec. S. That the instruction in the
common schools wherein these moneys
shall be expended shall include the art
of reading. writing and speaking the
English laDguage arithmetic, geography,
history of the United States, and such
other branches of useful knowledge as
may be taught under local laws.
SEC. 6. The money appropriated and
apportioned under the provisions of this
Act to the use of any Territory shall be
applied to the use of common and indus
trial schools therein by the secretary OF
the interior.
SEC. 7. That the design Of this act not
being to establish an independent system
of schools, but rather to aid for the time
being in the development and malnte'
nance of the school system established by
local government, and which must event
ually be wholly maintained by the States
and Territories wherein they exist, it is
hereby provided that no greater part of
the money appropriated under this Act
shall be paid out to any State or Terrific
ry in any one year than the sum ex:
pended out of its own revenues or out OF
moneys raised under Its authority in the
preceding year for the maintenance OF
common schools, not including the sums
expended in the erection of school. build
ings.
SEC. 8. That part of the money ap.
portioned to each State or Territory, not
exceeding one-tenth thereof, may yearly
be applied to the education of teachers
for the common schools therein, which
sum may be expended in maintaining
institutes or temporary training-schools,
or in extending opportunities for normal
or other instructions to competent anu
suitable persons, of any color, who are
without necessary means 10 qualify them
selves for teaching, and who shall agree
in writing to devote themselves exclu'
sively, for at least one year after leaving
such training.schools, to teach in the
common schools, for such compensation
as may be paid other teachers therein.
SEC. 8. That no part of the educational
fund allotted to any State or Territory
shall be used for the erection of school
houses or chool-buildings of any descrip-
ton, nor for rent of the same.
SEC. 10. That the moneys distributed
under the provisions of this Act shall be
used only for common schools, not Sec
tartan in character, in the school districts
of the several States and Territories, in
such way as to provide, as near as may
be, for the equalization of school privi-
leges to all the children of the school age
prescribed by the law of the State OF d
Territory wherein the expenditure shall
be made, thereby giving to each child
without distinction of race or color, an
equal opportunity for education. The
term "school district" shall include all
cities, towns, parishes, and other terrific.
rial subdivisions for school purposes, and
all corporations clothed by law with the
power Of maintaining common schools.
SEC. II. That no second or subsequent
allotment shall be made under this Ac
to any State or Territory unless the Gov