The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-01-23
OUR HELENA LETTER.
Report Of the Committee on Edu-
cation.
Report Of the Committee on
Towns and Counties.
PROGRESS of tho Work OF the Con
vention.
Special Correspondence of the MINER.

HELENA, Jan. 81, 1884.
The preliminary work of the Con-
vention having been completed dur
ing the first week of its sitting. the
standing committees are now intro
ducipg resolutions and other material
to be incorporated in the C%onstitu-
ton. The article submitted by the
Committee on Education, by its
Chairman, Judge Hedges, requires
the Legislature to establish and
maintain a general, universal and
thorough system of free common
schools; that the public school fund
of the State shall consist of the pro-
ceeds Of the sale Of lands already
granted or to be granted by the gen.
eral government to the State, or &C
cruing by gift Of any person or cor
poratiou; also all estates that may es-
cheat to the State; also all unclaimed
shares and dividends of corporations
existing under the laws of Montana.
That the surplus of such funds shall
be invested, as far as possible, in pub
lie securities within the State, includ-
ing school district bonds.
That the State Board of Land Com
missioners shall consist of the Gov
ernor, the Secretary of State and the
Attorney General, who are to have
the control and disposal of the school
lands of the State. That the interest
on invested State school funds shall
be apportioned among the districts
according to the number of children
of school age. no district to have any
portion thereof which does not have
at least three months of school for the
year; that deficiencies in the amount
required shall be supplied by a tax
levy Tor otherwise) made by the State
Legislature.
The public free schools of the State
shall be open to all children of school
age. and the Legislature may provide
for the compulsory attendance, for at
least three years, of children between
the ages of five and fifteen years,
when not educated by other means.
In all school elections women shall
be allowed to vote the same as men, |
and shall be eligible to hold
Office under the school law.
No school moneys or public
funds shall be appropriated to
any church or sectariau purpose, or
to support any school or institution
controlled by any church, sect or de-
nomination. No religious or secta
rian qualification shall be a condition
to the admission of any pupil or to
the employment OF any teacher; nor
shall any sectarian tenets be taught
In any public school of the State.
The election OF school officers mot
including school district officers)
shall take place, If possible, at some
other time than on general election
days.
Four persons, to be known as re-
gents of the University of Montana,
shall be elected on the frat general
'chool election, and their only COM
o~ensation to be their actual expenses
while discharging their official du-
les. The regents shall choose a pres
dent of the University, to hold Office
Until removed by the board Of re-
tents. He shall preside at the meet
ngs Of the board. shall be the prin-
ipal executive officer of the Univer-
ity, and shall be a member of the
thereof. The board of regents
ball have general supervision of the
University, and exclusive supervi-
ion of its moneys and lands.
The article to be Incorporated in i
he constitution, submitted by the +:
on city, county and town
r~ganization, contains fifteen Sec
ions, of which the following is
lmmary:
SEC. l. The several counties of the
erritory, as they now exist, are I