Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-01-05
OUR SCHOOL LAW.

MR.. EDITOR In my former commu-
nication i explained somewhat at
length the mode and manner OF organ
izing the schools in the township, and !
sincerely hope the citizens will attend
to their duties in this matter and per-
feet their organization. There seems to
have been no step yet taken to form
such organization, but we still hear
grumbling about the school board no,
doing their duties, etc. Remember there
is an old adage, that "thosc who live in
glass houses should not throw stones"
Stop your complaining and attend to
your own duties i'm the preti,ises anh
that will force the school board to at
tend to theirs.
The adoption Of the new system and
the passage and approval Of the act shall
not have the effect to discontinue, abol.
| ish and render null such school districts
or their organizations us they may now
exist in any county, but they shall con-
tinue to exist and their officers to act as
such in law and in fact until the school
township organization is complete. &
And such township organization shall
not be deemed complete nor such dis
tricts SO cease to exist until all matters
between the district and the township
are adjusted and the property delivered,
funds paid over and an adjustment is
for the equalization Of taxes and prop
erty between the districts which enter
into the school township SO far as such
taxes and property remain permanent
in houses, sites, furniture and other
parts Of houses and grounds.
After tho boun laries Of school town
ships shall have been fixed and declar-
ed as provided by this act, all those dis
tricts the school honses Of which are in
cluded in any particular school town
ship, whether all the area Of such dis
tric:s is included or not shall effect All
equalization of property, funds Oh hand
and debts. To effect this the school
boards Of all such districts, so included
in a school township, or one or more
members Of each, shall meet together ut
a time and place appointed by the coui-
ty superintendent who shall meet with
them. They shall first agree upon the
valuation at that time Of all the perma-
nent schoo! property Of each district,
consisting Of school luIses, Site, and
furniture, and other permanent append
ages. To this they shall add all money
on hand or due from the county treas
urer, and from the sum they shall sub
tract all debts owed by the district. in
cluIing bonds and warrants outstanding
The result viii show the net permanent
property owned by each district. If in
any district the debt is greater than all
The assets, il shall be SO stated.
The equalization shall then be made
and Il tax levied 10 meet sucli equaliza-
ton in manner and form as hereinafter
tate |. Such equalization taxes shall
not limit the power Of the school board
OF the township to levy taxes generally
upon the property Of the township for
school purposes rs in this act provided,
but they shall not levy any rate which
shall with the equalization rate amount
to more than three per cent in any one
year upon any part Of the school town
ship. Upon the completion of the
agreement and levy Of the equalization
rates, and upon the qualification of the
affairs of the school township, the organ
iz,tion Of the school township shall be
complete and in full force"
"All school corporations shall main
tain public schools for not less than four
months in each school year, and for
longer period if the school can be IN lin
tanned according to the principle and
rule declared in the act approved Feb.
18th, 1881"
"A school month shall consist Of TWEEN
ty school days, school week Of five
days, and no Saturdays shall be counted
as school days. And all children of
school age must attend public school at
least twelve weeks in each school year.
Yon will see by this that education in
Dakota is now compulsory to certain
extent. Where schools are upheld and
supported, and where intelligence pre-
domin mates, our jails and penitentiaries
are not quite in SO much demand. Good
schools are a recommendation to any
community and an irducement to
capitalists and people Of intelligence
with their families to locate. We hope
to see this inducement held out for such
in stronger manner in Custer in the
future.
Respectfully,
\ CITIZEN.