The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-02-01
SATURDAY, 18TH.
The Convention met at. 10 a. m.

The Convention met at. 10 a. m.
The Convention went into Committe,
Of the Whole 10 consider General File No
4, relative to education, with Toole in tn,
chair
Sections l, 2 and , were read ami adopted
without amendment They are as follows:
Believing that the stability and success Of
a Republican form of government depend.
largely upon the general diffusion Of knowl
edge, and that universal suffrage demand,
Tor Its safe and proper exercise universal in
telligence, it shall be the duty of the Legis
latGre of Montana TO establish and maintain
n general, uniform and thorough system OF
public, free, common schools.
The public school fund of the Snte shall
consist of the proceeds Of such lands as have
heretofore been granted, or may Hereafter
be granted TO the State by the general COY,
eminent; and Of all other grants of lands or
money made to the State from the general
government for general educational Dur.
/ poses, or where no other special purpose Is
indicated in such grant, all estates ordistrib.
/ utive shares of estates that may escheat to
the State, all unclaimed shares and dividends
OF any corporation incorporated under the
laws Of the State and all other grants, gifts,
devices or requests made to the State for gen.
eral educational purposes
Such public school fund shall forever re-
main inviolate. guaranteed by the State
against loss or diversion, to be invested so
far rs possible in public securities within the
State, including school district bonds issued
for the erection of school buildings under
the restrictions to be provided by law.
Section passed with a slight amendment,
making it read as follows:
The Governor, Superintendent of Public
Instruction, Secretary of State, and Attorney
General shall constitute the State Board of
Land Commissioners, who shall have the
direction, control and disposition of school
lands of the State, under such regulations
and restrictions as may be prescribed By law, ).
Int no part of such lands shall be disposed of
except after appraisal without regard to any
improvements thereon, and at public auc-
ton to the highest bidder above the ap-
praised value nor shall more than one.tenth
part of such lands be exposed to sale in auy
one year.
Sections and were also passed, after
some discussion, without amendment. They
are as follows:
The interest on all invested school funds
of the State shall be apportioned to the sew.
eral school districts In the State, I'm propor-
ton to the number of children and youths
between the ages of FIVE and twenty-one
years, but no district shall be entitled to such
share that does not maintain a
public free school for at least three months
during the year for which distribution shall
be made
1t shall be the duty of the Legislature to
provide, by taxation or otherwise, sufficient
means in connection with the amount rs-
eeived from the general school fund, TO main.
tain public, free, common school in each
organized district in the State, for at least
three months In each year
After considerable discussion the clause in
section Z, providing for the compulsory at |
tendance for ut leasI three years of children |
between the ages OF live aud fifteen wears |
sas stricken ont, aud the section as amended |
WIS adopted as follows:
The public free schools of the State shall /
% open 10 all children and youth between |
he ages OF five and twenty-one years, and
he Legislature may further provide, under /
roper regulations and by proper means, for
he industrial and economical education Of
VI children and youth before arriving at
heir majority.
Section 4. providing that women should
e entitled to vote nj school elections the
anne ~ men and should be eligible to Offices
n,ler the school law, was stricken ont. M IL