The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-15

trlct No. 2. Township Of
Feb is Paid school Dis. ''"
trict No. 3, Township of
Oct. "a Paid school Dis. vow
trict No. 3, Township OF
Nov. >. Unexpended bal. ''
ance returned to the
Auditor General.......... 1923
The work of this commission, involving great
labor and responsibility, was intelligentiy and
proper vouchers have been deposited in the
0fico OF the Auditor General The State owes
the Commlssioners debt Of gratitude for their
given. to relieve the sufferers from the disas-
rous fires of 1881.
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
In common with most citizens OF Michigan.
regard with increasing interest the growing pros
perity OF our noble University at Ann Arbor. Its
Board Of Regents. and viii. / have no doubt
receive your favorable consideration About
$4,000 win be needed for each OF the
current expenses. and for ADDITIONS
TO its library. considerable sum, say $4,000
to 10000, is necessary for much needed repairs
TO buildings, and which cannot be longer de-
layed. You may perhaps also be asked for $2S,-
900 for new building and the necessary ma
chinery and apparatus for mechanical labora-
tory IL the State desires that the Univer-
etty should meet the growing demand Tor
instructors OF engineers and other direc-
COrS or INDUSTRY IN mecnau1Cai prOceSS-
e a new laboratory Is indispensable.
The building now occupied for that purpose IL
an abandoned wooden carpenters shop Al
ready many valuable models have been acquired
by donation. and trust you may see the i'm
portance of making this department OF the Uni
versity, to which public attention Ii now so
specially directed, like its other departments,
an honor to the State
think the time has come when the practice
OF making appropriations by each Legislature
to meet deficiencies In current expenses for the
regular work of the University should be aban-
dOned think such expenses should be
provided for In q manner more consonant
with the dignity of the University, and
that shall give confidence to its managers
In laying out it's work. This can be easily
done by increasing the 100 mill tax to chat OF
lilo or 1-12. 1t should be a matter of congratu-
lation and not OF regret that the growth OF the
University and its consequent needs cannot be
provided Tor by a tax which a dozen years ago
seemed TO be ample for the purpose. commend
the matter to your careful consideration
COMMON SCHOOLS
In my message of two years ago (says the Gov
ernorl called the attention OF the Legislature to
the fact that the public schools Of the State are
maintained wholly by taxation, the reason as
signed being that certain amount OF education
Is necessary to an intelligent exercise of the
elective franchise. l asked that in justice to
Taxpayers the amount Of education necessary
TO good citizenship, aud which the State Is bound
to supply, should be determined rs nearly as
possible III the district school can turn out in
telligent voters, why sustain expensive high
schools in cities by public taxi II high school
.
why not insist on the maintenance OF a high
school I'm every township 30 that every citizen
may be qualified 10 vote lntelligently2 The tax
payers of cities have right to inquire why 1t
costs 80 much more to train up voter In the
city than IL does in the country. i believe the
time has come when this question should be
carefully considered by the Legislature
We have in this State not far from 100 school
districts, with 81 600 school officers to direct and
one school district the districts and officers
would be reduced TO about one-sixth the present
number-over 1900 officers would be dispensed
with. When we consider the number of sisters,
cousins, and aunts not to mention brothers,
cousins, and uncles. retained in our schools by
this army of 1900, the magnitude OF the change
becomes apparent. While IL may be easy to f1nd
I'm every township men thoroughly familiar
with school affairs and competent TO assume
their management. there are many school dis
tricts not fortunate. The changing OF
school district boundaries, 40 common I'M
der the present system, TO avoid taxa
tion, TO make non resident landowners assist
In building as many school-houses as posi-
BILE. or to provide for putting two quarrelsome
mischief-makers in different school districts "a
taxation would be eQuaized throughout the
township few large landholders unblessed
with children of school age. could not form
themselves into a school district and escape
their just share of taxation for educational pur-
poses, and the poorer sections Of a township
would enjoy as good educational advantages as
any other. Children could attend the nearest
sckool in their township, and the convenience OF
pupils would be more likely TO control In the
selection OF sites Tor school-houses- / know OF
no important reasons why the change should
not be made, and in the interests OF justice
economy. convenience, and better system OF
school supervision, recommend that each
township in the State be made by law a single
school district.
AsYLUsrs FOR THE INSANE
The State provides for the support OF our in
sane asylums by general law. An amount suf-
ficient for stan of officers as large as would be
required IL the institution was full is authorized
to DO drawn annually for the payment Of sal
aries The board OF control of each asylum ia
required TO determine by careful trial and OBJ
servAtion. for sufficient time to secure accura-
Cy. the actual cost per week for each patient OF
board. clothing, laundry. fuel light. and all or
binary current expenses. and Tx this rs the price
per week for the ensuing year. At the price pen
week thus fixed the officers OF the asylum draw
from the general fund an amount equal to the
average number OF State patients cared for Ac-
counts are made out In the same way against
counties for county patients. 1t is only wher
new buildings are TO be erected, permanent i'm
provements made or special needs developed
that the Legislature is called upon for sppropra-
lions.
IL seems to me q like system might be adopted
by the other State institutions with advantage
to the STATE OF course the per capita would
vary In different institutions. some requiring
larger number of teachers or attendants accord
ing TO the number cared for than others; but
each institution would be to some extent a
check upon the others, waste and extravaganza
would more likely 10 avoided. and prudent
careful administration secured. IL would be ,
each session. and remove all ground for the un-
eeemly and possibly unwsrranted charge tina,
combinations are made by the several boards OF
State institutions to stand by each other and
thus secure appropriations for each that neither
alone would have been able to obtain.
The Northern Asylum for the Insane. ut Trav-
erse City. A. fast approaching completion and II
the necessary appropriation is made early I'm The
session. may. Il IL believed, BE- completed at the
time limited by coutract-yOct I, 1885. The
amount asked for In $i25. 72574 OF this amour,
453.c23 73 IN for heating apparatus and plumb
ing aud this work should be commenced imme-
M u.,fo o<l.o %.
the insane makes It q matter OF the utmost i'm
porfanco that there be not moments unneces-
esry delay tn tho completion OF the Northern
Asylum