The Indianapolis journal., 1885-02-17
THE HOUSE.

An Afternoon Devoted to County Superin-
tendents and School Teachers.
The House was in session yesterday afternoon,
but there was no session in the morning.
Mr.. Pleasants's bill III. r. CAT concerning the
duties of county superintendents, came up on
the second reading.
Mr. Smith of Tippecanoe moved that the bill
be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Pleasants-The bill will rectify a gross
imposition practiced by county superintendent.
By it's provisions. instead of a county supern-
tendent continually visiting schools as he may
please. in order to put in time and draw his sal
ary. such visits are put into the hands OF town.
ship trustees. A great many schools need no
visiting at ALL
Mr.. Smith of Tppecanoe-There are two rea-
sons, especially, why the bill should not pass
shall visit every school half day of each year
You might as well strike down our whole school
system as to bind it as this bill will do.
Mr. Loyd-County superintendent are al
lowed; by law; 81 per day for days actually en-
ployed; but all of them draw full eompensa-
ton for every working day in the year
The superintendent in our county draws
per annum 81 300-and the school has only FIVE
months term per year These salaries keep in
creasing It is not. say the fault of the eoun-
every working day in the year, but the fault of
the law.
Mr. Cory-The bill is proposition to strike
out of existence the Office of county superintend
ent, virtually. Many of the township trustees
are arrayed against the Office of county supern-
tendent, and they would not permit such officers
to visit the schools under their jurisdiction.
Mr. Browning-Last week some tine floor
of this House concluded that the township trus-
tees were not competent to elect the county
school superintendents; that they should be Sc
lected by the State Board of Education. Now
they come up with the proposition to have these
trustees stand over and guard the superntend-
ents. If you want to repeal the law and de-
stroy the office come out boldly and say so.
Mr.. Freneh-The county superintendent is as
needful now as ever His enemies have come
here ever since the Office was established to fight
it, but they have been defeated every time. and
will De this time. If any man does not wish to
trust the county superintendent as to the amount
of labor he performs, let him go home and call
on the commissioners of his county. They
audit the bills of the superintendent and
allow them. The law says that the
commissioners shall state the number of
days or the limit of the superintendent's labors.
Under this bill political differences between the
superintendent and a township trustee might
prevent the superintendent from at any time
paying an official visit to township To put
the superintendent in the hands of the trustees.
as this bill proposes, is to destroy the Office.
Mr. Williams made an Intellectual motion
yeas 81, nays 38-to lay on the table the motion
to indefinitely postpone
HO Aoelon eo pVSopoAc WdS oSrctu u, ny yeas
80, nays a5.
TEACHERS INSTITUTES
Mr.. Staley's bill H. R. 1911 to provide fund
for the holding of teachers institutes came up
on the second reading.
Mr.. Peasants moved to strike out the enact
ing clause.
Mr.. Staley-The bin proposes that the sum of
$3.50 shall be furnished to the county superin-
tendent by the county for the purpose of assist
ing in paying the expenses of an institute
which shall be at least five days session.
and further. that very small fee shall be charged
the applicants for teachers license; the same to
be put into fund which shall be held to pay in
stitute expenses. These Institutes should and
will. if gwen an opportunity. last about two
weeks The cost for session like this is about
$3.50 A superintendent is not going to hold an
institute and bear the expenses himself, for fun.
Applicants appear again and again for merely
the trial, not expecting TO teach. A small charge
for examination will have tendency to decrease
the number of applicants, lessen the work and
the expense of the superintendent's office. be-
sides creating swelling fund for the institute
expenses
On motion by Mr., Staley, the bill was recon-
mitted to the committee education, after it
had been discussed by several members. The
House then adjourned