Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-03-16

enjoying good health, and can thank
Pe-ru-na for it.n
Ellis, of Bates, recommended by the
Committee ON Public Schools, makes
many changes in the school laws
This bill provides:
First. That municipal townsnIps
shall be the unit for school taxes and
basis for organization for school pur-
poses.
Second. The present school dis
tricts are denominated sub districts
and are TO be numbered l, 2, 8, etc.,
and each sub district determines the
location Of Its school house and pays
for same and district boundary lines
remain as they now are. II q district
10 made up Of territory partly in one
township and partly In another it shall
belong to that township in which the
school house is situated. Large munic-
ipal townships may be divided into
two or more school townships. City
and town schools are not disturbed.
Third. Township Board Of Directors,
three in number, are elected by the
voters Of the township at annual meet
ings in each sub district, and annual
meetings shall be held at same time
and pIacesas now ana have practically
the same power.
Fourth. The duties Of the township
directors are; (a) Make rules and
regulations governing the sohools.
(b) Hold monthly meetings with the
teachers of the township, while schools
are in session, and discuss with them
school questions and transact all bus
mess imposed upon them by law. (c)
Employ teachers and fix salaries. (d)
Make length of term of all schools In
iownship the same. te) Employ, as
'ar as possible, teachers Of the same |
srade. ~ Supply school libraries.
81 Supervise the erection Of any
(h) Establish q central
Ugh school when they have sufficient |
money therefor. ID Submit increase
Il tax levies to the voters Of the town
hip and make estimate of coct OF the
chools.
Fifth. The presidents Of the town
hip boards and Of the city and town
'oards Of the county constitute q
ounty board Of education with the
GLOWING duties; (a) Adopt rules
nd regulations for grading and class
lying all the schools OF the county. /
By Fix minimum scale OF wages for
be several grades Of teachers. (c) L
ilect County Commissioner and Ooun-
Superintendent in 1901 and every
Wo years thereafter. (d) May ex-
ind the duties OF the County Com
iissioner to those Of supervisor,
rescribe his duties and regulate the
llary thereof.
This bill seeks TO put country schools ,
ndera management like that OF cities !
nd II is claimed that this plan, the
'wnship plan, has been successfully
led ia Indiana and thoroughly dis
issed and indorsed by the Missouri I
iate Teachers Association. The !
lthor and friends of the bill claim J
'at it will go far towards equalizing /
xation for school purposes and !
axes country high schools possible.
reaches out for broader and better
lalified men for directors, increases n
cir responsibilities, removes, to n
me extent, the personal element in =
10 selection Of teachers, prevents I
iderbidding for the position of 4
acher and creates q County Board !,
Education with some sort Of super n
sorry powers which may lead to good T
suits. The constitution provides !
r a tax for school purposes by dis :
lots. This requirement is met by n
aking the township the legal cor a
rate district. The change made by a
is bill In our school laws is great.
lere are some features In It which r,
Q worthy of serious consideration. =,
r. Darlington, Superintendent of :,
Iblic Instruction, favors It's passage.
The st. Louis police bill, which has
ssed the Senate, came up Wednes-
y evening and there was a sound Of +,
impets calling the clans together :
at made one think OF the Scotch : :
ghlanders OF the days OF Bruce and =
allace. The Republicans opposed y =
and the Democrats, In the main, :
Vored IL. A game of fillibusterinR = :,
V at once begun which soon ran It's = =
1rse. The excitement was Intense. y =
Q sick ones were sent for and brought =
o the House and the scene was =
ensely dramatic. Finally the bill =
'ched the stage Of its passage and = =