Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-02-03
COUNTY Unit
Of SCHOOLS.

Basis Of Bill Agreed Upon by
Educational Committee.
PROVISIONS OF THE MEASURE,
Complete Remodelins Of School Laws
Of the State Is Proposed-Ran on Sc.
cret Societies in High Schools.
State Board at Head,
Des Moines, Feb. 2.-The schools of
Iowa and the educational system of
the state are receiving more of the
attention Of the members of the legis.
lature than is accorded to any other
question. Three bills of vast import
ance are up for consideration by the
educational committees of the two
houses and the probability is that be-
fore the end of the week one or more
of them will be recommended for pas
sage. The most important Of these
bllls Is one prepared as result of the
work of commission which has spent
much of the time during the past two
years investigating the workings of
the school system of Iowa and the
provisions of the laws under which
the schools are operated. The bill
brings forth a complete remodeling of
the school laws of the state, repeal
ing every statute now on the books
and re-enacting substitute for each.
The new law. il the bill becomes
law, will revolutionize the present sys-
tenn in many particulars. The basis
of the bill agreed upon by the COM
mittee is the county unit of schools.
Each county outside of the city
schools, which remain under separate
government, will be governed by
board consisting of three directors.
This board is to be composed of at
least two country members and one
member may come from city of
the county. The board is to have full
charge of all the schools in the county.
Under the plan the county superin-
tendent will be an appointive office,
the official to be named by the county
board, and the board is not restricted
to residents of the county in search
for material for the place. At the
head of the entire system of the state
will be the state board of education,
composed of the state superintendent.
the presidents of the state university,
the state normal school and the agri.
cultural college. one county superin-
tendent, one city superintendent and
one member from college of liberal
arts. The bill provides for uniformity
of text books and also provides that
text book publishing houses cannot
do business in the state until after
having entered into a contract and
filed bond for the faithful discharge
of any agreement. Secret societies
in high schools are forbidden by one
section of the bill. and pupils joining
any fraternity or society are subject
to expulsion from the school. Close
representation in the townships is
kept by the provision for the election
Of three township trustees, who shall
serve without pay, under charge of the
county board of education. The board
of education in each county is to meet
in August and levy the school taxes
for the ensuing year. The Office of
school treasurer is abolished and the
county treasurer is to receive and dis
burse all school funds. The county
treasurer is to deposit school funds at
interest at a rate of not less than o
per cent. School elections are to &C.
cur the first Monday in March of each
year. Candidates for members of the
county board of education are to be
nominated by petition, as also are
for directors of independ-
ent school districts. Nominations of
for trustees in townships
are not required.
Senator Whipple's Bill.
Along with this bill there will be
introduced this week Senator Whip
pies measure to place the state edu.
cational institutions, the university,
the state college at Ames and the
normal school at Cedar Falls under
the direction of governing board of
probably seven members. This bill
has been before the Thirty-first and
general assemblies. It
passed the senate two years ago, but
was defeated in the house. At pres.
ent the schools are governed independ.
emily, the university by board of re-
gents and the state college and the
normal school, by trustees, chosen by
the legislature. Senator Whipple be-
lieyes the schools can be more eco
managed under the direc.
ton of ono board, and also believes
more efficient service may be brought
from the institutions.
Then there is another bill relating
to schools which provides that the
name of the institution at Cedar Falls
shall be changed from 1.-THE Iowa
State Normal School" to that of the
AOWo -k,tRSS lSoShSlS SOucSc. Inc
bill was Introduced by Senator De.
Wolfe of the Blackhawk district, and
it is said to have been presented at
the request of President Seerley Of
the state normal. One reason for the
change is that the school may come
under the heading of colleges to be
aided by the Carnegie retiring fund
for aged teachers. 1t Is also following
the lead of several state normal
schools of eastern states, the names of
which have been changed.
Lineoin's Birthday Legal Holiday.
The first bill adopted by the pres
ent session of the legislature and the
first measure to be signed by Govern
or Carroll was an amendment to the
ode providing that Lincoln's birthday
Shall be a legal holiday in this state,
and in accordance with this action
Governor Carroll has issued q proc.
lamation in which he declares that 1t
is mete that the people of the state
and OF the nation place upon mem.
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