The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-08-21
Many New School Laws.


l. ..'' -
In a circular recently issued State
Superintendent A. M. Deyoe says:
The school officers can be strong
factors in bringing public sentiment
to the aid of our schools. What the
Iowa schools need is a booster
spirit" and the place to begin such
a movement is with the school Of
ficers." The provisions of the new
laws are explained as follows:
School Treasurers.
Sections 2769 and 27S0 have been
amended and the amendments went
into effect March 10, 1913, by publ
cation. According to their provisions
school treasurers must serve without
pay. 1t is also made the duty Of such
treasurers to deposit all school funds
with some bank within the state to
draw interest at rate of not less
than two per cent on ninety per cent
of the daily deposits. The interest
received must go to the contingent
fund. Banks are required to give
bond to be approved by treasurer
and school board to insure against
loss. This does not release treas
urer from bond, but we believe his
bond may be less than formerly.
In some districts the treasurer
may not wish to serve. Such cases
will be rare we think. 1t is the
duty of directors in such cases to Sc
cure another at once and arrange for
bank depository. The law author
! ICES only the treasurer to draw
school money from the county or to
pay out funds; hence the necessity of
6l1;pr tho ofEoo Nor CON tho hond
of present treasurers be released I'M
til successors are chosen and quail
fled. 1t would be we'll for treasurers
bonds before the July meeting if
possible.
Minimum Wage Law for Teachers.
Perhaps one of the most striking
changes in our law is that governing
teachers wages. The new law went
into effect July 4. According to it's
provisions, teachers must be paid at
least minimum wage based on the
average grade upon the certificate.
However, nothing will prevent school
boards paying a higher wage if they
desire. School boards violating this
law will be subject to fine of $25
and suspension from office. Contracts
made before the law went into effect
will not be changed by the law. In
view of the changes under this law
school boards are urged to estimate
expenses for next year carefully and
guard against wrong averages in
making out contracts. It is urged
that boards need not confine them
selves to the minimum wage, but may
pay more if necessary. State certi-
ficates are considered of higher
standard than the uniform county
certificate, and officers are urged to
make the salary conform to the high
err standard.
To determine teachers wage the
grade of certificate must be known,
also the average grade thereon.
Third grade teachers will receive
per diem equal to 2 IL cents multi
piled by the average grade. Second
grade teachers will receive a per
diem found by multiplying ~ cents
by the average grade up to and in
GLIDING IS per cent, and first grade
teachers will receive per diem
equal to cents multiplied by the
average grade. To find the monthly
salary in each case multiply by
twenty.
At a meeting of the Educational
Board Of Examiners June 20, 1913,
the following resolution was adopt
ed: "That the matter of approving
schools for the credit of three points
provided for in Section 2 of the
Minimum Wage Law cannot be de-
termined in time to apply to teach
ers' contracts for the school year of
1913-1914." The matter of what
constitutes an approved teachers
training school must be settled be-
fore credit can be allowed as provid-
ed in Section 2 of this Act Teachers
may not have three per cent added
this year.
The penalty attached for infringe
nents upon this law makes it highly
important that all contracts made af-
ter July 4th, shall be strictly legal.
County superintendent.
In the future county superintend-
ents will be chosen by convention
of school officers which meets in
April. This places new Importance
upon the office of school president.
Each school corporation will be en-
titled to one vote except rural indie
pendent districts and shall cast one
vote for the township. County sup
erintendents will be selected for
three years and the present term
will be extended until September LIST,
1915. County superintendent are
allowed deputy and the department
urges that conventions assembled
will grant sufficient compensation to
enable the superintendent to hire
deputy suitable for the place. The
attorney general has held that
county superintendent is entitled to
deputy after July 4, 1913.
r Compulsory Attendance.
All pupils in good health between
the ages of seven and sixteen are
subject to the compulsory education
law unless they live over two miles
from school, or are over the age of
fourteen and have completed the
eighth grade, or are excused by the