The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-10-20
NEWS OF THE CONSTITU-
TIONAL CONVENTION

tWTlLJeU ny d. .. IuDpdiu, GNASSuSi'S
Secretary of the Missouri Press AS
sociation.)
jefferson City, Oct. 13-Columbus
day was fittingly observed by men,
bers of the constitutional convention
on Thursday. After the opening
prayer of the chaplain the high school
chorus led the delegates in singing
america" and ten sang for the con-
vention america the Beautiful"
Col. M. E. Benton of Neosho, chair
man of the Committee on Bill of
Rights, gave short address in which |
he eulogized the discoverer, whose
achievement was described as the |
greatest event in the history OF the
world since the dawn of the Christian
era.
The report of the Committee on Ed
ucation has finally been presented to
the convention and may be up for
early consideration, since the reports
from the committees on Counties.
Cities and Towns and on Taxation
and Revenue. which would be next in
order, are not in yet.
Much attention has been attracted
to the provision in the Education re-
port for a state board of education,
which the St. Louis school authorities
have chosen to interpret as being an
tagonistic to that city, Members OF
the committee went to st. Louis this
week to speak before members of he
school board and societies interested
in educational matters, in an effort to
show them that the proposed board
is to be no different in, its effect on
the city of st. Louis and other cities
than is the present ex-officio board
and the state superintendent. No
new powers are to oe delegated to
the proposed board, which is to be
elected under provisions of the gen
eral assembly, except the appoint
ment of the commissioner of educa-
ton. 1t is to report to the general
assembly and suggest improvements
needed. The superintendent elected
in 1922 will serve out his term IN this
cauacity if the new section is adopted.
In fixing the school age from 6 to
20 wears. as in the old constitution,
the general assembly is also author
lied to provide by law for the IN
struction Of persons OF other ages py
the state or local school units. This
will permit the establishment OF KIM
dergartens, vocational, Americanlza-
ton and night schools as some arts
of the state need these school units:
Reading~of the Bible in the pubic
schools may be permitted II the 1ol-
lowing provision in the committee re-
port is adopted: "Neither this state
nor any political subdivision thereof
shall ever give any financial assist
ance to any religious sect, nor to any
sectarian educational institution; how
ever, this shall not be construed to
prohibit the reading of any version
of the Holy Bible in the public schools
of this state"
The minimum school year in all
districts of the state is increased by
the committee from four to six
months. and in case of deficiency not
less than the equivalent 'of one-third
of the state revenue for the proceed
ing year or biennial period shall be
appropriated to be applied to the sup
port Of the public schools. The res
ent constitution provides for rs per
cent, but recent legislatures have APP
propriated not less than One-third A
minority report would fix the mini
mum amount to any one district at
$3.50 and require the district to raise
by taxation $500, or more II neceS-
sary, to maintain six months school,
Under a revised section the county
school funds may be invested in bonds
of Che United States, the State OF
Missouri or municipal bonds of the
state in addition to real estate, TO
which the present constitution limits
loans.
The state teachers colleges ana
other institutions established SINCE
the old constitution was adopted were
recognized by a provision that "Ihe
general assembly may retain, estap-
fish and maintain such other free edu-
cational institutions as it may deem
for the best interests of the state and
prescribe the method of management,
The principle of teachers retire.
ment fund is recognized in a provi-
sion that Nothing in this constitution
shall prohibit the general assembly,
from authorizing the establishment
of teachers retirement funds. ms
section was adopted by majority OF
the committee in response to appears
from st. Louis and Kansas CITY,
where the teachers and school boards
favored Sucn an eIldDllHs aSts
Slight changes have been made IN
other sections, but they do not ma
terially change the meaning. or et-
feet. The state board of education
provision will be the storm center OF
the report and it is expected will con-
sumo several days in discussion. 1t
is a compromise from the original
proposition which provided for
board to be appointed by the govern
or, on which the members of the COM
mittee were evenly divided. An cleo,
tive board of six members is provided
for inothe present report.
The report of the Committee on EX-
ecutive and Ministerial Departments
had to undergo its second attack from
members OF the convention opposed to
its adoption. when it came up in the
convention this week in the form OF
the report of the committee OF the
whole on the amendments there ap-
proved. After the committee amend
ments had been acted on the report
was taken up section by section for
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