Year: 1873




| from Massachusetts,, and chairman of the
Committee on Education and Labor, has re
| ported bill to establish an educationa
fund and apply the proceeds of the public
lands to the education of the people, oi
| which the following is an abstact.
Section one provide that net proceeds OF
the public lands shall be forever set apar.
for the education of the people and excepts
from its operation pre-empted and home
stead lands and the power of Congress to
grant bounty lands.
Section two requires the Secretary of the
Interior to annually certify to the Secretary
of the Treasury the net amount Of the pro
ceeds.


Section three directs the Secretary Of the
Treasury to invest one-half of the amount
in United States bonds, for perpetual edu'
catiOnal fund, and certify annually to the
Secretary of the Interior the amount of said
fund


Section four provides that the Commis-
sioner of Education shall apportion one
half of the yearly proceeds, together with
the income from the fund for the previous
year, among the States and Territories
according to the basis of population be-
tween the ages of tour and twenty one,
except for the first five years, during which
time the distribution is to be according to
the population of ten years and upward
who can not write.


Section five directs that the distribution
shall take place January l, 1875, among
those States who provide by law for the
education of their children between six and
sixteen years.


Section six allows fifty per cent the first
year, and ten per cent afterward to be ap-
piled to the education of teachers.


Section seven prescri5es the following
conditions for succeeding appointments:


l. That provision shall have been made
for education.


9. That money previously received shall
have been applied accordingly.


3. That report of the number of free
schools, teachers, houses owned and hired.
children taught, and months in the year
schools have been maintained, the average
attendance and amounts appropriated, shall
have been made.


Section eight requires the certificate of
the commissioner of education whether
the State is entitled to its apportionment.
An appeal is allowed to the next session of
Congress.


Section nine directs the State superin.
tendents Of education to apportion the
amount received among the school districts
which have maintained one or more free
schools three months during the preceding
year, for the sole purpose of payment of
teachers wages.


Section ten provides the manner of pay
ment on the warrant of the commissioner of
education.


Section eleven declares that if any State
misapply the funds received, or.fail to corr
ply with the conditions, it shall forfeit the
right to any subsequent apportionmen5
until the amount has been replaced or the
condition fulfilled. Forfeited apportion
ments are to be added to the educational
fund, and officers misapplying the funds
deemed guilty of felony and a penalty of
fine of double the amount or from o2e to
three years imprisonment imposed.


Section twelve gives the United States
Circuit Courts exclusive Jurisdiction o.
offenses under the act and power, to
issue the proper writs to compel perform
ance Of the duties prescribed.


Section thirteen enacts that no provision
of the act shall affect the payment by the
States, on their admission into the Union, of
five per cent of the proceeds of public lands
within their limits.