CHAPTER VII

EDUCATION

I. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

Origin. The Ordinance of 1787, by which the Northwest Territory was organized, declared that "Religion, Morality and Knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." When Iowa became a separate territory in 1838, the territorial legislature took immediate steps to organize a system of public schools, but owing to lack of means for support, the system was not established on a working basis until about ten years after the state was admitted into the Union.

In the early years all schools were conducted as private enterprises, the teachers obtaining their support from tuition charged the pupils. These schools gradually gave way to public schools as the state became more densely populated, and the development of her resources made the support of public schools possible. This system has been developed from small beginnings, until it has become one of the best in the country.

Educational Opportunities. The people of Iowa have provided almost unlimited opportunities for those who wish to continue their education beyond the requirements of the compulsory attendance law. After the course of study for the first eight years, or common school course, as it is called, is completed, any pupil of school age in the state may pursue

an additional four-year high school course. If the school district in which he lives does not provide such a course he may attend high school in a district which does, and the district in which he lives will be required to pay the tuition not to exceed three dollars and fifty cents a month. After completing a high school course, any student in Iowa may secure a college or university education practically free of cost at the State Teachers' College, the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, or the State University of Iowa. These great educational institutions will be studied more fully in a later chapter entitled "State Institutions."

Compulsory Education. The Twenty-ninth General Assembly enacted a law providing for the compulsory attendance of children at school for at least twenty-four consecutive weeks every year. The law applies to children between the ages of seven and sixteen years. By the provisions of the law, truant officers are provided for, and a system of reports from teachers to those intrusted with the enforcement of the law is also required. Violations of the law are to be punished by a system of fines, and habitual truants may be dealt with according to such reasonable methods of punishment as the board of directors may provide. The Thirtieth General Assembly amended the previous law so as to fix the time of attendance, " commencing with the first week of school after the first day of September, unless the board of school directors shall determine upon a later date, which date shall not be later than the first Monday in December."

School Corporations. There are two general classes of school corporations in Iowa. These are (1) school townships, (2) independent districts. Independent districts may be subdivided thus: (1) Rural independent, (2) city, town and village independent, (3) consolidated independent.

The School Township. The boundaries of the school

township coincide with those of the civil township. Each school township is separated into as many sub-districts as may be necessary, and a member of the board of directors, called a sub-director, is chosen from each sub-district by its qualified voters. The sub-directors of a township are chosen on the first Monday in March of each year for a term of one year, and all the sub-directors of the township constitute the board of directors. If the sub-districts are even in number, the electors choose one additional director from the township at large, on the second Monday in March.

On the second Monday in March, the qualified voters of the school township meet to transact business of a general nature connected with the management of the schools of the township. If it is necessary to build a new schoolhouse in the township, the money must be raised by a tax voted at this meeting. If any school property is to be disposed of, the sale must be ordered at this meeting.

Rural Independent. The sub-districts of school townships may become rural independent districts by a majority vote in each sub-district, one-third of the voters in each sub-district having petitioned the board of the school township that such meeting be called. The board of directors in such districts consists of three members.

City, Town and Village Independent. When ten voters in any city, town, or village containing over one hundred residents petition the school board in which the largest number of residents of the city, town or village live, such board shall establish the boundary of the proposed district, including all of the city, town or village and shall call an election therein. If the majority of the voters at such election vote in the affirmative the proposed district becomes an independent city, town or village school district. In all such districts containing cities of the first class or special charter

cities the board of directors consists of seven members. In all other such districts the board consists of five members.

Consolidated Independent. There is a strong sentiment in the country for consolidated rural schools, growing out of a general desire not only to improve rural schools but to make rural social life more attractive. In these schools rural pupils have the advantage of a graded school with modern equipment, and the building is usually so constructed that it may be converted into a hall for social gatherings, thus becoming a "community center" for the district.

To organize such a district a third of the voters sign a petition and present it to the school board of the district containing the largest number of people in the proposed district. Such district must contain at least sixteen sections of land and be approved by the County Board of Education. A school election is then called and if the majority of the voters favor the proposition the district becomes a consolidated independent district. Five directors manage the affairs of such district, and one of their duties is to provide free transportation for all pupils of school age living in the district. The state of Iowa encourages the formation of such districts by giving them a sum of money known as state aid."

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Directors of Independent Districts. Directors in all independent districts are elected on the second Monday in March for a term of three years. Their terms are SO arranged that there shall be a majority of experienced directors on the board each year.

Annual Meetings of All School Boards. The boards of directors in township and independent rural districts must hold an annual meeting on the first day of July unless that date falls on Sunday, in which case on the day following, for the purpose of examining the books of and settling with

the secretary and the treasurer for the year, and for the transaction of such business as may regularly come before them. The board then adjourns and the new board meets for the purpose of organizing by electing a president from their members and a secretary and a treasurer from outside their membership, the latter serving without .salary.

The board of directors in all other districts meets on the third Monday in March for the purpose of electing a president and organizing, and on the first of July for the purpose of examining the books of the secretary and the treasurer, and electing a secretary for the year. The treasurer in districts composed in whole or in part of towns is not chosen by the directors, but is elected by the voters on the second Monday in March for a period of two years, and serves without salary.

Powers of Directors. School directors have charge of the general management of the schools with power to make reasonable rules and regulations, levy the tax for the teachers' and contingent funds, and employ teachers. They also have power to carry out any instructions given by the voters at the regular meeting or at special meetings called for that purpose.

School Funds. The money for the support of the public schools is obtained from the following sources:

1. The Permanent Fund. The permanent fund is obtained from the sale of lands granted for school purposes and from money obtained from the estates of deceased persons who may have died without leaving any will or lawful heirs.

In 1845 the Congress of the United States set apart the sixteenth section of land in every unorganized congressional township for school purposes. When Iowa was admitted into the Union, Congress granted the new state 500,000 acres additional land for school purposes, and by a later