SCHOOL OFFICERS' DEPARTMENT.

AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHOOL LAW.

In the last number of the JOURNAL, we promised to present in this, the amendments to the School Law, proposed by the last Legislature. We present these amendments with the earnest desire that School Officers, Teachers, and other friends of the Common Schools, will carefully study the same, and decide upon their fitness or unfitness. By placing these beside the daily workings of the system, their fitness or unfitness can be quite accurately judged, and in some cases tested. This done, we have guidance for future legislation.

AMENDMENTS.

These amendments passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House. They, however, passed their first and second readings, and coming up for their third reading on the last night of the session, they were disposed of as many bills are at so late a period in the session, namely, laid on the table.

It is proper to state farther, by way of explanation, that we shall not give the phraseology in which these amendments were presented, only the subject matter, and in as brief language as we can command.

I. Amend Section 5, (which relates to Trustees of towns and cities,) by providing; 1st, For a term of office of three years; 2d, For entrance upon office on Wednesday following first Monday in June; 3d, For retirement of one member annually; 4th, For election of officers of the Board; 5th, For bond of Treasurer.

II. In Section 14, change annual enumerations to biennial; thus saving the State several thousand dollars per annum.

III. In Section 25, lengthen the time of expending the tuition. revenue, so as to give fourteen months after its receipt by the school trustee; also expunge the provision requiring the school year to begin on the first Monday in April.

IV. Add to Section 30, a provision for paying the Directors a per diem, not exceeding $1.50.

V. Amend Section 33, so as to require examination of teachers in Orthography, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Geography, English Grammar, Physiology, History of Indiana, and History of the United States, thus repealing the so-called amendment to Section 35.

VI. Amend Section 157, so as to provide that in case a village incorporates as a town, all school property within the corporate limits of such town, shall belong to the town, and the title shall vest accordingly. (Since the adjournment of the Legislature, the Supreme Court in the case of Thomas Carson v. The State of Indiana, has decided that the present laws carry the title as contemplated in the proposed amendment. The above amendment should extend to divisions of townships, also.)

VII. Amend Section 158, so as to require persons proposing to teach a private school in a public school house; 1st, to hold a valid license; 2d, To enter into a written obligation to take reasonable care of the property, also, to repair all damages arising from use of same.

VIII. Amend the general statute, so as to provide that in case a site for a school house has been chosen, and the the owner thereof shall refuse to sell such site, the proper school trustee shall proceed "to condemn the same, and appoint three appraisers thereof," preparatory to sale of such land.

IX. Amend the general statute so as to provide, 1st, That Township Trustees shall hold their office for three years instead of one, as now; 2d, That they shall enter upon office, on Wednesday following the first Monday in June; 3d, That they shall make their financial reports to the County Commissioners in June.

ADDITIONS.

The following additions were made:

I. Any two or more contiguous townships, or a township and an incorporated town or city, situate within such township, may jointly procure, hold, use, and manage, school property, in such manner as the trustees may determine: Provided, however, that this provision shall not affect the title or use of property originally acquired and held for township graded schools.

II. It was provided, 1st, That the State Board of Education should examine a series of text-books in the eight Common School branches and submit a list of said books to the School Examiner and School Trustees of each County.

2. That the Examiner and Trustees, after an examination of the books in this list, and such others as they may deem necessary, shall adopt a series for use in their County.

3. That the books thus adopted shall be used in the county for which selected, to the exclusion of all other books in the eight branches, designated, for a period of four years, unless otherwise provided by legislation.

It will be observed, first, that the recommendation of the State Board has no legally binding force upon the Examiner and Trustees; and second, that each county is, in its decision, independent of every other county.

III. In any neighborhood or community, in which fifteen colored children of school age reside, within attending distance of a given point, a school shall be established for the same. These schools were to be managed and supported as other public schools, in the town, city, or township, in which they were located.

The above comprise the chief amendments and additions proposed.

REMARKS.

It is proper to remark that the House changed the term of office of Township Trustee from three to two years, and rejected the provisions relative to text books. The other amendments were, in the main, passed upon as they came from the Senate. Though the bill as above stated, passed only its second reading, it is believed it would have passed its third by a good majority, could it have been brought forward two or three days earlier.

It may be remarked, further, that the Senate Committee on Education refused to strike out the provision in section 26, of the law, which authorizes school meetings "to designate their teacher." We would call especial attention to this clause of the law. So far as we can learn it is a feature peculiar to our system. More, it is not only a peculiar feature, but in our opinion it is a peculiar evil.

All of the above is submitted with the hope that the proposed changes may elicit the best thoughts of all interested in the improvement of our Common School system. We shall be glad to insert in the JOURNAL any suggestions, or discussions on these subjects.

EDITORIAL-MISCELLANY.

A TALK WITH OUR READERS: THE JOURNAL,-OUR CONTRIBUTORS,-WRITING AND YOUNG WRITERS.

Dear Readers, in our December issue we stated that it was our purpose to use all reasonable means to improve the JOURNAL. As one among other means to this end, we have made an appeal to a number of educators to aid us in this work by writing for the Journal. Promptly and encouragingly have several of these responded, promising that they will write more or less, at least one article, each, for our columns, within the current year. Never before have we met with such encouragement in this department. And believing that you are interested in the supposed good things that these contributors will furnish, we feel constrained to give you some of their names.

In other States we have: Prof. Phelps, Principal of the Normal School of Minnesota; Prof. Newell, Principal of the Normal School of Maryland; Prof. Noble Butler, author of Butler's Grammar, Louisville, Ky.

In our own State we have: Hon. John Young, of Indianapolis; Dr. Nutt and Prof. Wiley, of the State University; Prest. Benton, and Prof. Brown, of the N. W. C. University; Prof. Tingley, of Asbury University; Prof. Campbell, of Wabash College; Prof. Garrett, of Hanover College; Prest. W. H. De Motte, of the Indiana Female College, Indianapolis; Prof. Ira W. Allen, Principal of Lafayette Collegiate Institute; Thomas Charles, Principal of the City Academy, Indianapolis; William A. Bell, Principal of the Indianapolis High School; Hamilton S. McRea, Superintendent of the Muncie Schools; Miss Anna P. Brown, Richmond; Miss Eliza Cannell, Indianapolis. Several others who wield flexile pens have promised, on conditions namely, that their duties will permit.

Now, kind readers, do you not think these names give pledge of "good things to come?" One word of caution at this point: Do not suppose that because of the promised aid from this large number of able contributors, that you are per consequence ruled out. Nor must you suppose that you are ruled out because you were not personally invited. No, no; you have not been invited, most

likely, because we have not met you; or, perhaps, because we were not aware that you wielded a ready or a strong pen. Permit us: therefore, now to extend an invitation to you all, every one of our readers, to join the list of our contributors, and thus aid in placing the INDIANA SCHOOL JOURNAL, where we all hope some day to see Indiana's School System, namely, in the front ranks of the States. Give us, therefore, short, direct statements of your "experiences, experiments, &c.;" your queries, and answers to queries; educational intelligence, items, &c.; and your well-prepared and elaborate articles, if you have time for such.

Besides the procuring of varied and interesting matter for the JOURNAL, we have another object, namely, the encouragment of young teachers in writing. With a little encouragement, and a little confidence, many a teacher who writes nothing, and when solicited says "can't," might, by diligence and practice, become a ready and valuable writer.

Young friends, remember that people learn to write as they learn to skate or swim-by practice. Writing is not learned by hearing fine eulogies on writing, nor even by reading and admiring elegant compositions. In this, as in almost everything else, we learn to do by doing, and not by theorizing about doing. Practice rather than untrained genius must give point to your pen and wings to your thoughts. Therefore, young friends, the way is open; begin.

A word more, by way of caution and conclusion. Your articles will not likely all be published. Thus you will sometimes fail to benefit others as you had hoped, but will benefit yourself. The act of composing two or three pages with care is always a positive benefit to the composer. Added to this, if your article fails to be published, you will most likely be informed by the editor wherein it is adjudged defective, thus giving you guidance, and it is hoped, encouragement for the future.

HOUSE OF REFUGE.

In conformity with Section II, Article 9 of the State Constitution. declaring that "the General Assembly shall provide houses of refuge for the correction and reformation of juvenile offenders," the Legislature, at its last session, passed an act providing for the establishment of a house of refuge for juvenile offenders. In pursuance of this act a house has been erected near Plainfield, Hendricks county. This house, or rather these houses consist of three buildings 38 by 56 feet, each two stories high. There are also other needed and suitable buildings; as, shops, bake houses and milk houses, &c.