THE COMMON SCHOOL FUND.
The PRESIDENT announced the consideration of the special order for 10 o'clock this morning, which was passed over informally; being the Committee on Education's bill S. 217-described on page 249 of these Reports-with the report of the Committee of the Whole (of Saturday afternoon) thereon.
Mr. STUDABAKER demanded a division of the question.
All the committee amendments were then severally concurred in, by consent, except the amendment which proposes to strike out of the bill all that requires the trustee to employ teachers.
Mr. MURRAY. I do hope if there is a head to this school system, that he will have the full control of hiring teachers, for in nine cases out of ten, the trustee is more competent than the Directors. A great difficulty has grown up just on this point. This duty can't be performed if this amendment prevails.
Mr. STUDABAKER. I hope the amendment will not be adopted.
Mr. JOHNSON. I think I see a great deal of injustice in requiring the township trustee to hire all the teachers. Let every district select its own teacher; it is right they should have the privilege of doing it. I am in favor of the amendment.
page: 288[View Page 288]Mr. CONNER. Each district is qualified to employ its own teacher.
Mr. TARKINGTON. I think this amendment conflicts with the bill all the way through, and for that reason it ought not to be amended in that particular.
Mr. MILLER. This is, perhaps, the most important question in this bill. It seems to me if the amendment prevails, it will destroy uniformity in the system.
Mr. CARNAHAN. I never will vote for any system that has a consolidation of the funds in it; but when we can confine the funds to the counties in which it is raised, then I am as much in favor of a free school system as any man.
Mr. WAGNER sustained the amendment.
The amendment was rejected by-yeas 20,nays 22-as follows:
YEAS-Messrs. Berry, Carnahan, Claypool, Cobb, Conley, Conner, DeHart, Johnson, Jones, Lomax, Odell, Ray, Robinson, Shields, Steele, Turner, Wagner, White, Williams, and Wilson-20.
NAYS-Messrs. Beeson, Blair, Craven of Madison, Culver, Dickinson, Ferguson, Grubb, Hamilton, Hull, Landers, Line, March, Mellett, Miller, Murray, Shoemaker, Shoulders, Stone, Studabaker, Tarkington, Teegarden, and Wolfe-22.
The Committee report was concurred in.
Mr. CLAYPOOL moved to amend the first section by adding : " provided that the funds so raised shall be retained and expended in the counties where the same are raised.
Mr. C. made a short speech in support of his amendment.
Mr. CRAVEN and Mr. STUDABAKER opposed the amendment.
Mr. WOLFE interposed a constitutional objection.
The amendment was rejected by-yeas 19, nays 21.
Mr. WOLFE moved to recommit the bill with a series of instructions.
On motion by Mr. WAGNER, the motion to recommit was laid on the table.
Mr. CRAVEN moved to amend by adding to the 14th section a clause making it lawful for the trustee to locate and build school houses, &c.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr. MILLER offered an amendment to section 23, which was adopted, providing that "the director so elected shall, within ten days, be notified of his election ;'7 making provision for filling vacancies by appointment, &c.
Mr. LINE moved to amend section 27 by adding the words, "or the sale of any old school-house or grounds belonging thereto."
The amendment was adopted.
On motion by Mr. MILLER, section 12 was amended so that any legal voter may be attached to a school district, on application before the closing of the enumeration.
Mr. LANDERS moved to reconsider the vote by which the Senate refused to recommit the bill.
On motion by Mr. LINE, this motion was laid on the table.
Mr. TARKINGTON moved to recommit bill with instructions, which he would to writing.
Mr. MURRAY submitted instructions to amend section 26, to-wit, "provided it shall not be obligatory upon trustees to build remove, or repair school houses according to a vote of the district, if in his judgment the cost of such building or repairs shall exceed in amount what is absolutely necessary for the purposes contemplated by such vote."
Mr. WOLFE submitted his series of instructions to amend referred to above.
Mr. STUDABAKER submitted instructions to amend section 78, so that school monies shall be loaned at "seven" per cent, instead of "ten" as the bill provides.
The PRESIDENT announced as members of the Joint Committee upon the subject of providing means to liquidate the State debt, on the part of the Senate-Messrs. Lomax, Claypool, and DeHart. He also announced as members of the Joint Committee upon the subject of Congressional apportionment, on the part of the Senate-Messrs. Mellett, Wagner Bearss, Wolfe, and Studabaker.
Mr. CARNAHAN made an ineffectual motion to take up his resolution, offered yesterday, changing the session hours.
And then the Senate adjourned.
