USA > Ohio > Annual report of the State Commissioner of Common Schools, to the Governor of the State of Ohio, 1892 > Part 20
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That this power may be developed in the pupils of our public schools, either city or country, it is absolutely necessary that special and persistent training be given them from the day they enter the school until they leave it. In the primary classes pupils should be encouraged to talk about their lessons; the pictures contained intheir books, and objects of interest all around them. They should be made to feel a perfect free- dom at all times in this respect, and should be encouraged in every effort. In all grades the mistakes in language should be corrected in a kind, but direct manner, and correctness, and completeness of expression should be insisted upon by the teacher in all recitations. By making every recitation a lesson in the use of good English, pupils will be made to realize that the study of language and grammar is a practical one.
As soon as pupils can write they should be taught the simple rules of capitalilza- tion and punctuation so far as they relate to the correct manner of beginning and ending sentences. This is very important, and must be persisted in, if results worth anything are to follow. They should then be taught how to combine sentences into simple paragraphs in a neat and systematic manner. Composition writing should be a very important factor in the regular work of the school, and great care and nice judgment are necessary on the part of the teacher in the selection of suit- able subjects. To ask a pupil to write about something of which he is entirely ignorant is unreasonable, and certain to develop a hatred for such work. There are numerous subjects suited to the various pupils, if the teacher will but take the pains to hunt them up, on which they can write in an interesting intelligent way and in so doing create a real love for the work.
Language work is very closely related to reading, and in many instances the reading of the pupil should be made the basis of his work in language.
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All of the readers in use in the schools of Ohio, are filled with selections from some of the best authors, and, if properly taught, will be certain to awaken an interest in good literature which will lead the pupils to read it, and having read a few good books, they will have a solid foundation on which to build their language and composition work. Teachers and members of boards of education, should earnestly co-operate in placing in every school room, if possible, a few of the choice books which can be purchased now at such slight expense. While technical grammar should not be taught to the pupils of the lower grades, it certainly has its place in a couse of study. The course of study proposed in this pamphlet provides that a text-book in elementary grammar shall be introduced into the sixth and seventh years of school (Fifth Reader class), and that a more advanced book be used in the eighth year, (U. S. History class). Of course, it is not intended that the more difficult parts of grammar shall be taken up in these years, but only such portions as can be comprehended by the pupils, and will be of the most practical use to them in the future. In teaching this subject, as well as all others, success will depend very largely upon the efforts of the teacher. It is especially important in teaching the correct use of language that teachers themselves use great care in their own language.
"Workman Law."
AN ACT
To provide for the more efficient organization of the common schools in township districts.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That sections 3915, 3916, 3917, 3920, 3922, 3927 (am. April 8, 1891 ), 3929, 3941 a, 3961, 3978, 3981 (am. Feb. 26, 1891), 3987, 3989, 4014, 4017 (am. April 28, 1890), 4018 (am. March 6, 1890 ), 4019, 4032 and 4034 of the Revised Statutes of Ohio be amended so as to read as follows :
Sec. 3915. The board of education of each township district di- vided into subdistricts shall consist of the township clerk, and one director elected for a term of three years from each subdistrict. The clerk of the township shall be ex-officio the clerk of the board but shall have no vote except in cases of a tie.
Sec. 3916. There shall be elected by ballot on the second Monday of April, 1893, in each sub-district, by the qualified electors thereof, one competent person, having the qualifications of an elector therein, to be styled director. Those elected shall be divided upon the third Mon- day of April thereafter by lot, into three classes as nearly equal as possi- ble ; the directors of the first class shall serve for the term of one year, the directors of the second class for two years, and the directors of the third class for three years. All elections of directors thereafter shall be held on the second Monday of April, and all directors shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. The office of local director in each subdistrict shall terminate after the first election and qualification of directors under this act.
Sec. 3917. The director of each subdistrict, where an election may occur, shall post written or printed notices in three or more conspic- uous places in his subdistrict, at least six days prior to the day of elec- tion, designating the day and hour of opening, and the hour of closing the election ; the election shall be held at the usual place of holding school meetings in the subdistrict ; the meeting shall be organized by appoint- ing a chairman and a secretary, who shall act as judges of the election under oath or affirmation, which oath or affirmation may be administered
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by the director of the subdistrict, or any other person competent to administer such an oath or affirmation, and the secretary shall keep a poll-book and tally-sheet, which shall be signed by the judges, and delivered within five days to the clerk of the township. [77 v. 63.]
Sec. 3920. The board of education shall hold regular sessions on the third Monday of April, June, August, October, December and Febru- ary, at the usual places of holding township elections, or at such place. in the immediate vicinity thereof as may be convenient, for the trans- action of business, and may adjourn from time to time, or hold special meetings at any other time or place within the township, as it deems desirable, for the transaction of business; which special meeting may be called by the township clerk, by the president of the board, or by two or more members of the board, but each member of the board must be duly notified thereof personally, or by written notice left at his residence or usual place of business. [70 v. 195, § 31; 86 v. 346.]
Sec. 3922. When the board consolidates two or more subdistricts into a new subdistrict, or establishes a new subdistrict in any other way, it shall call a special meeting of the qualified electors resident in the new subdistrict, for the purpose of electing one director for the same ; at least five days before the time fixed for the meeting the board shall post, in three of the most public places in the new subdistrict, written or printed notices, stating time, place, and object of holding the meeting; the elec- tion shall be conducted as provided in this chapter, and a director shall be elected to serve the term, which will render the classes of directors most equal, from the annual meeting on the third Monday of April next preceding the organization of the new subdistrict; and the terms of office of the directors of subdistricts so consolidated shall expire at the time such new subdistrict is created. [75 v. 120, § 32.]
Sec. 3927. When a special district is abandoned there shall be an election of a director as provided in this chapter and for the term directed in section 3922. The clerk of the special or village district board shall deliver to the clerk of the township board all the books and papers of the special district in his custody, and notify the county auditor, in writing, of the abandonment of the organization of the district; the treasurer of the special or village district board shall deliver to the treasurer of the township board all the books, papers and money of the special or village district in his possession; the township board shall complete all unfinish- ed business pertaining to the special or village district; any débt con- tracted by the special or village district board, shall be paid out of the money transferred to the treasurer of the township board, as herein pro- vided, and out of the money arising from the taxes levied by the special or village district board; and if such funds are insufficient therefor, the remainder shall be paid by a special tax upon the property of the sub- district so created.
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Sec. 3929. The school in a joint subdistrict shall be under the con- trol of the board of education in the township in which the school-house is situate, of which board the director of the joint subdistrict shall be a member; but such school shall be supported from the school funds of the townships having territory in the joint subdistrict, in proportion to the enumeration of youth, as provided in sections thirty-nine hundred and sixty-one and thirty-nine hundred and sixty-two.
Sec. 3941a. When in a joint subdistrict established by proceedings in the probate court, a site has been designated for a school-house, the board of education of the township in which such site is designated shall make the necessary estimate to purchase such school-house site, and erect and furnish a suitable school-house thereon; and said board shall report such estimate and levy to the county auditor; said levy shall be made and the money collected in like manner as the funds are levied and collected for other joint subdistricts. .
Sec. 3961. For a joint subdistrict the estimate required by section thirty-nine hundred and fifty-eight shall be made by the board of educa- tion having control of the school thereof, and apportioned to the several townships having territory therein in proportion to the enumeration of youth in the territory belonging to each; the board shall certify such esti- mate, so apportioned, to the county auditor, who shall add the portion for each township to the estimate for a contingent fund certified to him by its board of education, and place it on the tax list therewith for collec- tion as part of the township estimate; when the county auditor apportions the school funds he shall transfer to the township having control of the school, from the other townships, the amounts so assessed and collected, and certify to the clerk and treasurer of each township the amount due the board in control of said school, including state tax, interest on the common school fund, contingent fund, and money received from other sources, which amount shall be paid to the treasurer of the board having control of the school; and such board shall cause to be kept such accounts as will show the funds received from each township, and the disposition thereof, and transmit to the other board or boards interested, at the end of the school year, a statement of such receipts and expenditures. [75 v. 84, § 35.]
Sec. 3978. In all cases of tie votes at an election for members of a board of education, the judges of election shall decide the election by lot; and in other cases of failure to elect members of the board, or in case of a refusal to serve, the board shall appoint. [70 v. 195, § 43.]
Sec. 3981. Vacancies in any board of education, arising from death, non-residence, resignation, expulsion for gross neglect of duty, failure of a person elected or appointed to qualify within ten days after the annual organization or after his appointment, or from other cause, which occur more than fifteen days before the next annual election, the board shall fill within ten days from the occurrence of the vacancy, until the next annual
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election, when a successor shall be elected to fill the unexpired term; provided such vacancy in township board may be filled at the next regu- lar meeting as prescribed in section 3920.
Sec. 3987. The board of education of any district is empowered to build, enlarge, repair and furnish the necessary school-houses, purchase or lease sites therefor, or rights of way thereto, or rent suitable school-rooms, provide all the necessary apparatus and make all other necessary provi- sions for the schools under its control; also, the board shall provide fuel for schools, build and keep in good repair all fences inclosing such school-houses, plant when deemed desirable shade and ornamental trees on the school-grounds, and make all other provisions necessary for the con- venience and prosperity of the schools within the subdistricts.
Sec. 3989. When it becomes [necessary] to rebuild the school-house of a joint subdistrict, or for the better accommodation of scholars, to change the school-house site and erect a new building thereon, the ques- tion of such rebuilding, or of such change of site and erection of a new building, shall be determined by a majority vote of the township board of education in which the school-house is situate, and in such manner as to secure the better accommodation of a majority of scholars in the same; any funds which may be or have been assessed and collected for the build- ing of such school-house shall be transferred to the custody of the board of education of the township in which the new building is to be erected, which board shall proceed in all matters connected with the erection of the building in accordance with the provisions of this chapter; and if the location is changed to another township, the personal property belong- ing to such subdistrict shall be transferred to the board of education of such township; and any real property belonging thereto, and situated in the township from which the location is changed, shall be sold by the board of education of such township, and the proceeds of the sale trans- ferred to the board of education of the township to which the location is changed. [72 v. 63, § 36.]
Sec. 4014. No pupil shall be suspended from school by a superin- tendent or teacher except for such time as may be necessary to convene the board of education, and no pupil shall be expelled except by a vote of two-thirds of such board, and not until the parent or guardian of the offending pupil has been notified of the proposed expulsion, and permitted to be heard against the same; and no pupil shall be suspended or expelled from any school beyond the current term thereof. [70 v. 195, § 71.]
Sec. 40 7. Each b a d of educa ion hall ave he management and control of the pub ic : chools of the distr ct with full power to a point a su erintendent and assis ant superin endents of the schools, a super_ intendent of buildings and teachers, janitors and other emp oye , and fix their sa aries or pay, hich salaries or pay may be increased but shall not be diminished during the ter n for which the appointment is made; b t no person shall be appointe i for a longer time than that for which a
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memb r of the boa d is elected; a d such board may dismiss any ap- pointee or inefficiency, neglect of duty, immorality, or improper conduct
Sec. 4018. It shall be unlawful or the township board of education prior o the annual election on the second M nday of April and the qualification of the director or directors elected thereat to employ or con- tract to empl y any teacher for a term to commence after the expiration of the current school yea ; and said board at the end of any month, or at the end of the term, shall give to the teachers employed by them cer- tificates of such empl yment and of service; rendered, addressed to the township clerk, who, upon presentation thereof, and compliance by such teachers with the provisions of section fort / hundred and fitty-one, shall draw order - on the township treasurer for the amounts certified to be due, in favor of the parties entitled thereto, and the tre surer shall pay the same.
Sec. 4019. If the board of education of any district dismiss any teacher for any frivolous or insufficient reason, such teacher may bring suit again t such district, and if, on the trial of the cause, a judgment be obtained against the district, the board thereof shall direct the clerk to issue an order upon the township treasurer for the sum so found due to the person entitled thereto, to pay the s me out of any money in his hands belonging to such district, and applicable to the payment of teach- ers; and in such suits process may be served on the clerk of the district, and service upon him shall be sufficient. [76 v. 58, § 1.]
Sec. 4032. The director of each subdistrict shall take the enumera- tion of his subdistrict and return the same to the clerk of the board of education in the manner prescribed in this chapter.
Sec. 4034. The enumeration of a joint subdistrict shall be taken by the director of the oint subdistrict in which toe school-house of the subdistrict is situate. He shall designate in his report to the clerk the number of youth residing in the respective fractions of townships of which the subdistrict is composed; and the clerk, if such subdistrict is composed of parts of two or more counties, shall transmit a certified copy thereof to the auditor of each county havi g territory within the subdis- trict. [70 v. 195 § 34; 71 v. 15, § 77; 72 v. 63, § 36.]
SECTION 2. All of said ( riginal sections of the Revised Statutes, together with the amendments heretofore made thereto and amended by this act, are hereby repealed; also sections 391 , 8919, 3949, 4033, and all acts or parts of acts, and all sections or parts of sections in conflict with the provisions of this act, are, to the extent of such conflict, hereby repealed; provided, that township districts organized as village districts, or that may hereafter organize as such, remain, and the boards thereof retain the powers and duties as now conferred by the Revised Statutes of the state.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after April 1st, 1893. 1
LEWIS C. LAYLIN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ANDREW L. HARRIS, President of the Senate.
Passed March 15, 1892.
[ House Bill No. 1,433.]
A BILL
To compel the elementary education of children.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That all parents, guardians and other persons who have care of children, shall instruct them, or cause them to be instructed, in reading, spelling, writing, English grammar, geography and arithmetic. Every parent, guardian or other person having charge of any child between the ages of eight and fourteen years, shall send such child to a public, private or parochial school, for the following period: In city districts, in each school year beginning September first, not less than twenty weeks, at least ten weeks of which, commencing within the first four weeks of the school year, shall be consecutive; and in special, village and township districts, not less than sixteen weeks in each school year, eight of which, commencing within the first four weeks of the school year, shall be con- secutive, unless the child is excused from such attendance by the super- intendent of the public schools in city or other districts having such sup- erintendent, or by the clerk of the board of education in village, special and township districts not having such superintendent, or by the prin- cipal of the private or parochial school, upon a satisfactory showing, either that the bodily or mental condition of the child does not permit of its attendance at school, or that the child is being instructed at home by a person qualified, in the opinion of the superintendent of schools in city or other districts having such superintendent, or the clerk of the board of education in special, village and township districts not having such superintendent, to teach the branches named in this section. In case such superintendent, principal or clerk refuse to excuse a child from attendance on school, an appeal may be taken from such decision to the probate judge of the county, upon the giving of a bond, within ten days after such refusal, to the approval of said judge, to pay all the costs of the appeal, and the decision of the probate judge in the matter shall be final. All children between the ages of eight and sixteen years, not en- gaged in some regular employment, shall attend school for the full term
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the schools of the district in which they reside are in session during the school year, unless excused for the reasons above named.
SECTION 2. No child under the age of fourteen years shall be em- ployed by any person, company or corporation during the school term, and while the public schools are in session, unless the parent, guardian or person in care of such child, shall have fully complied with the require- ments of section one of this act. Every person, company or corporation shall require proof of such compliance before employing any such minor, and shall make and keep a written record of the proof given, and shall, upon the request of the truant officer hereinafter provided for, permit him to examine such record, and also the record provided for by section 6986aa of the Revised Statutes. Any person, company or corporation employing any child contrary to the provisions of this section, shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than fifty dollars.
SECTION 3. All minors over the age of fourteen and under the age of sixteen years, who cannot read and write the English language, shall attend school at least one-half of each day, or attend a public night school, or take regular private instruction from some person qualified, in the opinion of the superintendent of schools in city or other districts having such superintendent, or by the clerk of the board of education in village, special and township districts not having such superintendent, to teach such branches, until such minor obtain a certificate from such superin- tendent or clerk, that he or she can read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language. Every person, company or corpora- tion employing, or having in employment any such minor, shall exact the school attendance or instruction required by this section, as a condi- tion of employment, and shall, on request of the truant officer hereinafter provided for, furnish evidence that such minor is complying with the re- quirements of this section. Every person, company or corporation which employs, or has in employment, any such minor without exacting the school attendance or instruction required by this section, or employs or has in employment any such minor who is not complying with the re- quirements of this section shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than fifty dollars. Provided, any employer may, with the approval of the superintendent or clerk above mentioned, make provision for the private instruction of such minors in his employ.
SECTION 4. Every child between the ages of eight and fourteen years, and every child between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years unable to read and write the English language, or not engaged in some regular employment, who is an habitual truant from school, or who absents itself habitually from school, or who, while in attendance at any public, private or parochial school, is incorrigible, vicious or immoral in conduct, or who habitually wanders about the streets and public places during school hours having no business or lawful occupation, shall be
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deerned a juvenile disorderly person, and be subject to the provisions of this act.
SECTION 5. To aid in the enforcement of this act, truant officers shall be appointed and employed as follows: In city districts the board of education shall appoint and employ one or more truant officers; in special, village and township districts the board of education shall appoint a constable or other person as truant officer. The compensation of the truant officer shall be fixed by the board appointing him. The truant officer shall be vested with police powers, and shall have authority to enter workshops, factories, stores, and all other places where children may be employed, and do what- ever may be necessary, in the way of investigation or otherwise, to enforce this act. The' truant officer shall institute proceedings against any officer, parent, guardian, person or corporation violating any pro- visions of this act, and shall otherwise discharge the duties prescribed in this act, and perform such other services as the superintendent of schools or the board of education may deem necessary to preserve the morals and secure the good conduct of school children, and to enforce this act. The truant officer shall keep a record of his transactions for the inspec- tion and information of the superintendent of the schools and the board of education; and he shall make daily reports to the superintendent of schools during the school term in cities, and to the clerk of the board of education, as often as required by him, in special, village and township districts. Suitable blanks for the use of the truant officer shall be pro- vided by the clerk of the board of education. .
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