| Show FREE SCHOOLS IN CITIES TIM THE first bill introduced int reduced in the territorial legislature at the present 1 Is one to establish a free public school system in certain cities of the territory of utah it provides that in cities of the first and second classes there shall be aboard of education consisting of two members elected from each municipal ward of the city as other city officers are to this board is given full control of the schools anti and school property of the city with power cato to ok establish graded and high school dart departments mente whenever in their E opinion the educational interests of the city demand the same to this section see sec 4 is appended this proviso A provided that no tuition fee nor any charge of such nature shall be established for pupils between the ages of six and eighteen years residing in the city where they attend school the board of education may elect a clerk whose duty shall be to keep a record of its proceedings keep accounts etc and a superintendent of public schools who shall have immediate supervision of the public schools under the direct direction ton of the board the city treasurer is made ex officio treasurer of the board and his duties as such are defined no member of the board of education shall receive any pay or emoluments for his services section 16 is as follows ano na sectarian or religious doctrine shall be taught or inculcated in any of the public schools of the city but nothing in this section shall be con to prohibit the reading of the holy scriptures without comment f applicants for positions as teachers shall be examined by a board of three persons appointed by the board of education and shall receive a certificate in accordance with their qualifications As soon as a board of education shall be elected and qualified in any given city the title of all school property in such city shall vest in the board in trust for the use of the public schools of the city in the month of august of each year the board shall make an estimate of the amount of money that will be required to conduct the schools pay interest etc during the year commencing with the first of january following and report to the city assessor sess orand and collector the percentage of tax on the real and personal property in the city necessary to raise tha thea needed for school pur poses the assessor and collector shall assess and collect such tax a other taxes are and shall pay the same to the city er who shall bold the fund subject to the tle order of the board f education the school tax shall not dot exceed six mills on the dollar in anyone any one year the whole city shall compose a school district for purposes of taxation but may be subdivided into as many districts for other purposes as the board may we see fit power is given to the board of education to cause to be assessed and collected in any one or more of af the districts in which a city may be divided a tax sufficient to provide that district with school buildings and property as good as the average of the other districts of the city the p proportionate value of its taxable property being considered the board of education in a city of thee the first class may issue bonds to the amount of f and of a city of the second class to the amount of ef the proceeds to be used in providing school buildings and furnishing bishing them et etc the creation and management manag ment of a slaking sinking fund are provided for and permission is given for cities of the third class to adopt the system by vote of their city councils councI 18 but the board of education of a cit city y of the third class shall consist of only three mem members beis and it shall not issue bonds to an amount exceeding under this bill should it become law the common schools of the larger cities in the territory would be placed under an excellent system of management and control the bill has defective features but much N might be said in its favor one of the most objectionable phases in it is that which compels a city to have free schools whether it at wants them or not local option is preferable to universal compulsion in matters of this kind section 18 of the bill which alms aims to peremptorily transfer school property from its present owners to other parties is open to question in respect to its constitutionality it is doubtful if the legislature of this territory has power to do anything of the kind the people of an existing school district who have taxed themselves to erect an expensive school building would very likely object to having the title to the property transferred to the city at large or vested in other ocher than their own immediate representatives and the courts would be very likely to sustain so reasonable an objection no matter what might b be the flat fiat of tho tha assembly |
