[ No. 1.] REPORT of the Committee on Public Instruction, in relation to the proceeds of the two mill tax for the support of schools. The committee on public instruction, to whom was referred so much of the Governor's message as relates to education, Respectfully report that after a careful examination of the subject of the apportionment of the proceeds of the two mill tax for the support of schools, they have come to the conclusion, that while no thought should be entertained of any change by which the amount raised for this purpose, would be in the least diminished, yet there may, and ought to be such a change made in the manner of apportioning this fund, as will secure the greatest amount of good to the schools throughout the State. The moneys raised by this two mill tax are now paid back to the districts in which they were collected, without regard to the number of its children or the wants of its school, and the result is that in some districts an excess of money accumulates beyond the amount necessary to pay their teachers, while in others considerable sums still have to be raised by rate bills. This difficulty can all be obviated by a more equitable division of the school funds, and inasmuch as the principle upon which all our school taxes are based, is that of affording the facilities for obtaining an education to all the children of the State, it is unnecessary to offer an argument to show that the plainest dictates of public policy demand such an adjustment of the school system as to secure the objects for which the system was established and intended. It is hardly necessary to say that the property of the State can well afford to pay for the education of the children of the State, for it is the intelligence and virtue of the people, the refinement and good order of society that gives to property its greatest value, and makes its possession in an intelligent, enlightened community, worth almost infinitely more than in the midst of an ignorant and depraved people. It is plain then, that such an apportionment as will secure to the schools the greatest amount of good, and through them, secure to the children the best opportunities for an education, will in the end, result in the general prosperity as well as happiness of the community. But it is not only a plain principle of political economy and enlightened public policy to provide schools entirely free, but is simply carrying out a positive requirement of the constitution. That instrument imposes upon the Legislature the duty of establishing "a system of primary schools, whereby a school shall be kept, without charge for tuition, at least three months in each year;" and although your committee are well aware that in very many districts free schools are maintained for a much longer time than this, yet it is also true, that very many do not yet have any school "without charge for tuition." Your committee, believing that this object will be more fully secured, the weaker and poorer districts strengthened, and the general efficiency and usefulness of the schools greatly increased, by a change in the manner of distributing the proceeds of the two mill tax, beg leave respectfully to recommend that the apportionment be made as follows: 1st. That a sum equal to ten cents for each child between the ages of five and twenty years, as enumerated in the last prece ding school census, be annually appropriated to the purchase of books for the library, with the privilege of increasing the amount to a sum not exceeding twenty-five cents on the scholar in the discretion of the district or school district board; 2. One-half of the remainder to be apportioned to the several districts in the township, in the same manner as the primary school fund is now distributed; 3. The remaining one-half to be equally divided among the several districts which shall have had a school taught by a qualified teacher for at least four months during the preceding year. This manner of apportionment would divide about one-third of the entire school moneys, consisting of the primary school fund and the two mill tax, equally among the districts, and the remaining two-thirds, according to the number of scholars; and the experience of the State of New York, and some other States, where nearly the same system is in successful operation, fully substantiates the opinion of your committee as to its propriety and beneficial results, and lead them more confidently to make the recommendations herein contained, and they herewith report a bill to accomplish the object, and recommend that it do pass. Your committee have also had under consideration the memorial of the State Board of Education, touching "the amount to be appropriated for, and the manner of purchasing books" for the school district libraries, which was also referred to them, and as the subject matter of the memorial, so far as it relates to the amount of the two mill tax which shall be used for the purchase of books, is immediately connected with the subject already embodied in this report, your committee beg leave to state that it seems to them not only important, but absolutely necessary, in order to support the library system, and prevent a fatal deterioration of the libraries, that some definite sum be fixed by law to be annually set apart from the proceeds of the two mill tax, to be appropriated to the purchase of books, and in view of this have already, in this report, recommended such the Legislature of 1859, to provide for introducing into our school district libraries a better class of books; and with this end in view, they provided that "the State Board of Education" should "make a list of books, unsectarian in character, suitable for district or township libraries, and contract with the lowest responsible bidder to furnish the same in such number as might be wanted, at stipulated prices." Provision was also made that these lists, with the prices, should be furnished to each school director and township clerk, but after all this trouble and expense, left it entirely optional with the district boards or township inspectors to purchase from this list or not, evidently supposing, as a matter of course, that these boards would avail themselves of these lists and contract prices, prepared with great care and expense by the Educational Board, the agents of the State, whose means and facilities for the selection of suitable books and at better rates, were greatly in advance of the school boards of the districts or townships. But the experience of a few years has shown conclusively, that, to be of much practical value, this law should be so amended as to require that purchases should be made from the list of books so selected, and from the parties with whom contracts have been made; and unless this is done, the benefit resulting from the law of 1859, on this subject, will not warrant the expense incurred in carrying its provisions into effect, and it might as well be repealed, leaving the districts to select and purchase at some gift book store, or peddler's cart, as suits their convenience, or inclination. With the amendment above recommended, and a provision requiring the State Board of Education to advertise for proposals before making a contract—which course they have always pursued, though not required by the terms of the law-the provision is one of very great value to the library system of the State, and most certainly ought to continue. Your committee herewith report the memorial back to the Senate, and the accompanying bill, to carry into effect the |