Article VIII.-Education.

SECTION 1. The education of the masses, and the diffusion of knowledge among them, being essential in order to preserve the rights and liberties of the people and maintain a free government, it shall be the duty of this State to provide by law for the maintenance of public schools.

§ 2. The legislature shall, as soon as practicable, establish schools in all the counties in the State, and maintain them by an equal tax; and it shall be the duty of the legislature to set apart one-twelfth of the gross income of the State derived from taxation as a perpetual fund, which fund shall be apportioned for the maintenance of public schools, in proportion to the population; and no law shall be passed diverting said fund to any other use.

§ 3. The superintendence of public instruction will be conferred upon a superintendent of public schools, and such other officers as may be prescribed by law; and, until otherwise provided, the secretary of state shall be, ex officio, superintendent of public schools.

CLASSIFIED SUMMARY.

NOTE.-The dates given in the following summary are those of first introduction mentioned into the constitutions of the provisions, and it will be understood that they have been since continued, unless it is otherwise mentioned:

RIGHT OF EDUCATION:

The people have a right to the privileges of an education, and it is the duty of the State to guard this right. N. C., 1868.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS:

Must be able to read. Conn., 1855.

Must read English, and write their names. Mass., 1859.
May be required to read, after January, 1876. Mo., 1865.

OBJECTS TO BE PROMOTED BY THE STATE:

Agriculture, arts, science, commerce, trades, manufactures, and natural history. Mass., 1780.

Arts and sciences. Del., 1792; Ga., 1798.

Arts, sciences, commerce, manufactures, and natural history. Ind., 1816; Ark., 1836.

Arts, sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures, and natural history. N. H., 1784.

General diffusion of education. Me., 1820.

General diffusion of knowledge. Tex., 1845.

Humanity, general benevolence, public and private charity, industry, economy, honesty, punctuality, sincerity, sobriety, social affections, and generous sentiments. N. H., 1784. [The same, excepting "frugality" in place of "economy," and "good humor" in place of "social affections."] Mass., 1780.

Humanity, industry, and morality. Ind., 1816; Ark., 1836. Intellectual, literary, scientific, mechanical, agricultural, and moral improvements. Nev., 1864.

Intellectual, scientific, and agricultural improvements. Ind., 1816; Mich., 1853; Ark., 1836.

Intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement. Iowa, 1846; Cal., 1849; Ind., 1851; Kans., 1859; Miss., 1868. Intelligence and stability. Minn., 1858.

Intelligence, virtue, and stability. Miss., 1868.

Knowledge and intelligence. Mo., 1865; Ark., 1868; N. J., 1873.

OBJECTS TO BE PROMOTED BY THE STATE-Continued.

Knowledge and learning. N. II., 1784; Ind., 1816; Ark., 1836.
Knowledge and virtue. R. I., 1842.

Knowledge, learning, and virtue. Tenn., 1834.

Literature and science. Mass., 1780; N. H., 1784; Tenn., 1834.
Literature, arts, and science. Mo., 1820; Mich., 1835; Iowa, 1846;
Kans., 1859.

Moral, intellectual, scientific, and agricultural improvements. W.
Va., 1861.

Religion, morality, and knowledge. Miss., 1817; Ohio, 1851; Nebr., 1867; Ark., 1868; N. C., 1868.

Virtue, and prevention of vice. Vt., 1786.

Virtue, and prevention of vice and immorality. Pa., 1776.
Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue. Mass., 1780.

ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOLS:

Schools to be encouraged. N. H., 1784; Vt., 1786; Del., 1792; Ohio,

1802; Ala., 1819; Me., 1820; Mo., 1820; Ark., 1836; Tex., 1845; La., 1845; Oreg., 1857; Minn., 1858; Nebr., 1867; Fla., 1868; Miss., 1868; Pa., 1873.

Public and private schools to be encouraged by rewards and immunities. Nev., 1864.

Schools and means of education to be encouraged. Miss., 1817.
Schools to be free. Wis., 1848.

Free schools to be established. Ind., 1816; Mich., 1850; La., 1852;

W. Va., 1861; Md., 1867; Ala., 1868; Ark., 1868; Ga., 1868; Miss., 1868; N. C., 1868; S. C., 1868; Tex., 1869; Ill., 1870; Va., 1870. Free schools as early as practicable by tax. Tex., 1845.

Schools to be kept in each county at State expense. Ga., 1777 to 1789. A school or schools in each county. Pa., 1776.

At least one free school in every parish. La., 1864.

One or more schools to be kept in each township. Mo., 1820.

Schools to be kept in every township. Minn., 1858; W. Va., 1861. Free common schools to be kept in each district. Ala., 1868; Ark., 1868.

Free schools defined as "elementary." N. J., 1873.

Public to pay salaries so as to enable youth to be taught. Pa., 1776.
Schools for the poor to be gratis. Pa., 1790; Mo., 1820.
Poor entitled to privileges of education. Ohio, 1802.

Schools must be taught three months in a year. Mich., 1835; Iowa, 1846; Wis., 1848; Cal., 1849; Kans., 1859; Mo., 1865; Ark., 1868; Fla., 1868.

Schools must be taught four months in a year. Miss., 1868; N. C.,

1868.

Schools must be taught six months in a year. Md., 1864 to 1867; S. C., 1868; Nev., 1869.

Schools for whites of scholastic age. Tex., 1866.

GENERAL SUPERINTENDENCE OF SCHOOLS:

Title of chief officer:

"General superintendent of free schools." W. Va., 1861.

[Governor to act as superintendent until the office is created by law.] Oreg., 1857.

"State school-commissioner." Ga., 1868.

"Superintendent of public education." Miss., 1868.

"Superintendent of public education." La., 1845, 1852, 1864; [may be abolished, La., 1868;] Wis., 1848; Cal., 1849; Mich., 1850; Ind., 1851; Md., 1864 to 1867; Nev., 1864; Tex., 1866; Ala., 1868; Ark., 1868; Fla., 1868; N. C., 1868; S. C., 1868; Ill., 1870; Va., 1870; Pa., 1873.

"Superintendent of public schools." Mo., 1865.

Election or appointment of chief officer:

[Elected by the people, except as follows:]

By joint ballot of general assembly. Va., 1870.

By the governor and senate. Mich., 1835; Md., 1864 to 1867; 1866 to 1869; Ga., 1868.

Tex.,

By the board of education, with the consent of the senate, but may be made elective by law, with a term of two years. Miss., 1868.

Term of chief officer :

Two years. Mich., 1835; La., 1845 to 1864; Ind., 1851; Kans., 1859; Nev., 1864.

Three years. Iowa, 1846; Cal., 1849 to 1862.

Four years. Ky., 1850; W. Va., 1861; Cal., 1862; La., 1864; Mo., 1865; Tex., 1866; Ark., 1868; Fla., 1868; N. C., 1868; Ill., 1870; Va., 1870.

Five years. Md., 1864.

Same as that of the governor. W. Va., 1861; Ala., 1868; Fla., 1868; Ga., 1868.

To be fixed by law. Wis., 1848; S. C., 1868.

Salary of chief officer:

[To be fixed by law, except in the following cases:]

Not over $1,200. Wis., 1848.

Fifteen hundred dollars and expenses, not over $500. W. Va., 1872. Two thousand dollars. Fla., since 1871.

Twenty-five hundred dollars. Md., 1864, (till changed by law;) Tex., 1869.

Three thousand dollars. Fla., 1868 to 1871.

Four thousand dollars.

Five thousand dollars.

Location of chief office:

La., 1864 to 1868.

La., 1868.

At the seat of government. Ky., 1850; Kans., 1859; Ark., 1868; Fla., 1868; Ga., 1868; Ill., 1870; W. Va., 1872.

May be removed in certain cases mentioned. Fla., 1868.