OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, HON. H. N. WALKER, Allorney General: DEAR SIR:-On examining the abstracts of school inspectors' reports required by law to be made by the county clerks to this office, I ascertain that many of the towns have no township libraries. I also learn, in answer to questions proposed to county clerks and school inspectors, that funds which (according to my understanding of the law,) are directed to be appropriated to the purchase of township libraries, and to no other purpose, have been passed to the credit of the general fund, and used as such, in several cases. In some instances where the board of supervisors has held a session since these inquiries were made, and the subject has been laid before them, they have levied the amount belonging to the library fund that has been misapplied, which will be collected the coming winter, and apportioned by the county treasurer to the several towns. In other instances they have not even done this. In one county, at least, the school inspectors, in anticipation of their dividend of the fines imposed in the county, have purchased libraries on credit, and the board of supervisors at a subsequent meeting have remitted those fines. The supervisors have, also, in many cases, refused to place the amount of the half mill tax upon the assessment roll, which they are required by law to do. My information in relation to the powers, duties and liabilities of these officers is derived chiefly from the 10th article of the constitution, from the school law of 1843, and from "an act to provide more effectually for the collection and disposition of fines, penalties and forfeitures of recognizances," in the session laws of 1844. Will you please favor me with an early answer to the following questions, and make such remarks in relation to the course pursued by these officers severally, and give such explanation of the law touching these points, as in your judgment the subject requires: 1st. Is the board of supervisors empowered to remit fines imposed by our courts of law? 2d. Has the board of supervisors any right whatever to interfere with the appropriation of "fines, penalties and forfeitures of recognizances ?" 3d. Can said fines, penalties and forfeitures be lawfully appropriated to any other purpose than the purchase of township libraries? 4th. Can supervisors with impunity neglect or refuse to assess the half mill tax for which provision is made in the 44th section of "an act relative to common or primary schools," approved March 8, 1843 ? Yours, truly, IRA MAYHEW, Sup't of Public Instruction. Detroit, December 8, 1845. SIR: Your favor of the 17th ult. came to hand in due season, and in answer to the several questions therein propounded, I have the honor to say, that in my opinion, The board of supervisors have no power to remit fines imposed by our courts of law-and that all money collected or received by the county treasurers, on fines, penalties or forfeiture of recognizes must be paid over to school inspectors of the several towns, and by them be invested in a township library. It is undoubtedly the duty of the supervisors to assess a half mill tax until the year 1847, and annually thereafter a tax of one mill for school purposes, and a neglect or refusal renders them liable, as in other cases, for neglect of official duty. Yours, very respectfully, TO SUP'T PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. HENRY N. WALKER.' School Houses. In some of the older counties of the state, there are many very creditable school houses. In the counties more recently settled, and to a considerable extent throughout the state, there are many poor. and incommodious houses. There is, however, a desire, and a determination expressed in many cases, to supply their places with better Several letters from different parts of the state have recently been received at this office, asking for plans of school houses. Should the legislature provide for the supply of the township and district officers, with the revised school law, I would respectfully suggest the propriety of having a plan or plans for school houses published therewith. This is a subject of vast importance. The place where nine ones. teen twentieths of our youth receive their entire scholastic instruction, should not be overlooked. School houses are important auxilaries in the great work of education. If they are unpleasantly located, of mean architecture, and incommodiously constructed; if they are suffered to become and remain filthy, if they are uncomfortably warmed, and their vital parts are literally whittled out; in short, is they more resemble hovels than "temples of science," their tendency will be to lower in the scale of being, to brutalize the youth who resort to them for purposes of instruction. On the other hand, if they are pleasantly located, comfortably constructed, and inviting in their appearance, within and without, their tendency will be to elevate the minds and hearts of both teachers and pupils. If there is one house in the district more pleasantly located, more comfortably constructed, better warmed, more inviting in its general appearance, and more elevating in its influence than any other, that house should unquestionably be the district school house. Branches of the University. In order to ascertain more fully the condition of these institutions, and their means of usefulness, circulars have been addressed to the principals, asking several practical questions. Answers, except in one instance, have been received, from which the following table is made up: Reports have been received from five of the six branches. In them ten teachers are employed, eight males and two females. The total number of students is 274; males 172, females 102. The number engaged in studying the classics is 72. There are 36 studying French, 111 the higher branches of Mathematics or Natural Sciences, and 125 limited in their course of study to the common English branches. The principal object in proposing these questions has been to ascertain the influence of the branches upon the common schools, and particularly to ascertain the number of common school teachers that are annually qualified in the branches. The result of the inquiries is indicated by the table. The Principal of the branch at Tecumseh remarks: "There is no distinct department for the qualification of teachers, but will be whenever a number of students shall seem to require it." The Principal at Romeo remarks: "No distinct department, but twenty or thirty annually qualified teachers." The Principal at Pontiac remarks that among his students "there are four or five young men who will probably teach this winter." The Principal at White Pigeon says: "No teachers' department, but good teachers made in the branch, and from six to eight for the three years last past, have been employed in the vicinity, during several months of each year." There are then but few teachers qualified in all of the branches; not half enough to supply the schools of one county. Three of the branches reporting receive each, an appropriation of $200, from the Board of Regents. In one of the branches only, is there a library. It contains 200 volumes, one half of which are owned by the Principal. The Principal of the branch at Tecumseh, in his remarks concerning a library, inquires: "Would, or would there not, be any objections to the Principals of the branches being allowed to draw books from the library at Ann Arbor, subject to return once each term-or thrice a year? If such a privilege were granted us, we could secure in that way some aids in teaching, which cannot be obtained in any other way. I have felt the need of some such aid, and should be glad if a plan could be adopted that would not be prejudicial to the interests of the University, and would still secure the object I have mentioned." |