Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1869 — No:More School Meetings. [ARTICLE]

No:More School Meetings.

Professor Babnabas C. Hobbs, Superintendant of Public Instruetion, In a recent communication to the Tndiaas Teacher, gives it as bis opinion that the people of cities and incorporated towns have not the right to hold school meetings for the purpose of selecting or dismissing teachers, or for any other purpose connected with the schools. His reasoning is about this: The Jaw does not empower the people to meet and elect teachers. If it does, it is impractical for them to do so. The law is ambiguous.— Therefore it is improper they should be permitted to do so. We had supposed that unless the law, by exgress terms, empowered the town trustees to employ and, dismiss teachers, or perform any other duties, these duties and powers would still remain with the people, from whom all laws eminate. Thia view is in accordance with the fundamental law of the nation, is In harmony with democratic principles, underlies all republican forms of government, and b in keeping with the decisions of our courts, but Professor Hobbs, in imitation ot his predecessor, Pro-, feasor Hoss, thinks that ail powers not expressly reserved by law to the people are invested in an offices created by statute. This reasoning is simply absurd, tad from it we are- led to think that our present Super in tend ant of Public Instruction is not much of an improvement upon the gentleman whom he has succeeded in ofwhom it is very generally conceded was far from being what is of tho parson in his reIf it really is impractical for the. oitixens of cities and large towns to •ehettbotetahort for their schools,

It is from theftrat that instead of ths city dr large town forming bet one school district, as the fiction of law supposes, it is subdivided into several, each of which has its corps of teachers who esa not, from the nature of things, hsve connection with ths pupil, not resident of their wards or sub-districts, and of course the parents or guardians of pupils can have no possible interest in schools their children do not attend; but in small towns, like Rensselaer, where there is but one school, this impracticability does not exist and it is not only proper, but it is better for the people to indicate to the trustees whom to employ for teachers-aa ?t is done in country school districts. We think it better because where the pqoplc are consulted in school matters they take an increased interest in the schools, and their feelings are imparted to the children to a greater extent than a casual observer would suppose. Then it must certainly add to the efficiency of a the teacher to feel that he is the choiee of. his patrons rather than the selection of a triumvirate who have arrogated to themselves authority based upon the ambiguity of a sentence. Wetrust that hereafter, (as there is nothing du the law to prohibit them), the people of Rc.'.sicleer will designate the teachers to be employed, and, if it he needed, ill dismiss them; then feathers will be found working more in the interest of the tax-payers and the children, and lees to keep in the good graces of the trustees.