imitated the example of their ancestors. They found a goodly land; they settled upon it and began to plant the seeds of a free commonwealth. When our forefathers were on the "Mayflower" they drew up a simple compact and organized themselves into a free body politic; they landed at Plymouth and planted the first New England town. The miners at Dubuque formed for themselves a free democratic government. In other parts of the state wherever the settlers came there appeared a little free civil government formed by their voluntary association.

The early settlers of Iowa were from different states. Some were familiar with town government as it exists in New England; others with county government as it exists in the South; still others were accustomed to local governments in which the power is divided between township and county, such as exist in the middle states. Many of the early settlers had lived in Illinois. This state was first settled in the southern part by people from the South, who established the county system of local government.

Form of Local Government. These various classes naturally strove to plant in the new territory their own peculiar institutions. The New Englanders favored the town-meeting and the township. The Southerners and those from Illinois favored the county. Those from Ohio and Pennsylvania naturally would divide local government between township and county. The laws made by the territorial legislature, and those made by the General Assembly after Iowa became a state, bear testimony to the mixed character of the people. At one time local government was almost entirely in the

hands of counties; at another time the laws provided. for placing it in the hands of townships after the manner of New England. The people were generally too far apart for this latter plan to succeed, and the final result has been a division of local government between township and county.

CHAPTER II.

LOCAL SCHOOL GOVERNMENT.

THE work of education is done in part by parents. One may employ a tutor or governess to come into the family and teach his children, or a number of families may have their children meet together, and employ one teacher for them all, or parents may procure education for their children by paying for tuition in schools established by others. Churches and religious societies have done much for the education of youth. These various agencies may be relied upon to do a part of the work, yet there is no way in which it can be made certain that all youth will be provided with the means of education, unless the work is taken up by the government. Origin of Public Schools. There is an established church in England supported by the government. When Englishmen settled in America they continued the policy of supporting the church by taxation. In New England one of the first duties of a new town was to build a church and provide for the support of a pastor. An important part of the work of the church

was the education of the youth. The expenses of both church and school were met by taxation. In course of time, as religious denominations increased in number, the church came to be supported by voluntary contribution, but the school continued to be supported by taxation. This was the origin of our public school system in America. From New England the system has been extended to other parts of the country. When Congress made provision for the government of the Northwest Territory, the education of youth was recognized as a part of the work of government. After the plan of a public survey had been adopted, the sixteenth section of land in each township was set apart for the support of public schools.

Public Schools in Iowa.-Iowa, as we have seen, was settled at a time when there was no provision for governing the territory. The settlers banded themselves together for mutual protection and government. Schools were established by the voluntary action of such as were interested in the subject. When Iowa was made a part of Michigan in 1834, the laws of Michigan provided for education by the government. Iowa became a part of Wisconsin Territory in 1836, and the laws of Wisconsin provided for public schools. When Iowa secured a territorial government of its own, the legislature in its first session passed a law for the education at public expense of all white children in the territory. The state constitution, which went into effect in 1846, recognized the education of youth as a part of the work of the state. Yet, during all this time, the schools were supported by voluntary association. The laws for the maintenance of schools were

not generally enforced until about 1855. Since that time the work has constantly grown and increased in importance.

Forms of School Government. - In the laws of Iowa there has been provision for nearly every form of local school government which has ever been invented. In the earliest times those school districts, which never existed outside of the statutes, had each seven officers, including an assessor and a tax collector. The laws afterward placed the work of collecting the school tax in the hands of the county or township. There are now four varieties of local school government.

The Sub-district System. The system of local school government in most general use is the sub-district system. Every township is a district for school purposes. The district is first organized by the trustees of the civil township, who hold an election, and a school board is thus chosen. The school board proceeds to divide the township into sub-districts, usually nine in number, a tax is voted and a school-house built in each sub-district.

Election. Five days before the first Monday in March of each year it is the duty of the director in each sub-district to post in three public places in the district a notice of election. On the day appointed the electors meet at the hour specified and choose a subdirector for the ensuing year. In this way as many sub-directors are chosen as there are sub-districts in the township.

1

The Annual Meeting of Electors.- The second Monday in March of each year is the day for a general school-meeting of all the voters in the township. It is organized by choosing a president and secretary in case 1 By statute of 1892 sub-directors are chosen for three years.

the president and secretary of the school board are absent. This meeting has power to authorize the sale of school property, to determine whether extra studies. shall be taught in the schools, to authorize the board to procure at the expense of the township, public roads for the accommodation of the schools, or to commit all these duties by vote to the board of directors. Any tax which may be necessary for building purposes must be voted at the annual meeting. This meeting is usually attended by few persons. The school officers come together and pass the necessary votes, and the business which the law puts into the hands of all the voters in the township is often transacted by fewer persons than is the business in the hands of the school board.

Duties of the School Board. - The sub-directors chosen at the annual election on the first Monday in March are required by law to take the oath of office within two weeks, and on the third Monday in March the sub-directors from all the sub-districts in the township meet and organize as the board of directors for the "district township." They choose a president from their own number. They choose also a secretary and treasurer1 from their own number in case there are five or more directors; otherwise, from the district township at large. The board of directors holds two regular meetings each year; one in March, the other in September. The school directors divide the township for school purposes; they locate and build school-houses, and determine how many schools shall be taught. The law requires the board, before building a house, to consult the county superintendent as to the most approved plan. The board may establish union or graded schools

1 At the first September meeting.