The Growth of Public School In dividual States began at a very early period to establish permanent funds for the support of common schools. In 1795 the lands known as the 'Western Reserve,' held by Connecticut, were sold for $1,000,000, and the money turned into the school fund. New York also made provision for common schools by setting aside a portion of the public lands for this purpose. New Hampshire began a school fund by exact ing one-half of 1 per cent upon the capital of banks within the State. Other States made sim ilar but less effective efforts, a favorite means being the granting of lottery privileges for the raising of funds. Much more fruitful sources of permanent school funds in the several States have been Congressional land grants that have been made from time to time out of the un settled government land lying to the west of the original colonies. Each of the States subse quently carved from this vast territory re caved a grant varying from one to three sec tions from each township for school purposes. In addition to the direct appropriation of land, it has been the policy of the government to turn into the State treasuries, also, a percentage of the net proceeds from the sale of public lands within their borders. In some States, the school lands were sold at an early date at low prices; in others the lands are held to the present day. By act of Congress 1836 a surplus in the United States treasury was distributed among the States. The amount actually given was something less than $30,000,000. In 16 of the 26 States then existing, this money was appro priated in whole or in part to the permanent schools' funds. The present total annual in come from permanent school funds and the rent of school lands is something over $17,500,000, but this amount is very unevenly distributed among the States. When we consider that the total annual expenditure for public schools now closely approximates $640,000,000, it can be seen that the income from permanent funds forms but a small fraction of what is actully expended; yet it would be an error to assume that the in fluence of these public funds has been limited to their comparative magnitude.
Systems of Administration.— Developing as the public school has done from the indi vidual settlement as the starting point, it can easily be understood why the district system of administration has been so potent in the past, and why in some States the people still cling so persistently to this form of management. The (school distnct,* our oldest and most primary form of school organization, is the smallest civil division of our political system. It was early recognized by law and given legal func tions and responsibilities. The district manages its school affairs in a simple way, a board of directors or trustees, usually three in number, being elected to employ the teacher, determine the amount of money to be expended and in general to conduct the school affairs of the dis trict. This is the most elementary and at the same time the most democratic of methods for school administration. It is particularly well fitted to sparsely settled sections of country, but not so well adapted to denser populations, since it prevents the efficiency that arises from consolidation.
The township system forms the next natural stage in the development of school administra tion, since it is based on a convenient political unit, not too large for effective local direction. In this system, one set of officers conducts the educational affairs of the whole township, erect ing buildings where they will best accommodate the people, employing teachers, grading the schools, in many cases providing for the trans portation of children to and from school, and usually crowning the whole with a township high school, to which pupils may be promoted upon the completion of their elementary course. The State of Indiana has been a pioneer in in troducing the township system. A number of other States have adopted it wholly or in part.
Most if not all the Southern States have a county system of school administration, because there the county rather than the township is the unit of government. While in the Northern States the county has never been the unit for civil or for educational organization, it is and has long been the unit for supervision of schools. With but few exceptions each county has a superintendent whose chief duties are: (1) the certification of teachers ; (2) the personal super vision of the schools through visitation ; (3) the of teachers' institutes.
The foregoing organization exists chiefly for the administration of rural and village schools. Nothing has been more marked than the de velopment of cities. It is obvious that adminis tration through the primitive district system would soon become altogether inadequate for the needs of a city. Legislatures have accord ingly made special laws to meet the needs of cities of various classes. The largest cities in a State, like New York City, Buffalo and Roch ester, in New York, usually have special charters enabling them to conduct their schools as they deem best. Cities as a rule have boards of ed ucation for the administration of the system. These boards differ greatly in size and in the manner of their appointment. In most cities the members are elected by the people for stated periods, sometimes at large, sometimes by wards or subdistricts. In some of the larger cities the members are appointed by the mayor and city council acting jointly.
Housing and Eqtupznent.—Nothing is more noteworthy than the development of public school architecture in the United States. In full accord with its democratic genesis, the hous ing and equipment reflects completely the edu cational status of the community. The rural school may be a mere unsightly box with the most primitive apparatus; or it may be an artis tic building, adequate in size, well heated, lighted and ventilated, supplied with separate wardrobes for boys and girls, and equipped with needed books and apparatus. State and county super intendents have done much to inform their re spective rural communities of what is desirable and practicable in country schoolhouses, fur nishing freely plans and specifications, and even providing the builders with complete models for their guidance. In the State of Missouri over 600 rural schoolhouses were erected in a short time in accordance with a model furnished by the State superintendent of public instruction. The cost of a building of this type was $600.