STATE SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION. The government of the United States has never exercised control or supervision over public education. The American people were not prepared for a national system of education when the foundation of the national govern ment was established by the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. That docu ment does not, therefore, contain a single pro vision in relation to the subject of education. There was not that common mutual interest in the social, industrial, commercial and political relations between the several 'States which later gradually developed among them. There was much prejudice and even fear against the power of a centralized national government. The idea of State control in all matters pos sible prevailed to a large extent among the people of all the States. While the suhject of education was not regarded generally by the national leaders as one to receive their con sideration, there were men in all parts of the country who recognized the vital need of es tablishing schools for the education of all children. Even in colonial days this idea had strong support in many of the colonies, notably in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Dutch settlers brought with them the ideas of governmental institutions which pre vailed in Holland. In the Dutch settlements schools had generally been established. The English Dissenters also brought with them their beliefs on social problems and they also organized schools in their settlements. When States were organized and institutions were being developed to meet the social needs of a progressive people, the influences which had been created by these forces were bound to be a potent factor. In these States, therefore, the establishment of schools received early consideration. The British evacuated the City of New York in November 1783, and within two months from that time Governor George Clinton was urging upon the legislature of New York the need of schools in the follow ing language: " Neglect of the education of youth is among the evils consequent on war — perhaps there is scarce anything more your attention, than the revival and encouragement of seminaries of learning; and nothing by which we can more satisfactorily express our gratitude to the Supreme Being for his past favors; since piety and virtue are generally the offspring of an enlightened understanding."
Gradually each State by legislative enact ment either continued the schools established by the colony or authorized the establishment of new schools. In many cases special acts conferred upon a particular community the authority to maintain a school. The general laws authorizing and requiring all communi ties in the State to provide schools were en acted. State aid was gradually extended. Thus through a process of legislation there was gradually established a system of education in every State in the Union. By this method the accepted policy of the nation in relation to public education was adopted and that policy is the voluntary action of each State in organ izing and maintaining a State system of public education. When the practice of a State upon a subject has been continued for a long period of years so that such practice becomes the fixed policy of the State, the people of the State usually express that policy in their State con stitution. When new States are admitted to the Union such States adopt a constitution, and it has been the settled practice of the newer States to incorporate in their constitu tions a provision requiring the maintenance of a system of free schools. As the constitu tions of older States have been revised a pro vision relating to education has been incor porated in such constitutions. The State of New York. which enacted a general law estab lishing a State-wide school system in 1812, did not include an article in her constitution in relation to education until 1894.
Nearly every State in the Union has written in its constitution a provision requiring the maintenance of a system of free common schools. These constitutional provisions are similar to the following: