VII.—School Laws—their Operation.

The great majority of our school laws have worked well, and have been faithfully carried out. The Act passed by the Legislature in 1870, providing for the election, by the parents and guardians of children attending the common schools, of a third member for the school board of each district, and defining the powers of those boards, has been inoperative. During the four years that the Act has been in force, observation has proved that in a great majority of school districts, not only are parents and guardians entirely apathetic in the matter of the choice of a third member for their district school board, but it has also demonstrated that a door has been opened by it to a very shiftless portion of our population to enter our common schools as teachers.

The Board of Education, through its authorized agents, has ever been ready to listen to all the reasonable requests of the parents of any district in matters pertaining to the education of their children. I respectfully recommend that your Honorable Body repeal this Act.