PREFACE. STATE OF OHIO, OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF SCHOOLS, Section 54 of the general school law makes it the duty of the School Commissioner to "cause as many copies of the laws relating to schools and teachers' institutes, with an appendix of appropriate forms and instructions for carrying into execution all such laws, to be printed in a separate volume, and distributed to each county with the laws, journals and other documents for the use of the school officers therein, as often after the first distribution as any change in said laws may be made of sufficient importance, in the opinion of the Commissioner, to require a republication and distribution thereof." Strict obedience to the requirements of this section would have led to the publication of a new edition of school laws, forms, &c., one year ago, as numerous and important amendments had then been enacted. Many school officers throughout the state requested that the work should not be delayed, as much inconvenience was experienced from its want. But in view of the probability that additional amendments would be enacted by the succeeding Legislature, and unwilling that the state should be subjected to the expense of publishing an edition which might within six months become obsolete, I judged it prudent to defer the publication until the present season. As but a single section of the law was amended during the recent session of the Legislature, and as there was manifested a general indisposition to make further changes, there is a strong probability that the present school laws of the state will remain for years without material alteration. The former edition was published under the supervision of the Hon. William Trevitt, Secretary of State, in 1853. It embraced only the general school law, and forms for the use of school officers. The present edition comprises, 1st. The act to provide for the reorganization, supervision and maintenance of common schools, passed March 14, 1853. |