H

ON. LEWIS D. BONEBRAKE, the present state commissioner of common schools is a product of the Ohio public school system, and for over twenty years has been actively engaged in educational work. He was born in Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio, August 23, 1859. His father, Rev. Daniel Bonebrake, was born in Preble county, Ohio, and is still living at the age of 74 years. A great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary war and with his brothers served under Washington in and around Philadelphia. Two of his great-uncles were scouts under General Harrison in the war of 1812, and three others served as soldiers in said war. Mr. Bonebrake's mother-Hester Ann-was the youngest daughter of Captain John Bishop, who with his family came to Franklin county in 1818 from Duchess county, New York. Her father served in the war of 1812, and five of his father's family were soldiers in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Bonebrake attended a district school until 14 years of age, when he entered the Westerville high school and completed its course. In the fall of 1876 he entered Otterbein University, Westerville, and by teaching during the winters put himself through college, graduating in the class of 1882. He at once entered upon his life work as a teacher, and very successfully superintended the schools at Sparta, Elmore, Athens and Mt. Vernon. During his ninth year at the latter city he was nominated by the Republican State convention of 1897 at Toledo for the office of state commissioner

The Commissioner of Common Schools.

of common schools. His popularity among the teachers of the State was such that he was given one of the highest pluralities on the ticket, receiving 26,549 over Myron E. Hard, his Democratic opponent. He entered upon the duties of his office on the second Monday of July, 1898, and during his first term visited and delivered educational addresses in every county of the state.

In 1900 he was renominated by acclamation and re-elected by a plurality of 68,302 over Joshua D. Simkins, his Democratic opponent. On the second Monday of July, 1901, he entered upon his second term of three years which will expire on a like date in 1904.

During his educational career Mr. Bonebrake has served as school examiner on city, county and state boards, successively, and holds a life certificate from the latter, granted in the summer of 1885. Prior to his election his services as an institute lecturer were in great demand, and he had done institute work not only in one-third of the counties of Ohio, but in Indiana, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. It is a part of his official duties to visit teachers' institutes, and it is an interesting fact that in this duty during his first term he traveled, within the state, 13,000 miles each year.

CLERICAL FORCE, OFFICE OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.

The clerical force of the office is limited to two clerks and a stenographer. The correspondence is heavy as the commissioner's opinion is daily sought on all subjects pertaining to school laws and school management.

CLERKS.

C. E. Bonebrake, Chief Clerk, Columbus.

H. H. Cassil, Statistical Clerk, Mt. Vernon.

Miss Mary E. Douds, Canton; Miss B. M. Danford, Caldwell, Sten

The office of state commissioner of common schools is a statutory and not a constitutional office, the act of March 12, 1836, being the virtual formation of the present school system of the state. Laws previously enacted had not been so broad or liberal in their treatment of education as this act which created the office of superintendent of common schools and provided that the officer should be elected by joint resolution of the General Assembly. The term was fixed at one year and the salary at $500.00. On April 1, 1837, Samuel Lewis of Hamilton county was duly elected. He filed his first report at the convening of the General Assembly, and on January 16, 1838, that body ordered 10,500 volumes of it. printed. On March 7, 1838, an act reorganizing the school laws of the state was passed and under section eight thereof the term of the state Superintendent was fixed at five years unless the incumbent was removed by joint resolution. The salary was placed at $1,200.00. Two days later Mr. Lewis was elected for the term of five years. On March 23, 1840, the office of state Superintendent was abolished and the duties which he had performed devolved upon the Secretary of State, who was authorized to employ a clerk to do the work at a salary of $400.00. This law continued in force until March 14, 1853, when the office of state commissioner of common schools was again created.

This law provided that the officer should be chosen at the general election, and the term was fixed at three years, the salary being placed at $1,500.00. The duties of the commissioner were plainly prescribed and provision made that while he was absent on official vists to the various

36 B. A.

The Commissioner of Common Schools.

counties of the state the State Librarian was to act in his stead and be his secretary.

This law was a complete reorganization of the Ohio school system, and in addition to providing for the present classification of township districts and cities and villages, contained provisions for separate schools for colored children, county boards of examiners for teachers and for school libraries. Subsequent legislation has followed in the main the classification made in this act.

On March 27, 1884, a law was passed providing that the term of the commissioner would begin on the second Monday of July following his election instead of the second Monday of January. This change was made in order that the commissioner's term might terminate, approximately, with the school year.

OHIO'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

The educational system of Ohio has, from its inception, been strictly democratic in its nature, the management and support of the schools being left almost entirely in the hands of the residents of the various school districts.

The state is divided into districts, classified as city districts of the first grade of the first class; city districts of the second grade of the first class; city districts of the third grade of the first class; city districts of the first class; city districts of the second class; village districts; special districts and township districts. The schools are governed by boards of education, selected by the electors of the various districts. In 1894 the electoral franchise for the election of school officers was conferred upon women and this law still continues in force, but is not generally taken advantage of by the ladies. The number of members in boards of education in city districts of the first class varies from five members in Toledo to one from each ward in Cincinnati. In city districts of the second class and village districts the number is six, in special districts three or six. Township districts are divided into sub-districts with one member of the board from each subdistrict. Prior to 1892 the subdistrict schools were in reality governed by a board of subdirectors consisting of three members, one of whom was elected as member of the township board, but in that year the board of subdirectors was abolished and the entire authority conferred upon the township board. This did not give entire satisfaction, consequently, in 1898, the board of subdirectors was re-established, but with the power of recommendation only, final action by the township board being necessary. The management and control of the schools is vested in the several boards of education without active supervision of any nature. Should boards exceed their authority or become derilect in their duty, recourse can

The Commissioner of Common Schools.

The school funds are derived from the income from school lands set apart by the National and State governments for educational purposes and by state and local taxes, the state contributing about one-eighth of the total amount.

The state commissioner of common schools has supervision of the school funds to the extent of appointing examiners in cases where misapplication or fraud in the management of the same makes it necessary.

The following statistics taken from the annual report of the state commissioner for the year ending August 31, 1900, will give some idea of the magnitude of the educational work being accomplished in this state at the present time.

Number of districts: City, 62; Village and Special, 1,005; Townships, 1,335; Subdistricts, 11,097; Number of School Houses, 13,073; Number of School Rooms, 22,661; Value of School Property, $44,017,179; Number of Teachers, 26,017; Enumeration of youth between six and twenty-one years, 1,226,366; Enrollment in Public Schools, 829,160.

In addition to the enrollment in the public schools it is estimated that 50,000 pupils are being educated in parochial and private schools. Number of high schools, 836; Enrollment in high schools, 56,952.

There are 36 colleges and universities with 1,118 instructors and 8,148 students. This does not include professional schools, normal academies, et cetera, of which the state has its full proportion.

STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS.

There have been a number of changes in the law relating to the state board of school examiners. When first enacted in 1864 the board consisted of three members who are appointed by the state commissioner. Since 1883 the number has been fixed at five. The term is five years and ends on August 31. The following have served on the board since its creation Marcellus F. Cowdery, Thomas W. Harvey, Eli T. Tappan, Israel W. Andrews, William Mitchell, Theodore Sterling, John Hancock, Thomas C. Mendenhall, Andrew J. Rickoff, Alston Ellis, Henry B. Furness, John B. Peaslee, William W. Ross, Charles R. Shreve, Chas. L. Loos, A. B. Johnson, Henry M. Parker, William G. Williams, Elmer S. Cox, Chas. C. Davidson, Marcellus Manley, Chas. E. McVay, Thomas A. Pollock, E. E. White, W. J. White, E. A. Jones, R. W. Stevenson, Edward T. Nelson, Jas. W. Knott, J. C. Hartzler, L. D. Bonebrake, J. P. Sharkey, Charles Haupert, C. W. Bennett, J. D. Simkins, W. W. Boyd, W. H. Meck, M. E. Hard, W. H. Mitchell, C. C. Miller, and Arthur Powell. The last five named are the present members of the board.