Results of Federal Aid to Education

Abstract

FEDERAL aid to education is not a new thing at all. It was first provided for in an act of May, I785, which provided for survey and disposal of Northwest Territory. The land was to be divided into townships six miles square and each township was to be divided into thirty-six equal lots, each one mile square. In each township, lot number i6 was dedicated to the maintenance of public schools within each township. When Ohio was admitted as a state in I803, pledge of Land Act of I785 was embodied in Constitution of that state. The precedent thus set was followed with regard to every state created out of public domain including Northwest Territory, Louisiana Purchase, Gadsen Purchase, and Oregon lands. The twelve public land states admitted prior to i8So received lot i6 in each township for maintenance of public schools. Each of fifteen states admitted between i85o and I876 received both i6th and 36th sections in each township for this educational purpose. States admitted since I876 have been dealt with even more generously,-the gift for public schools alone being as much as 4 sections, or oneninth of land, for this purpose. The thirteen original states received no land from Federal Government for support of public schools for very good reason that Federal Government did not own my land within these original These thirteen states had been recognized by England, France, and other nations as being free, sovereign, and independent states. As such, each state held title to all unseated lands within its borders. Each of original states could have dedicated public lands within its own borders to support of public education and that it did not do so is wholly chargeable to state itself. No claim of equity lies against National Government for this failure of original states to act wisely in interest of institution that was destined to become main support of democracy both in its ideals and in its practical application. I want you to try to visualize this early Federal aid to education. On your mental map of United States picture with mc following states: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida,-one-thirty-sixth of entire land area of these states was set aside by action of Federal Government for maintenance and support of public schools. Next, visualize fifteen states in which one-eighteenth of land area was set aside by Congress for maintenance of public schools, as follows: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado,