The act of Congress which admitted Illinois to the
Union in 1818 set aside the sixteenth section of every township for the
use of schools. In 1819, therefore, the General Assembly directed the
county commissioners’ court in each county to appoint three trustees
from each township. These trustees, whose terms ran for four years, were
charged with hiring a surveyor, laying out section 16 into lots, leasing
those lots for no more than a ten year period, and appointing a clerk
and treasurer to handle the leases.1 In 1827
this was modified to give the trustees responsibility for laying out
school districts within the township. These districts were to contain no
fewer than 18 scholars, and the trustees were to hire a teacher for the
district.2
The situation changed in 1829, when Congress agreed
to permit the sale of section 16 lands. For the first time, the county
commissioners’ court could appoint a commissioner and agent for the
county school lands. This position was the predecessor of the regional
superintendent of schools. The commissioner was required to prepare a
record of the school lands in the county. When nine-tenths of the voters
in any township decided to sell their school lands, they were required
to petition the commissioner in writing. In turn, he arranged the sale,
and loaned the money from the sale back to the township.3
During the 1830’s, minor changes were made in the
school law. The percentage of voters required to sign a petition for
sale of school lands was reduced and the county commissioners’ court
again appointed township school trustees. Most important, in 1837 the
citizens of a township were given the choice of incorporating for the
purpose of establishing and supporting common schools. The trustees were
assigned the superintendence of the township schools, and they could
appoint a clerk, who would also act as treasurer.
The school land commissioner was required to pay to
this treasurer all of the money in his care which belonged to the
township, and would deliver to him all bonds, notes, and mortgages. The
township treasurer made an abstract, in return, which showed the name of
each teacher, the number of scholars at each school, and the total
number of days taught. The treasurer was to deliver this abstract to the
school land commissioner and receive the interest due the township from
the state’s school, college, and seminary lands.4
In 1841, the office of school commissioner became
elective, for a term of two years. This same year, each school district
was required to elect a board of three school directors, also for
two-year terms. The school directors were empowered to select building
sites, build schools, employ teachers, and visit the district schools.
In townships which had not chosen to incorporate, the trustees of school
lands could appoint school directors if none were elected.5
The school law was under continual revision during
the 1840’s, and in 1845 the school commissioner was made ex officio
county superintendent of the common schools. His duties included
visiting the schools, examining teachers, and issuing certificates.6
By 1865, each county elected a superintendent of schools every
four years. Township school trustees reported to this superintendent on
the number of schools, the number of scholars, the number of male and
female teachers, the compensation of teachers, the number of persons
under age 21 in the township, the principal and interest of the township
fund, the amount of the common school fund received by the treasurer,
the amount raised by taxation, all other receipts and expenditures, and
any other information required by the superintendent.7
The primary duties of the present superintendent of
an educational service region remain much the same as they were in the
nineteenth century. The superintendent conducts teachers’ institutes,
handles the school lands, visits the schools, examines the accounts of
all school treasurers in the county, and distributes state money for
education to the school districts in his charge.8
