26.School Department.One of the most important departments in a city is that which manages the public schools.Every American city has a number of school houses in which the children are taught free of charge.These buildings and their fittings cost many thousands of dollars，and the teachers’salaries cost many thousands more.But here boys and girls may learn what will make them better citizens，better and happier men and women.The city manages all these schools through a body called the school board ，or board of education .The members in some cities are appointed by the mayor；in others they are elected by the people；in others they are appointed in some other way.
27.It is the business of the school board to see that proper buildings are provided and cared for，that suitable teachers are appointed，and that good textbooks are selected.In many cities the school board elects teachers every year.It is plain enough that for so important duties as those of a member of a school board the best men in the city ought to be selectedmen intelligent，honest，publicspirited.If this republic is to be managed by its citizens，as，in fact，it is，every citizen ought to be intelligent.To be sure，there are many citizens，especially women，who do not vote.But those who do vote ought to understand what they are voting for or against.And women，even if they do not vote，ought to understand the questions which the voters are thinking about，because in very many cases the opinions of women will have great weight with voters.So it is necessary that everybody in a republic should be well educated.That is why the public schools are provided and are made free to all.
28.If they are so necessary to the republic，these schools ought to be as good as possible.Besides，the school buildings are paid for and the teachers are paid with money which belongs to all the people.Therefore the school board，who are selected to spend this money，ought to do it so that all the people get the worth of it.And they do not get the worth of it if the buildings are bad or if unfit teachers are appointed.But unless the members of the school board are honest and unless they know what good buildings are and what good teachers are，the people are quite sure to be cheated.There is no more important branch of the government than that which manages the schools.
29.Village Officers.A village is composed of a small group of people living near together.The only difference between a city and a village is that the city is larger.A village，like a city，has to have a government.The village president holds a place like that of the mayor in a city.Then，there is a treasurer，to keep the money of the village；a constable，or sometimes several constables，who are the village police，and some other officers.Sometimes a village has a fire department and a water department，and then，of course，it has to have officers to manage them.All these officers are the servants of the village，and each one has special duties.
30.School Districts.A school district is a part of a county，sometimes a village，in which there is a public school for the people who live in the district.The district is not very large，so that all the children can easily walk to school.The school affairs are managed by a sort of board，called a school committee ，or sometimes trustees .They are elected by the people of the district，and have the same powers and duties as the board of education in a city.The district school in the country is often a small building，with only one teacherone in the summer and a different one in winter.The larger boys seldom go to school in the summer，being too busy on the farms.It is in just such modest schools that many of our best and greatest men have been taught all they ever had a chance to learn from teachers and books.The country school ought to have as good teachers as the money which the people pay will provide.And it ought to be the pride of every district to make its school as good as possible.
31.Swiss Schools.The common schools of Switzer land are among the best in the world.The people are eager that they shall be so，and take great interest in them all the time.What is going on in the school is matter of common talk in a Swiss district，which the people find quite as interesting as the weather or politics.This constant intelligent interest，of course，is a great help to the teachers and a great encouragement to the pupils.It would be a good thing if we took as much interest in our schools.