Page:The Federal and state constitutions v2.djvu/595

1232 one county attorney, who shall hold his office for the term of two years, and until his successor shall be elected and qualified.

The duties, compensation, fees, and perquisites of the officers provided for in this article shall be fixed by law.

The style of all process shall be “The State of Kansas.” All prosecutions shall be carried on in the name and by the authority of the State of Kansas, and all indictments shall conclude “against the peace and dignity of the State of Kansas.”

The stability and perpetuity of free republican institutions depend upon the intelligence and virtue of the people; therefore, it is declared to be the duty of the State to establish by law, at the earliest possible period, a uniform system of free schools, in which every child in the State shall be entitled to receive a good common-school education at the public expense.

The principal of all school-funds, from whatever source, shall be the common property of the State, and may be increased, but shall forever be preserved inviolate and undiminished.

The income of the school-fund shall be devoted exclusively to the support of schools, and, together with any funds raised in any other manner for school purposes, shall be distributed through the county or township treasurer to the several school districts, in some equitable proportion, to the number of children and youth resident therein between the ages of five and twenty-one years.

The school-lands shall never be sold until such sale is authorized by a free and fair vote of the people of Kansas, but, subject to valuation every three years, may be leased at a per centum established by law.

No religious sect or sects shall ever have any right to, or control of, any part of the school-funds of this State.

The general assembly shall make such provision, by taxation or otherwise, as, with the income arising from the school-fund, will secure throughout the State the maintenance of a thorough and uniform system of common schools, which shall be kept up and supported in each district at least four months in each year, and shall be open and free to every child in the State between the ages of five and twenty-one years.

As the means of the State will admit, educational institutions of a higher grade shall be established by law, so as to form a complete system of public instruction, embracing the primary, normal, preparatory, collegiate, and university departments.

At the first election of State officers, and biennially thereafter, the people shall elect a superintendent of public instruction, whose duties and compensation shall be prescribed by law.

At the first election of State officers, and biennially thereafter, there shall be elected by the people a commissioner of school-funds, who shall have the charge of the school-lands and the principal of the school-fund, whose duties and compensation shall be prescribed by law.