ARTICLE No. VII

EDUCATION

Section 1. The legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a complete and uniform system of public instruction, embracing free elementary schools of every needed kind and grade, a university with such technical and professional departments as the public good may require and the means of the state allow, and such other institutions as may be necessary.

Sec. 2. The following are declared to be perpetual funds for school purposes, of which the annual income only can be appropriated, to-wit: Such per centum as has been or may hereafter be granted by congress on the sale of lands in this state; all moneys arising from the sale or lease of sections number sixteen and thirty-six in each township in the state, and the land selected or that may be selected in lieu thereof; the proceeds of all lands that have been or may hereafter be granted to this state, where by the terms and conditions of the grant, the same are not to be otherwise appropriated; the net proceeds of lands and other property and effects that come to the state by escheat or forfeiture, or from unclaimed dividends or distributive shares of the estates of deceased persons; all moneys, stocks, bonds, lands and other property now belonging to the common school fund.

Sec. 3. To the sources of revenue above mentioned shall be added all other grants, gifts and devises that have been or may hereafter be made to this state and not otherwise appropriated by the terms of the grant, gift or devise.

Sec. 4. All moneys, stocks, bonds, lands and other property belonging to a county school fund, except such moneys and property as may be provided by law for current use in aid of public schools, shall belong to and be securely invested and securely preserved in the several counties as a county public school fund, the income of which shall be appropriated exclusively to the use and support of free public schools in the several counties of the state.

Sec. 5. All fines and penalties under general laws of the state shall, belong to the public school fund of the respective counties and be paid over to the custodians of such funds for the current support of the public schools therein.

Sec. 6. All funds belonging to the state for public school purposes, the interest and income of which only are to be used, shall be deemed trust funds in the care of the state, which shall keep them for the exclusive benefit of the public schools, and shall make good any losses that may in any manner occur, so that the same shall remain forever inviolate and undiminished. None of such funds shall ever be invested or loaned except on the bonds issued by school districts, or registered county bonds of the state, or state securities of this state, or of the United States.

Sec. 7. The income arising from the funds mentioned in the preceding section, together with all the rents of the unsold school lands and such other means as the legislature may provide, shall be exclusively applied to the support of free schools in every county in the state.

Sec. 8. Provision shall be made by general law for the equitable distribution of such income among the several counties according to the number of children of school age in each, which several counties shall in like manner distribute the proportion of said fund by them received respectively to the several school districts embraced therein. But no appropriation shall be made from said fund to any district for the year in which a school has not been maintained for at least three months; nor shall any portion of any public school fund ever be used to support or assist any private school, or any school, academy, seminary, college or other institution of learning controlled by any church or sectarian organization or religious denomination whatsoever.

Sec. 9. The legislature shall make such further provision by taxation or otherwise, as with the income arising from the general school fund will create and maintain a thorough and efficient system of public schools, adequate to the proper instruction of all the youth of the state, between the ages of six and twenty-one years, free of charge; and in view of such provision so made, the legislature shall require that every child of sufficient physical and mental ability shall attend a public school during the period between six and eighteen years for a time equivalent to three years, unless educated by other means..

Sec. 10. In none of the public schools so established and maintained shall distinction or discrimination be made on account of sex, race or color.

Sec. 11. Neither the legislature nor the superintendent of public instruction shall have power to prescribe text books to be used in the public schools.

Sec. 12. No sectarian instruction, qualifications or tests shall be imparted, exacted, applied or in any manner tolerated in the schools of any grade or character controlled by the state, nor shall attendance be required at any religious service therein, nor shall any sectarian tenets or doctrines be taught or favored in any public school or institution that may be established under this constitution.

Sec. 13. The governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction shall constitute the board of land commissioners, which, under direction of the legislature, as limited by this constitution, shall have direction, control, leasing and disposal of the lands of the state granted, or which may be hereafter granted for the support and benefit of public schools, subject to the further limitations that the sale of all lauds shall be at public auction, after such delay (not less than the time fixed by congress) in portions at proper intervals of time, and at such minimum prices (not less than the minimum fixed by congress) as to realize the largest possible proceeds.

Sec. 14. The general supervision of the public schools shall be entrusted to the state superintendent of public instruction, whose powers and duties shall be prescribed by law.

THE UNIVERSITY

Sec. 15. The establishment of the University of Wyoming is hereby confirmed, and said institution, with its several departments, is hereby declared to be the University of the State of Wyoming. All lands which have been heretofore granted or which may be granted hereafter by congress unto the university as such, or in aid of the instruction to be given in any of its departments, with all other grants, donations, or devises for said university, or for any of its departments, shall vest in said university, and be exclusively used for the purposes for which they were granted, donated or devised. The said lands may be leased on terms approved by the land commissioners, but may not be sold on terms not approved by congress.

Sec. 16. The university shall be equally open to students of both sexes, irrespective of race or color, and, in order that the instruction furnished may be as nearly free as possible, any amount in addition to the income from its grants of lands and other sources above mentioned, necessary to its support and maintenance in a condition of full efficiency shall be raised by taxation or otherwise, under provisions of the legislature.

Sec. 17. The legislature shall provide by law for the management of the university, its lands and other property by a board of trustees, consisting of not less than seven members, to be appointed by the governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate, and the president of the university, and the superintendent of public instruction, as members ex-officio, as such having the right to speak, but not to vote. The duties and powers of the trustees shall be prescribed by law.

CHARITABLE AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS

Sec. 18. Such charitable, reformatory and penal institutions as the claims of humanity and the public good may require, shall be established and supported by the state in such manner as the legislature may prescribe. They shall be under the general supervision of a state board of charities and reform, whose duties and powers shall be prescribed by law.

Sec. 19. The property of all charitable and penal institutions belonging to the Territory of Wyoming shall, upon the adoption of this constitution, become the property of the State of Wyoming, and such of said institutions as are then in actual operation, shall thereafter have the supervision of the board of charities and reform as provided in the last preceding section of this article, under provisions of the legislature.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND MORALS

Sec. 20. As the health and morality of the people are essential to their well-being, and to the peace and permanence of the state, it shall be the duty of the legislature to protect and promote these vital interests by such measures for the encouragement of temperance and virtue, and such restrictions upon vice and immorality of every sort, as are deemed necessary to the public welfare.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

Sec. 21. All public buildings and other property belonging to the territory shall, upon the adoption of this constitution, become the property of the State of Wyoming.

Sec. 22. The construction, care and preservation of all public buildings of the state not under the control of the board of officers of public institutions by authority of law shall be entrusted to such officers or boards, and under such regulations as shall be prescribed by law.

Sec. 23. The legislature shall have no power to change or to locate the seat of government, the state university, insane asylum or state penitentiary, but may after the expiration of ten years after the adoption of this constitution, provide by law for submitting the question of the permanent locations thereof, respectively, to the qualified electors of the state, at some general election, and a majority of all votes upon said question cast at said election, shall be necessary to determine the location thereof; but for said period of ten years and until the same are respectively and permanently located, as herein provided, the location of the seat of government and said institutions shall be as follows:

The seat of government shall be located at the city of Cheyenne, in the county of Laramie.

The state university shall be located at the city of Laramie, in the county of Albany.

The insane asylum shall be located at the town of Evanston, in the county of Uinta.

The penitentiary shall be located at the city of Rawlins, in the county of Carbon; but the legislature may provide by law that said penitentiary may be converted to other public uses.

The legislature shall not locate any other public institutions except under general laws, and by vote of the people.

• ARTICLE No. VII (Education) (introduced on 1889-09-28 00:00:00 - CREATE - e717033) [This document]

• ARTICLE No. VII (Education) (introduced on 1889-09-28 00:00:00 - CREATE - e717033) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]