CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY (below)

The city hall in many cities is where the common council, or board of aldermen, meet. The city departments usually center here. Either by public taxation or private philanthropy most cities have a free public library

there is a separate treasurer, he is also required to furnish a bond for the faithful performance of his duties. In union free school districts, boards of education may appoint one of their own number as clerk, and must also appoint a treasurer and a collector. These officers are paid for their services either by vote of the district or by vote of the board of education.

Annual School Meeting. The annual school meeting of each school district shall be held in the schoolhouse the first Tuesday of May of each year, at 7.30 P.M., unless the hour is otherwise changed by vote of the previous meeting. Special meetings may be held as called by the trustee. Due notice of all annual and special meetings must be posted in at least five different places in the district, one of which must be upon the door of the schoolhouse.

Business of the School Meeting. The business of the school meeting is to elect officers; to vote a tax to pay the salary of the teacher, for the care and heating of the school building, and for the salaries of district officers in case such officers are paid; to take under consideration needed repairs or changes in the school building, or the need for a new building or a new or enlarged site, and such other matters as pertain to the general educational welfare of the school district.

Who may vote at a School Meeting. Any person shall be entitled to vote at any school meeting for the election of officers, and upon any and all questions which may be brought before the meeting, who possesses the following qualifications: (1) is a citizen of the United States;1

1 One must first be a citizen of the United States before he can be a citizen of the smallest unit of state government; thus it is seen that the foundation of all our government is citizenship according to federal law. It is not necessary to be a citizen of the state to vote at school meeting.

(2) is at least twenty-one years of age; (3) has been a resident of the school district for a period of at least thirty days immediately preceding the day of the meeting; and who in addition to the above qualifications is described in one of the following: (a) owns or hires or is under contract to own or hire real estate subject to taxation for school purposes; (b) is a parent of a child of school age who attended school at least eight weeks the preceding year; (c) has permanently residing with him (or her) any child of school age (five to eighteen years old) who attended school at least eight weeks the preceding year; (d) is the owner of personal property exceeding fifty dollars in value and assessed upon the last assessment roll of the town. Both men and women who meet the above qualifications are eligible to vote.

Political Independence of a School District. The state through its legislature has created a school district a corporation for the purpose of looking after the affairs of education within the district, and has given it full power in all matters pertaining to education. While it may be a part of a town or village, it is quite independent of these larger units of government in matters pertaining to education within its limits. The idea has been to remove as far as possible all restrictions upon the will of the people in matters of education. The form of government represented by the school meeting is a pure democracy, that is, one in which all the voters meet to transact business.

Union Free School District. Union free school districts are organized under the provision of the education law1 and by special act of the state legislature. These districts have a board of education, clerk, treasurer, collector,

1 See education law, 1914.

whose duties include those of a common school district. As a rule, union free school districts are found only in villages and cities. The power of a board of education is greater than that of a trustee, and the course of study in a union free school is much more extensive than that in the common school. If the union free school district includes a village of five thousand inhabitants or more, the board of education may elect a special school officer, called a superintendent of schools, who has full charge of the schools of the district under rules adopted by the board of education.

School Neighborhood. A school neighborhood is a small district so situated that the children of school age residing within such district may best be served by attending school in another state. Such neighborhoods are established by law, and usually have a trustee and clerk. The voters of the neighborhood meet annually, as in a regular school district. Near state lines this arrangement is found to be advantageous. In some of our towns (Waverly, for example) the state line passes through the village or district, which is essentially one although situated in two states.

Removals and Filling of Vacancies. Whenever it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the commissioner of education that any trustee, member of a board of education, clerk, collector, treasurer, school superintendent, district superintendent, or other school officer has been guilty of any willful violation or neglect of duty as set forth in the education law, or any other act pertaining to the common schools or other educational institution participating in state funds, or of willfully disobeying any decision, order, or regulation of the board of regents or of the commissioner of education, the commissioner of education has full power

to remove such school officer from his office. A vacancy in the office of trustee may be filled by calling a special election of the voters of the district within thirty days after the office becomes vacant, or, if such meeting is not called, the district superintendent may appoint a qualified person to fill the office. The trustees may appoint a qualified person to fill the office of clerk, collector, or treasurer should a vacancy occur in any of these offices.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

1. Outline the work of the school meeting.

2. Name the duties of the school trustee.

3. How is a school tax determined, the rate established, and the tax of the individual worked out?

4. What advantage is there in having the school district independent of the town in the management of school affairs? 5. Who may vote at a school meeting?

6. What is a school neighborhood?

7. In what particulars does a union free school district differ from the ordinary school district?

8. Who has the power of removing school officials for neglect of duty?

9. If the office of school trustee becomes vacant, how may it be filled?

10. What are the powers and duties of the school trustee? 11. Compare the school meeting with the village and town meetings.