tion. nies recovered shall be applied in the same manner as if they had been paid over without suit. Corpora- § 42. The commissioners of common schools in each town, shall have the powers and privileges of a corporation, so far as to enable them to take and hold any property transferred to them for the use of common schools in such `town. Clerk of commissioners; 43. The town clerk, by right of office, shall be the clerk of the commissioners of common schools in each his duty town, and it shall be his duty, 1. To receive and keep all reports made to the commissioners, from the trustees of school districts, and all the books and papers belonging to the commissioners, and to file them in his office. 2. To attend all meetings of the commissioners, and to prepare, under their direction, all their reports, estimates and apportionments of school money, and to record the same and their other proceedings, in a book to be kept for that purpose. 3. To receive all such communications as may be directed to him by the superintendent of common schools, and to dispose of the same in the manner directed therein. 4. To transmit to the clerk of the county, all such reports as may be made to such clerk by the commission ers. 5. To call together the commissioners, upon receiving notice from the county clerk that they have not made their annual report, for the purpose of making such report. And generally, to do and execute all such things as belong to his office, and may be required of him by the com missioners. Who in ARTICLE FOURTH. Of the Inspectors of Common Schools, 44. Who inspectors of common schools in each town 45. To examine persons offering themselves as teachers: 46. Qualifications to be required. 47. If satisfied, to give certificate. 48. May annul certificate after ten days notice. 49. May require re-examination. 50. How effect given to annulling certificate. 51. In certain cases, inspectors of two or more towns may examine. 52. Inspectors to visit schools at least once a year. 53 Duties at such visitation. 54. Each inspector may have assigned to him certain districts. § 44. The commissioners of common schools in each spectors. town, together with the other inspectors elected in their town, shall be the inspectors of common schools for their town. érs 45. It shall be the duty of the inspectors of common Their duty, schools in each town, or any three of them, at a meeting of as to teach the inspectors called for that purpose, to examine all persons offering themselves, as candidates for teaching common schools in such town. $ 46. In making such examination, it shall be the duty 16 of the inspectors to ascertain the qualifications of the candidate, in respect to moral character, learning and ability. § 47. If the inspectors shall be satisfied in respect to the qualifications of the candidate, they shall deliver to the person so examined a certificate signed by them, in such form as shall be prescribed by the superintendent of common schools. Iby § 48. The inspectors, or any three of them, may annul 15. any such certificate given by them or their predecessors in office, when they shall think proper, giving at least ten days previous notice in writing to the teacher holding it, and to the trustees of the district in which he may be employed, of their intention to annul the same. § 49. The inspectors, whenever they shall deem it necessary, may require a re-examination of all or any of the teachers in their towns, for the purpose of ascertaining their qualifications to continue as such teachers. Ib. § 50. The annulling of a certificate shall not disqualify 1b. the teacher to whom it was given, until a note in writing thereof, containing the name of the teacher, and the time when his certificate was annulled, shall be made by the inspectors, and filed in the office of the clerk of their town. § 51. Where any school district shall be composed of a part of two or more towns, or any school-house shall stand on the division line of any two towns, the inspectors of either town may examine into and certify the qualifications of any teacher, offering to teach in such district, in the same manner as is provided by the preceding sections of this Article; and may also in the same manner annul the certificate of such teacher. ib. as tb visiting 52. It shall be the duty of the inspectors to visit all. such common schools, within their town as shall be organ- schoolš, ized according to law, at least once a year, and oftener if they shall deem it necessary. Their duty, as to visit ing schools. IB. $53. At such visitation, the inspectors shall examine inte the state and condition of such schools, both as respects the progress of the scholars in learning, and the good order of the schools; and may give their advice and direction to the trustees and teachers of such schools, as to the government thereof, and the course of studies to be pursued therein. § 54. Each of the inspectors, by agreement with, or di rection of the other inspectors, may be assigned to a certain number of school districts, which it shall be his special duty to visit and inspect. ARTICLE FIFTH. Of the Formation of School Districts, and of the Choice, § 55. Duty of commissioners when district formed; notice to be given; 56. Manner of serving notice. 57. In certain cases, notice to be renewed. 58 For not serving notice, forfeiture $5. 59. When meeting called, duty of inhabitants to assemble.. 60. Qualifications of voters; fine for voting without right. 61. Powers of meeting. 62. Annual meeting, how and when to be appointed. 63. Who to call special meetings: want of notice; effect of 64. Limitation of amount of tax to be voted at meeting, for hiring, &c school: 65. In case of joint meeting for altering school district, a major part of commis- 68. Proportion how ascertained; and deduction for debts of former district- 70. Duration of office of clerk, &c. of district. 71 Vacancies in such offices, how filled. 72. Penalty for refusing to serve after appointment. 74. Duty of clerk of district. 75. Duty and powers of trustees. 76. Among whom tax to be apportioned, and upon what to be assessed. 77. Persons owning lands occupied by agents, considered taxable inhabitants 78. Improved and unoccupied land liable to taxation, though owner reside out of district. 79 & 80. The valuations of taxable property, how ascertained, and when reduction allowed. 81. Who exempted from taxation to build a school-house. 82. Trustees to assess district tax, and make list thereof. 83. When tenant may charge tax paid by him to the owner. 84. Where fuel for school is not provided by tax, who to furnish same. 85. Trustees to determine the proportion to be provided by each person 86 & 87. In case any person liable omits to furnish it, trustees to furnish; to whom to charge it, and how collected. 88. Collectors warrant; under whose hand and seal; when tax to be levied ia manner of justices execution. 89. When trustees to renew warrant in respect to delinquents; and when fo collect tax by suit in their name of office. 90. Monies apportioned to a district by commissioners, and not paid; how tb be recovered and applied. 91. Trustees of district to report; when and to whom. 92. To whom report to be delivered, and what to specify. 93. Who to be deemed qualified teachers. 94. When a district is formed of two or more towns, to whom trustees to report85 Trustee of separate neighbourhood, how chosen; when and to whom to report. 96 Penalty on trustees for signing a false report. 97. Property vested in trustees, held by them as a corporation 49 & 99. At expiration of office, trustees to account, and to whom; balance to whom paid. 100. Penalty for refusing, &c. to account. 101. Who to prosecute for same, and how applied. 102. Remedy for recovering balance from a former trustee; who to sue for it. 103 Bonds, &c. taken by trustees, to be delivered to their successors. 101 Fees of collector of district. 105. To pay to trustees monies collected, and when. 106. When required by them, to give bond to trustees; its conditions. 107. If he de not execute bond, office to be vacated. 108. If money lost by his neglect, what he shall forfeit. 109. Who to sue for such forfeiture, and balances remaining in his hands. 110. From decision of district meetings and trustees, appeal lies to commis sioners. 111. From decision of commissioners, appeal lies to superintendent of common schools. § 55. Whenever any school district shall be formed in Commis any town by the commissioners of common schools, it shall sioners to give notice be the duty of some one or more of the commissioners, within twenty days thereafter, to prepare a notice, in writing, describing such district, and appointing a time and place for the first district meeting, and to deliver such notice to a taxable inhabitant of the district. § 56. It shall be the duty of such inhabitant to notify Notice for every other inhabitant of the district, qualified to vote at first meetdistrict meetings, by reading the notice in the hearing of ing each such inhabitant, or in case of his absence from home, by leaving a copy thereof, or of so much thereof as relates to the time and place of such meeting, at the place of hig abode, at least six days before the time of the meeting. 57. In case such notice shall not be given, or the in- when to be habitants of a district shall refuse or neglect, to assemble renewed. or form a district meeting, when so notified; or in case any such district, having been formed and organized in pursuance of such notice, shall afterwards be dissolved, so that no competent authority shall exist therein, to call a special district meeting in the manner hereinafter provided; such notice shall be renewed by the commissioners, and served in the manner above prescribed. notice. § 58. Every taxable inhabitant to whom a notice of a Penalty for district meeting, shall have been properly delivered for not serving service, who shall refuse or neglect to serve the notice in the manner above in this Article enjoined, shall for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five dollars. semble 59. Whenever any district meeting shall be called, in Inhabitants the manner prescribed in the preceding sections of this Ar- when to as ticle, it shall be the duty of the inhabitants of the district, qualified to vote at district meetings, to assemble together at the time and place mentioned in the notice. Qualifica- $60. No person shall vote at any school district meettion of vo- ing, unless he shall be a freeholder in the town where he ters district meeting. votes, or shall have been assessed the same year in which he votes, or the preceding year, to pay taxes therein; or shall possess personal property over and above such as is exempt from execution, to the amount of fifty dollars, liable to taxation in the district: and every person not so qualified, who shall vote at any such meeting, shall for each offence forfeit the sum of ten dollars. Powers of $61. The inhabitants so entitled to vote, when so assembled in such district meeting, or when lawfully assem bled at any other district meeting, shall have power, by a majority of the votes of those present, Annual meeting. Special meeting. Limitation of tax. 1. To appoint a moderator for the time being: 2. To adjourn from time to time, as occasion may require: 3. To choose a district clerk, three trustees, and one district collector, at their first meeting, and as often as such offices or either of them become vacated: 4. To designate a site for the district school-house : 5. To lay such tax on the taxable inhabitants of the district as the meeting shall deem sufficient to purchase or lease a suitable site for a school-house, and to build, hire, or purchase such school-house, and to keep in repair and furnish the same with necessary fuel and appendages: 6. To repeal, alter, and modify their proceedings from time to time, as occasion may require. § 62. In each school district, an annual meeting shall be held at the time and place previously appointed; and at the first district meeting, and at each annual meeting, the time and place of holding the next annual meeting shall be fixed. § 63. A special meeting shall be held in each district whenever called by the trustees; and the proceedings of no district meeting, annual or special, shall be held illegal, for want of a due notice to all the persons qualified to vote thereat, unless it shall appear that the omission to give such notice, was wilful and fraudulent. § 64. No tax to be voted by a district meeting for building, hiring, or purchasing a school-house, shall exceed the sum of four hundred dollars, unless the commissioners of common schools of the town, in which the school-house is to be situated, shall certify in writing their opinion that a larger sum ought to be raised, and shall specify the sum; |