-shall pro apparatus. $8. as provided in section two and section fifty of said chapter fifteen and shall provide school books, apparatus and appliances vide school for the use of pupils in the public schools, including all free high puli, schools, at the expense of said town; and shall also pay for 1897, c. 260. the necessary repairs of school buildings and insurance on same, if any, improvement and maintenance of school yards and playgrounds out of a sum or sums of money raised and appropriated for that purpose which shall be assessed like other money and shall be in addition to and independent of the amount which towns are required by law to raise, assess and expend for the support of common schools; provided, however, that any parent or guardian of any pupil in the public schools may, at his own expense, procure for the separate and exclusive use of such pupil, the text-books required to be used in such schools and no second hand books shall be purchased for the use of any -second school; any person violating this provision shall forfeit not hand books. exceeding five hundred dollars, to be recovered in an action of debt by any school officer or person aggrieved. 1909, c. 131. 1889, c. 268, SEC. 20. School committees shall make such rules and regu- Distribution lations not repugnant to law, as they deem proper, for the dis- of books, etc.. tribution and preservation of school books and appliances fur- § 2. nished at the expense of the town. Damages for destroying, ered. § 10. SEC. 21. When a pupil in the public schools loses, destroys, injuring or or unnecessarily injures any such school book or appliance, fur- how recov nished such pupil at the expense of said town, his parent or R. S., c. 11, guardian shall be notified, and if the loss or damage is not made good to the satisfaction of such committee within a reasonable time, they shall report the case to the assessors, who shall include in the next town tax of the delinquent parent or guardian the value of the book or appliance so lost, destroyed or injured, to be assessed and collected as other town taxes. schools. *SEC. 22. Any city or town may, in addition to the sum Evening raised for the support of the common schools, raise and appro- 1889, c. 246. priate money for the support of evening schools, which shall admit persons of any age, shall teach only the elementary branches, and shall be under the direction and supervision of the superintending school committee. * See also An Act for the encouragement of Industrial Education, Chapter 188, P. L., 1911. Instruction in industrial or mechanical drawing. R. S., c. 11, § 11. Manual training schools. *SEC. 23. Any city or town may annually make provision for free instruction in industrial or mechanical drawing, to persons over fifteen years of age, either in day or evening schools, under direction of the superintending school committee. *SEC. 24. Any city or town may, in addition to the sum raised for the support of the common schools, raise and appro1901, c. 234, priate money for the support of manual training schools and may receive gifts and bequests for the use, maintenance and support of such schools. S$ 1, 5. Direction, Scholars at School age. 1893, c. 162. 1911, c. 22. ADMISSION TO SCHOOLS. SEC. 25. Such schools shall be under the control, direction and supervision of the superintending school committee, and shall admit such persons between the ages of six and twentyone years, and shall give such courses of instruction as said committee may determine. Pupils in such schools shall be subject to the same conditions, rules and regulations as provided for public schools. SEC. 26. Persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years living at any light station, fog warning station, or life saving station shall be admitted to any public school in the state without paying tuition; such scholars shall be entitled to all privileges and benefits, and be subject to the same conditions, rules and regulations as scholars residing in the town in which they attend school. SEC. 27. The age of pupils allowed to attend the public schools of the state is hereby fixed between the ages of five and twenty-one and every child between the said ages shall -attendance. have the right to attend the public schools in the town in which his parent or guardian has a legal residence, subject to such reasonable regulations as to the numbers and qualifications of pupils to be admitted to the respective schools and as to other school matters as the school committee shal! from time to time prescribe. CERTIFICATE OF MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. SEC. 28. The assessors or municipal officers of each shall, on or before the first day of each May, make to the superintendent of public schools, a certificate, under oath, bracing the following items: town, Annual state returns to school state super em- intendent. I. The amount voted by the town for common schools at the preceding annual meeting. II. The amount of school moneys payable to the town from the state treasury during the year ending with the first day of the preceding April. III. The amount of money actually expended for common schools during the preceding fiscal year of the town. IV. The amount of school moneys unexpended at the expiration of the preceding fiscal year of the town. V. Answers to such other inquiries as are presented to secure a full and complete statement of school revenues and expenditures. R. S., c. 11, ELECTION OF SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEES. Election of a mittee. $ 1. SEC. 29. Every town shall choose by ballot at its annual meeting a superintending school committee of three to hold school comoffice as provided in the following section and shall fill vacancies 1897, c. 327, arising therein at each subsequent annual meeting. No person§ 18, 85. is ineligible to the office of superintending school committee, on account of sex. R. S., c. 11, arrange office. $86. SEC. 30. School committees first chosen shall designate by Superintending school lot a member or members to hold office for one, two and three committee, when first years respectively, in manner as follows; one for one year, one chosen, shall for two years and one for three years; and they shall certify terms of such designation to the town clerk to be by him recorded; and R.S., c. 11, thereafterwards one member shall be chosen by ballot at the 1897, c. 327, annual meeting of the town, to hold office for three years. Said committee may fill vacancies occurring between annual meet--vacancies. ings, and the term of office of any member of the committee sono member chosen shall expire at the next annual meeting. No member employed to of the superintending school committee of any town shall be own town. employed as teacher in any public school in said town. shall be teach in his Sectious 29 and 30 shall not apply to 1897, c. 327, § 3. SEC. 31. The provisions of the two preceding sections shall certain cities. not apply to cities whose charters specify the methods of election and term of office of a superintending school committee or board of education; nor to towns, cities and incorporated districts authorized by private and special laws to choose school committees other than those herein provided for. Penalty for neglect to choose com mittee. R. S., c. 11, § 20. Committee shall serve without pay. SEC. 32. A town failing to elect members of the superintending school committee as required by law, forfeits not less than thirty, nor more than two hundred dollars. SEC. 33. Superintending school committees shall serve without pay, unless otherwise voted by the town, but the superintendent shall receive for his services such sum as the town shall annually vote therefor, which sum shall in no case be less than two dollars a day for every day of actual service and necessary 1897, c. 327, traveling expenses. -compensation of superintendent. R. S., c. 11, $92. § 2. Management of schools upon super- -discharge of superintendent. 1911, c. 173. 1913, c. 78. Duties. R. S., c. 11, 1905, c. 48, § 5. POWER AND DUTIES OF SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEES SEC. 34. The management of the schools and the custody. and care, including repairs and insurance on school buildings, of all school property in every town, shall devolve upon the superintending school committee which shall annually, and as often as a vacancy shall occur, elect a superintendent of schools who shall not be a member of the committee. After due notice and investigation the superintending school committee may for cause discharge a superinendent of schools and after protracted absence from duty on the part of said superintendent may declare a vacancy in his office. This section, so far as it relates to the manner of the election or employment of superintendents of schools shall not apply to cities, nor to towns authorized by special laws to employ or choose superintendents in manner otherwise than as herein provided. SEC. 35. Superintending school committees shall perform the following duties: I. Direct the general course of instruction, and select a uniform system of text-books, due notice of which shall be given; no text-books thus introduced, shall be changed for five years course of and select unless by vote of the town; any person violating this provision Direct the shall forfeit not exceeding five hundred dollars, to be recovered instruction in an action of debt by any school officer or person aggrieved. text-books. And when said committee have made such selection of school books, they may contract, under section nineteen, with the publishers for the purchase and delivery thereof; make such rules as they deem effectual for their preservation and return; or, if they are kept for sale, may regulate the sale and appoint an agent to keep and sell them, and fix the retail price, which shall be marked on the title page of each book. instruction in physiology hygiene. II. They shall make provision for the instruction of all Provide pupils in schools supported by public money or under state con- and trol, in physiology and hygiene, with special reference to effects of alcoholic drinks, stimulants and narcotics upon human system. the 1885, c. 267, the § 1. teacher for cause. III. After due notice and investigation they shall dismiss May dismiss any teacher, although having the requisite certificate, who proves sufficient unfit to teach, or whose services they deem unprofitable to the school; and give to said teacher a certificate of dismissal and of the reasons therefor, a copy of which they shall retain, and such dismissal shall not deprive the teacher of compensation for previous services. Expel IV. Expel any obstinately disobedient and disorderly scholar, scholars. after a proper investigation of his behavior, if found necessary for the peace and usefulness of the school; and restore him on satisfactory evidence of his repentance and amendment. V. Exclude, if they deem it expedient, any person not vaccinated, although otherwise entitled to admission. Exclude scholars not vaccinated. VI. Prescribe the sum, on payment of which persons of the Prescribe required age, resident on territory, the jurisdiction of which has sums to be been ceded to the United States, included in or surrounded by the town, may attend school in the town. paid in certain cases. scholars. VII. Determine what description of scholars shall attend Classify each school, classify them, and transfer them from school to school where more than one school is kept at the same time. |