-kindness to birds and animals shall be Forfeitures 1889, c. 225. ticular understanding of the tendency of such virtues to preserve and perfect a republican constitution, secure the blessings of liberty, and to promote their future happiness; and the tendency of the opposite vices, to slavery, degradation and ruin; all teachers in the public schools of the state shall devote not less than ten minutes of each week of the school term, to teaching to the children under their charge, the principles of kindness to birds and animals. . *SEC. 87. Whoever teaches a public school without first obtaining a certificate from the superintendent of schools of the town, forfeits not exceeding the sum contracted for his daily wages, for each day he so teaches, and is barred from receiving pay therefor; and no certificate shall be valid for more than one year, without the approval of the superintendent of schools annually endorsed thereon. School 1907, c. 48, § 1. 1909, c. 190, § 1. 1913, c. 195. -proviso regarding Lincoln day. SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. SEC. 88. The following days shall be observed as school holidays, namely: Washington's birthday, February twentytwo; Patriot's day, April nineteen; Memorial day, May thirty; Independence day, July four; Labor day, first Monday in September; Columbus day, October twelve; Christmas day, December twenty-five; Thanksgiving and Arbor day, as appointed by the governor and council. Provided, however, that Arbor day, shall not be recognized as a school holiday unless observed by teacher and pupils for the purpose for which it is designated by the governor and council. And provided, further, that Lincoln day shall be observed by devoting some part of the day to the study of the life and character of Abraham Lincoln. All teachers of public schools in the state may close their schools and draw pay the same as if their schools had been in session on any of the following days: Patriot's day, April nineteen; Memorial day, May thirty; Independence day, July four; Labor day, first Monday in September; Christmas day, * Non-effective after Sept. 1, 1914, by provisions of An Act to provide for the state certification of all teachers of public schools. Chapter 58, P. L., 1913. observed upon school com December twenty-five; Thanksgiving day, as appointed by the governor and council. When any one of the above named holidays falls on a Sunday, the Monday following shall be observed as a school holiday, with all the privileges applying to any of the days above named. In addition to the foregoing each of the days hereinafter named -days to be shall, upon vote of the superintending school committee of any vote of supertown, be observed by teachers and pupils of the public schools intending of said town by an exercise appropriate thereto, such exercise mittee. to be held during such part of the school session as the teacher of each school may designate. The exercises so held shall aim to impress on the minds of the youth the important lessons of character and good citizenship to be learned from the lives of American leaders and heroes and from a contemplation of their own duties and obligations to the community, state and nation of which they constitute a part. In the absence of any vote of the superintending school committee said days, hereinafter designated, shall be observed as legal school holidays with the closing of schools. The days thus designated for school observance upon vote of the superintending school committee of any town shall be as follows: Washington's birthday, February twenty-two; Columbus day, October twelve. TEACHERS' ASSOCIATIONS. Teachers and school officers may ciations. § 1. may hold conventions. SEC 89. Whenever not less than thirty of the teachers and school officers of any county shall have formed an association under rules of government approved by the state superintendent form assoof public schools, for the purpose of mutual improvement in the 1885, c. 273, science and art of teaching, and of creating popular interest in, 1893, c. 283. and diffusing a knowledge of the best methods of improving our public school system, by the holding of conventions at least once every year under the supervision of the state superintendent, the state shall defray the necessary expenses attending the holding how paid. of such convention for which purpose the sum of one thousand dollars is hereby annually appropriated to be deducted and set aside therefor by the treasurer of state from the annual school fund of the state; provided, however, that no more than two—proviso. -expenses, Teachers may suspend schools during conventions. 1885, c. 273, § 2. Certificates showing attendance must be presented. Governor to draw warrants to pay expenses. § 3. 1909, c. 30. such associations shall be formed in any county, and that the expenses as aforesaid of no more than two conventions of any such association in any year shall be defrayed by the state. SEC. 90. Teachers of public schools may suspend their schools for not more than two days in any year during the sessions of such conventions within their counties and also for not more than two days in any year during the sessions of any state teachers' convention approved by the state superintendent of public schools, unless otherwise directed in writing by the school officers, and attend said conventions without forfeiture of pay for the time of such attendance, provided they shall present to the officers employing them, certificates signed by the secretaries of such conventions and countersigned by the state superintendent of public schools, showing such attendance. SEC. 91. The governor and council may draw warrants on the treasurer of state for the payment of bills for the expenses 1885, c. 273, provided for in section eighty-nine, when such bills shall have been approved by the state superintendent of public schools, provided, however, that no bills shall be so paid except those for advertising such conventions, and for services and actual traveling expenses of speakers and lecturers not residing in the coun'ties in which such conventions are held. Powers of R. S., c. 11, School SCHOOLS IN PLANTATIONS AND UNORGANIZED TOWNSHIPS. SEC. 92. Plantations have the same powers and liabilities as towns for electing superintending school committees, superintendents of schools, treasurers and collectors, and for raising, assessing and collecting school money, to be apportioned and expended as in towns. The assessors of plantations may take a census of the inhabitants thereof, at the expense of the plantation, and when so taken, the money raised therein for schools. shall be upon the basis of such census and not upon the census of the state. SEC. 93. All moneys due plantations from the state treasury for school purposes, shall be paid to the treasurers of such plantations, under the same conditions as in case of towns, and the same shall be expended by such plantations, under the same restrictions and limitations as are required of towns. of children in unorganized town vided for. 1899, c. 89, § 1. -expenses, 1903, c. 128, SEC. 94. Whenever in any unorganized township in the state Schooling there shall be two or more children between the ages of five and twenty-one years, the state superintendent of public schools shall ships procause an enumeration of said children to be made, and returned to him, and shall provide for the schooling of said children, either by establishing a school in the township, or by sending the children to schools in adjoining towns or plantations, or both, as shall by him be deemed expedient. In case any of said children are, by the state superintendent, sent to schools in adjoin, ing towns or plantations, said children so sent shall have the same rights in such school as children resident in said town or plantation. Provided, however, that in case the interest on the how paid. reserve fund in any unorganized township together with the $1. amount arising from the per capita tax called for in this section, § 1. is not sufficient to provide schooling for the children of said township for at least twenty-six weeks in a year the remainder of the expense shall be paid from the fund appropriated by section ninety-seven. Provided, further, that no money shall be expended under this section for the benefit of any township until the inhabitants of said township shall have been assessed by the duly appointed agent therefor the sum of forty cents for each of said inhabitants resident therein on the first day of April, and said agent shall have made return of such assessment to the state superintendent of schools.* 1909, c. 87, schooling 1899, c. 89, 1901, c. 206, SEC. 95. The state superintendent of public schools shall How cost of certify to the governor and council the number and residences shall be paid. of the children enumerated and schooled, as provided in the $2. preceding section, together with the cost of schooling said chil- $1. dren, and the governor and council shall direct the treasurer of state to pay the state superintendent of public schools so much of the interest on the reserved land fund of the township in which said children reside as, added to the amount received from the inhabitants of the township from the per capita tax, shall pay the expense of said school. The state superintendent of public schools shall pay to the treasurer of any town or plantation in which he may school any of said children, such amount *See also Chapter 62, P. L. 1909, An Act to extend the privileges of secondary instruction to youths resident in Unorganized Townships. Agents, appointment 1899, c. 89, § 3. -authority of agents. 1903, c. 128, § 2. -may compel attend ance. 1909, c. 87, § 2. for each scholar as shall be his proportional part of the cost of the school to which he is sent. SEC. 96. The state superintendent of public schools may and duties of. appoint agents for the several townships in which schools shall be established under section ninety-four, who shall, under the direction of the state superintendent, enumerate the pupils, assess and collect the per capita tax, employ the teacher and attend to all necessary details in connection with said schools; for which purpose the state superintendent is hereby authorized to expend annually from the appropriation for the support of schools in unorganized townships a sum not exceeding two thousand two hundred dollars. Said agents in the collection of the per capita tax aforesaid, shall have the same powers and may use the same methods as collectors of taxes in towns are authorized to exercise and use for the collecting of personal and poll taxes committed to them; said agents may act as truant officers in their several townships, and may in their discretion compel the regular daily attendance at school of every child in their townships between the seventh and seventeenth anniversaries of his birth by arresting and taking to school any child when absent therefrom, and any parent or guardian of any such child or children, wilfully refusing to allow said children under his control to attend school, or opposing said agent in arresting and taking said children to school, may be prosecuted by said agent in the name of the state before the nearest trial justice, and if found guilty shall forfeit a sum not exceeding twenty dollars for the use of the schools in the township wherein said children are resident, or shall be imprisoned for not exceeding thirty days. The state superintendent may supply school books for the schools established under said sections under such conditions as to the purchase and care thereof as he may deem proper. -school books, how supplied. Appropria- 1905, c. 45. 1911, c. 29. 1913, c. 162. SEC. 97. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the three preceding sections, there is hereby appropriated the sum of twenty-three thousand dollars annually, which sum shall be deducted and set aside therefor by the treasurer of state from the annual school funds of the state. |
