Blind children may be educated at Perkins Institute. 1899, c. 2. -proviso. 1913, c. 46. -expenses shall be paid by state. -proviso. INSTRUCTION FOR THE BLIND. SEC. 116. Upon the request of the parents or guardians, the governor may, with the approval of the council, send such blind children as he may deem fit subjects for education, for a term not exceeding ten years, and thereafter in the discretion of the governor and council, in the case of any pupil, to the Perkins Institute for the blind at South Boston, Massachusetts, provided, however, that when the authorities in charge of said Perkins Institute for the Blind shall refuse for any reason, to admit such blind children to said institute then the governor may, with the approval of the council, send such children so refused to any institution for the blind wherever located. In the exercise of the discretionary power conferred by this section, no distinction shall be made on account of the wealth or poverty of the parents or guardians of such children. No such pupils shall be withdrawn from such institution except with the consent of the proper authorities thereof or of the governor; and the sums necessary for the support and instruction of such pupils in such institution, including all traveling expenses of such pupils attending such institution shall be paid by the state; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be held to prevent the voluntary payment of the whole or any part of such sums by the parents or guardians of such pupils. Forfeiture, how recovered and appropriated. R. S., c. 11, § 113. -neglect to expend money. Penalty for disturbing schools. R. S., c. 11, § 114. PENAL PROVISIONS AFFECTING SCHOOLS. SEC. 117. Forfeitures under this chapter, not otherwise provided for, may be recovered by indictment, and shall be paid into the treasury of the town where they occurred, for the support of schools, therein, in addition to the amount required by law to be raised; but costs of prosecution shall be paid into the county treasury; any town neglecting for one year, so to expend such money, forfeits an equal sum to any person suing therefor in an action of debt. SEC. 118. Whoever, whether a scholar or not, enters any schoolhouse or other place of instruction, during or out of school hours, while the teacher or any pupil is present, and wilfully interrupts or disturbs the teacher or pupils by loud speak ing, rude or indecent behavior, signs or gestures, or wilfully interrupts a school by prowling about the building, making noises, throwing missiles at the schoolhouse, or in any way disturbing the school, forfeits not less than two, or more than twenty dollars, to be recovered as aforesaid, or on complaint. SEC. 119. If a minor injures or aids in injuring any school- Parents or guardians house, outbuilding, utensils or appurtenances belonging thereto; R. S., c. 11, defaces the walls, benches, seats or other parts of said buildings by marks, cuts or otherwise, or injures or destroys any school property belonging to a town, such town by a truant officer thereof, may recover of his parent or guardian, in an action of double debt, double the damage occasioned thereby. liable. § 115. damages. defacing houses. § 116. stable and others, SEC. 120. Whoever defaces the walls, benches, seats, black- Penalty for boards or other parts of any schoolhouse or outbuildings be-school longing thereto, by obscene pictures, language, marks or de- R. S., c. 11, scriptions, shall be fined not exceeding ten dollars, on complaint made within one year. SEC. 121. If an innholder, confectioner, or keeper of a shop, Innholders, boarding house, or liyery stable, gives credit for food, drink or keepers horse or carriage hire, to any pupil of a college or literary insti- not to give tution in violation of its rules he forfeits a sum equal to the students. R. S., c. 11, amount so credited, whether it has been paid or not, to be recov、 § 125. ered in an action of debt by the treasurer of such institution; half to its use, and half to the town where it is located; and no person shall be licensed by the municipal officers for any of said employments, if it appears that within the preceding year he had given credit contrary to the provisions hereof. credit to STATE SCHOOL FUNDS. school fund. § 117. 1903, c. 228. SEC. 122. The treasurer of state shall keep a separate Permanent account of all moneys received from sales of lands appropriated poo, d for the support of schools or from notes taken therefor, and of any other moneys appropriated for the same purpose; and such sum shall constitute a permanent school fund, which may be put at interest as the legislature directs. A sum equal to six per cent of the amount of such fund, and one-half the sum received by the state from the tax on the franchises of savings banks, Treasurer to apportion R. S., c. 11, § 118. See -basis § 13, 37. when returns are not received. and one-half the sum assessed upon the deposits of trust and banking companies, shall be annually appropriated to the support of common schools, and distributed among the several towns according to the number of children therein between five and twenty-one years of age. SEC. 123. The treasurer shall, immediately after the first school funds. day of July, apportion to the towns all the state school funds for the year, according to the list of children furnished by the state superintendent of public schools, as provided in section one hundred and three. The number of scholars belonging to a town from which either the school committee or the municipal authorities have failed to make the returns required by law, shall be reckoned by taking the number used as the basis of the last apportionment, and deducting all scholars set off to other towns, or incorporated into a new town within a year, and onetenth of the remainder, and the residue shall be the basis of the new apportionment. Immediately after making the apportionment, the treasurer shall notify each town of its proportion, which shall not be paid to any town until its returns, both common school and fiscal, are made to the state superintendent of public schools, nor so long as any state tax assessed upon such town remains unpaid. -school funds not to be paid until returns are made. *SEC. 124. A tax of one and one-half mills on a dollar shall annually be assessed upon all the property in the state according to the valuation thereof, and shall be known as the mill tax for the support of common schools. SEC. 125. This tax shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as other state taxes, and be paid into the state treasury and designated as the school mill fund. †SEC. 126. This fund shall be distributed by the treasurer of state on the first day of January, annually, to the several cities, towns and plantations according to the number of scholars therein, as the same shall appear from the official return made to the state superintendent of public schools for the preceding year. * See also Chapter 177, P. L. 1909, An Act relating to the Common School Fund and the means of providing for and distributing the same. See also Chapter 198, P. L. 1909, An Act for the equalization of school privileges. balance to SEC. 127. All of the school mill fund not distributed or Unexpended expended during the financial year, shall at its close be added be added to to the permanent school fund. school fund. R. S., c. 11, § 122. FUNDS FROM SALE OF TIMBER LANDS TO BE APPLIED TO SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS. or The money arising from the sale of timber and grass, from trespasses on reserved lands, paid into the treasury of the county in which the township is situated, or into the state treasury, constitutes funds for school purposes, of which the income only shall be expended and applied as is by law provided. Money to constitute school fund. R. 9., t. 5, § 18. INSTRUCTION IN FORESTRY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (Chap. 7, Sec. 65, R. S. 1903.) instruction in the public 1890: 100. c. The forest commissioner shall take such measures as the Elementary state superintendent of public schools and the president of the in forestry University of Maine may approve, for awakening an interest in behalf of forestry in the public schools, academies and colleges of the state and of imparting some degree of elementary instruction upon this subject therein. $ 15. MAINE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF. (Chapter 446, Private and Special Laws, 1897.) estab-School for deaf and dumb, es SEC. I. The Maine School for the Deaf is hereby lished-to be devoted to the education and instruction of deaf tablished. and dumb children. Location. Trustees, appointment and tenure. Duties of trustees. -course of study. Admission and support of pupils. Children from other states may be admitted. SEC. 2. Said school shall be located at Portland, in the county of Cumberland, and the governor and council are hereby authorized, on behalf of the state, to accept a conveyance from the city of Portland of the school lot, building and fixtures now used as a school for the deaf in said Portland, upon the condition that the state shall hereafter assume the entire charge, responsibility and expense of maintaining said school. SEC. 3. The government of said school is hereby vested in a board of five trustees, to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the council, to hold office for a term of five years, except, however, that the trustees first appointed shall hold office, one for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years. SEC. 4. The trustees shall have charge of the general interests of the school and see that its affairs are conducted in accordance with law and such by-laws as they may adopt; they may adopt by-laws which shall be valid when sanctioned by the governor and council; they may employ a principal and such teachers and other employees as they may deem advisable and fix the compensation of the same, subject to the approval of the governor and council; they may from time to time prescribe the system of education and course of study to be pursued in the school and shall be allowed for their services their actual expenses and two dollars a day when actually employed. SEC. 5. With the consent of its parent or guardian, the trustees may admit to said school, for a term not exceeding twelve years, any deaf or dumb child residing in this state and not less than five years of age, who shall not be withdrawn or discharged from said school, except with the consent of the trustees or the governor and council, and the sums necessary for the support and instruction of such children while attending said school, shall be paid by the state. SEC. 6. Deaf and dumb children residing in other states may, at the discretion of the trustees, be admitted to said school upon the payment by their parents or guardian of a reasonable compensation to be fixed by the trustees. |