such action and have, by a vote of two-thirds of the qualified voters attending the annual meetings in said districts, determined to unite for the purpose of establishing a graded school district, the school inspectors of the township or townships in which such districts may be situated are required, on being properly notified of such vote, to unite such districts and to appoint a time and place for a meeting of the new district. Three notices of the same must be posted in each of the districts so united at least five days before the time of such meeting. At this meeting the district elects a board of trustees and transacts the usual business of an annual school meeting (4750). CHANGE TO PRIMARY Whenever the trustees of any organized graded school district are presented, twenty days before the FROM GRADED annual meeting, with a petition signed by ten DISTRICT.. electors of said district, stating that it is their desire that, at the annual meeting of the school district, there be submitted a proposition to change from a graded district to one or more primary districts, the trustees shall, in their notice of such annual meeting, state that the proposition set forth in said petition will be presented at the meeting; and, if two-thirds of the qualified voters present at said meeting vote to change to one or more primary districts, the change shall be made, and it becomes the duty of the board of school inspectors of the township or townships in which the district is situated, upon being duly notified of such vote, to change or divide the district as determined by such annual meeting, and to provide for the holding of the first meeting in each of the proposed primary districts in the same manner as is provided for by law for the organization of primary districts; and whenever a fractional graded school district is so changed, the township boards of school inspectors of the respective townships where such graded school district is situated, organize the district into one or more primary districts (4751). Township Districts. Michigan has townships organized as school districts, and every legislature, by the passage of special acts, adds others to the number. As the student will readily observe, the township district can not be organized under either of the laws for the primary or graded districts. HOW ORGANIZED. The majority of the township districts of the state are in the Upper Peninsula and are authorized by the provision of Act* 176, Public Acts of 1891. By this law the qualified voters of a township petition the township board to give notice that, at the next annual township meeting, the township will be organized into a single school district. It is necessary that the petition be signed by a majority of the voters of the township, and be filed with the township clerk at least fifteen days prior to the annual township meeting. To ascertain whether a majority of the qualified voters have signed the petition, the township board is required to compare the names on the petition with the names on the list of registered voters qualified to vote at the preceding election. If the board finds that a majority of the qualified voters have signed the petition, it is its duty to give notice that, at the next township meeting, the township school officers shall be chosen. The township board makes and files, both with the county clerk and the commissioner of schools of the county in which such township is located, a certified copy of the petition, with their findings and doings thereon (93 Mich. 281). Thereupon such township becomes a single school district which is subject to all the general laws of the state, so far as the same may be applicable, and said district has all the powers and privileges conferred upon other school districts by the laws of this state, all the general provisions of which relating to common or primary schools shall apply and be *NOTE. This act has been declared constitutional by the supreme court. 93 Mich. 280. 98 Mich. 441. +NOTE.-See decision of supreme court. ท enforced in said district, except such as shall be inconsistent with the provisions of this act (4823 to 4838). IN PRIMARY DISTRICT MEETINGS. The first Monday of September is the date fixed by law for the annual meeting of primary and graded school districts. The voters of a district may, DISTRICTS. however, by a vote of any properly called meeting. decide to fix the date of its annual meeting on the second Monday of July. They are also authorized to change back to the September date in a similar manner. The officers chosen at an annual meeting, date their terms of office from the date of election and continue in office until their successors are elected and qualified (4659). In township districts the annual meeting is held at the same time and place as the annual township meeting,—the first Monday in April. IN TOWNSHIP BUSINESS TO At this meeting the township school officers are chosen, the amount of money to be raised by tax for school purposes is determined, and the annual detailed report of the board of education is publicly read by the president of the board or, in his absence, by the clerk. Districts in cities organized by special legislative enactment hold annual meetings on the date specified in the act. IN DISTRICTS SPECIAL ACT. CENSUS. The time of taking the annual school census by the director and school officers is the same in all districts of the state, being the ten days previous to the first Monday in September. And by act passed by the legislature of 1897 census enumerators are required, in addition to what was formerly required, to give the names, residences, street and numbers of the parents or guardians of children whose names appear in the census. In primary school districts the residences of the children must also be mentioned. The same act also provides a penalty of a fine 3 and imprisonment on parents convicted of giving false information to census enumerator (4687). The same penalty may be inflicted on the enumerator for making a false report. SPECIAL Special meetings may be called by the district board. It is the duty of the board or any one of them, to call such meetings on the written request of not less than five legal voters of the district, by giving the required notice. No special meeting can legally be called, unless the business to be transacted may lawfully come before such meeting (4660). FOR DISTRICT MEETINGS. NOTICES. Six days' notice of all district meetings must be given by the posting of written notices in three of the most public places of the district. These notices are prepared by the director, and one copy is placed on the outer door of the school house (4661). When a special meeting is called for the purpose of establishing or changing a school site, a ten days' notice is required. FOR SPECIAL WHEN GIVEN. It is the duty of any school officer, upon receiving a request signed by five legal voters, to call such meeting on a date between six and twelve days from the time such request is received. All notices of special meetings must contain a statement of all the business which is proposed to be transacted at such meeting (5048). CONTENTS. FAILURE TO Failure on the part of a director to give notice of an annual meeting, does not invalidate the proceedings of the meeting, unless it appears that the director wilfully and fraudulently omitted to give notice. No notices of district meetings in township districts are required, as the only meeting provided in the act is IN TOWNSHIP the annual township meeting held on the first Monday of April. DISTRICTS. CHAPTER IV. POWERS OF VOTERS AT DISTRICT MEETINGS. By the school laws of the state certain powers and duties are delegated to the voters of the district, certain other powers and duties are given wholly to the district officers, while still other powers and duties are given to the district officers with the consent of a majority of the qualified voters. School officers and patrons of schools would save themselves much controversy and litigation, if each would carefully study and correctly determine where the authority rests and, having thus informed himself, carefully avoid assuming responsibility which belongs to others. In this book we shall attempt to arrange these powers and duties in such an order that they may be better understood by those who are entrusted with their enforcement. Primary Districts. The qualified voters in any school district, when lawfully assembled at the first and at each annual meeting or at an adjournment thereof or at any special meeting lawfully called, except as otherwise provided, have power (4659): 1. At any meeting after the organization of the district, in the absence of the moderator, to appoint a chairman and, in the absence of the director, to appoint a person to act in his stead. APPOINT ADJOURN. ELECT 2. To adjourn from time to time as occasion may require. 3. To elect district officers. |