VIRGINIA SCHOOL LAWS UNIV. OF Codified for the Use of School Officers by TO BE PRESERVED BY EACH OFFICER AND DELIVERED TO HIS RICHMOND: DAVIS BOTTOM, SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC PRINTING 1915 Preface While this edition of the school law possesses no authority inde pendent of the sources from which it was compiled, its publication by the Board of Education makes the work authoritative as a guide to school officers. The act of Assembly which gave the school system organic life was approved July 11, 1870. The history of subsequent legislation affecting the schools can be readily traced from chapters LXVI and LXVII of the Codes of Virginia 1887 and 1904, which constitute the basis of the "Public Free School Law.” The text of Pollard's Code of 1904 has been followed, except in so far as it has been modified by legislation since its publication. Acts of Assembly passed subsequent to that date (1904) are incorporated with the original law. All acts of a local character are omitted, and only such acts pertaining to State institutions of higher learning have been included as are of interest to the school officials at large. The compiler has endeavored to arrange the matter for the convenience of school officers, without regard to the order in which it is printed in the Code. It is the duty of every school officer receiving a copy of the law to preserve it carefully, and to transmit it to his successor in office. R. C. Stearnes Superintendent of Public Instruction. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. October 1, 1915. 230917 Constitutional Provisions 1. Oath to be prescribed.—Members of the General Assembly and all officers, executive and judicial, elected or appointed after this Constitution goes into effect, shall, before they enter on the performance of their public duties, severally take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Virginia ordained by the Convention which assembled in the city of Richmond on the twelfth day of June, nineteen hundred and one, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me asaccording to the best of my ability; so help me God." (Sec. 34) 2. Bonds of officers handling State funds.-All State officers, and their deputies, assistants or employees, charged with the collection, custody, handling or disbursement of public funds, shall be required to give bond for the faithful performance of such duties; the amount of such bond in each case, and the manner in which security shall be furnished, to be specified and regulated by law. (Sec. 85) 3. Magisterial districts, supervisors, etc.-The magisterial districts shall, until changed by law, remain as now constituted: pro vided, that hereafter no additional districts shall be made containing less than thirty square miles. In each district there shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof, one supervisor. The supervisors of the district shall constitute the board of supervisors of the county, which shall meet at stated periods and at other times as often as may be necessary, lay the county and district levies, pass upon all claims against the county, subject to such appeal as may be provided by law, and perform such duties as may be required by law. (Sec. 111) 4. Concerning the bonded indebtedness of cities and towns.— No city or town shall issue any bonds or other interest-bearing obligations for any purpose, or in any manner, to an amount which, including existing indebtedness, shall at any time exceed eighteen per centum of the assessed valuation of the real estate in the city or town subject to taxation, as shown by the last preceding assessment for |