CENTRALIZATION

SECTION 4726 — GENERAL CODE.

A rural board of education may submit the question of centralization, and, upon the petition of not less than one-fourth of the qualified electors of such rural district, or upon the order of the county board of education, must submit such question to the vote of the qualified electors of such rural district at a general election or a special election called for that purpose. If more votes are cast in favor of centralization than against it, at such election, such rural board of education shall proceed at once to the centralization of the schools of the rural district, and if necessary, purchase a site or sites and erect a suitable building or buildings thereon. If, at such election, more votes are cast against the proposition of centralization than for it, the question shall not again be submitted to the electors of such rural district for a period of two years, except upon the petition of at least forty per cent of the electors of such district. (104 v. 133)

SECTION 4726-1.

In townships in which there are one or more school districts, the qualified electors of such school districts may vote on the question of centralizing the schools of said township districts, or of special school districts therein, without interfering with the existing school district organization until the result of the election shall have been determined. If at such election in any township a majority of all the votes cast shall be in favor of centralizing the schools in said township, the probate judge of the county shall create a new board of education for the said township, without delay, by selecting from the several boards of education thus consolidated, five suitable persons, giving each former district its fair representation in such selection, which such five persons so selected shall constitute the board of education for said township until the first township election thereafter; at such first township election thereafter the electors of such township shall elect two members of the board of education for two years, and three members to serve for three years, and at the proper elections thereafter their successors shall be elected for four years. If a majority of the electors in said township vote against said centralization at the time above designated, then the several school districts in said townships shall proceed as though no election had been held. (106 v. 442.)

Schools can be centralized according to the provisions of the above sections only. If procedure is had under section 4726, the question of