# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 6/12th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 44

Chap. XLIV.—An Act to incorporate the Trustees of the Georgetown Lancaster School Society.
Trustees appointed.Be it enacted, &c., That John Laird, Henry Foxall, Stephen B. Balch, Robert Beverly, Robert Munro, John M’Daniel, junior, David Wiley, Walter D. Addison, Daniel Bussard, Francis S. Key, Walter Smith, John Abbott, and their successors, duly elected or appointed, in manner hereinafter directed, be, and they are hereby made, declared and constituted, a corporation and body politic, in law and in fact, to have continuance for ever, by the name, style and title, of “The Trustees of the Georgetown Lancaster School Society.”
Property vested in them.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all and singular, the lands, tenements, rents, annuities, rights, privileges, goods and chattels, heretofore given, granted, devised or bequeathed, to the said school, or to any person or persons, for the use thereof, or that have been purchased for or on account of the same, be, and are hereby, vested in and confirmed to the said corporation: And further, That the said corporation may purchase, take, receive and enjoy, any lands, tenements, rents, annuities, rights or privileges, or any goods, chattels or other effects, of what kind or nature soever, which shall or may hereafter be given, granted, sold, bequeathed or demised, unto them by any person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, capable of making such gift, grant, sale or bequest; and the said property, real and personal, to rent, sell, convey and confirm, or otherwise dispose of, as fully and effectually as any person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, may or can do: Provided, That the clear annual income of all such property may not exceed the sum of five thousand dollars; and that the aforesaid property, real and personal, be considered as held in trust, under the management and at the disposal, of said corporation, for the purpose of defraying the expenses incidental to said school.
Corporation may sue and be sued.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation, by the name, style and title aforesaid, be, and shall be hereafter, for ever able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in any court or courts, or other places, and before any judge or judges, justice or justices, or other persons whatsoever, within the district of Columbia or elsewhere, in all and all manner of suits and actions, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands, of whatsoever kind or nature they may be, in as full and effectual a manner as any other person or persons, bodies politic or corporate, may or can do.
May have a common seal.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation shall have full power and authority to make, have and use a common seal, with such device and inscription as they shall think proper, and the same to break, alter and renew, at their pleasure; to appoint a president, treasurer, secretary, and such other officers, as they may deem necessary and proper, either out of their own number, or otherwise; to assign them their duties and to fix their compensation, and to remove any or all of them from office, appoint another or others in their place, as often as they shall think fit; to make, ordain, establish and execute such bye-laws and ordinances as may be deemed useful for their own government and for the government of the school; and the same to alter, amend or abrogate at pleasure; to fill up vacancies that may happen in their number, between two annual elections; and to determine upon, do and transact all business and matters appertaining to the said corporation, agreeably to the rules, bye-laws and ordinances thereof, during their continuance in office:Proviso. Provided, That not less than five trustees be a quorum to do business, and that no bye-law, rule or ordinance shall be made repugnant to the laws of the district of Columbia.
​Election of trustees.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That there shall be a meeting of the members of the said society held on the second Monday in February next, and on the same day in every year thereafter at the school-house erected by the said society, at which time and place the said members, or such of them as may be present, shall elect and choose by ballot, from their own number, twelve trustees to serve for the year ensuing their election, and until others shall be elected or appointed to serve in their place.
Trustees to keep regular accounts of their proceedings.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the trustees shall keep, or cause to be kept, in suitable books for the purpose, just and proper entries of all proceedings and accounts of said school and corporation, and have them laid before the society at every annual meeting, previous to taking the votes; and shall always deliver the said books, together with all the property of said school and corporation, in good order, to their successors in office, whenever required.
Apprentices may be bound to the corporation, &c.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That children may be bound (in the manner now by law provided) to the said society; the deed or articles of apprenticeship, to be executed on the part of the said society by any two of the trustees thereof; and it shall be agreed by the said deed, on the part of the said society, that every such child or children shall be provided with all necessary food, clothing and lodging, and taught reading, writing and arithmetic, and be placed in the service of, and under the control and management of, some discreet and fit person, competent to instruct and educate the said apprentice, in some trade or employment, which may enable such child or children to earn a living by honest industry.
Apporved, March 19, 1812.