Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-07-19
THE SCHOOL LAW AGAIN.

AS there seems to be good deal o.
misunderstanding about the School La"
and the election to be held on the Sec
ond Friday in August next, we coliec'
together those portions OF the law at Is
sue and give such explanations rs may
be necessary for clear understanding
of the law.
Chapter 1913, Sec. 2, provides for the
election of the following officers A
County Superintendent of Free Schools;
a President and two Commissioners In
each district township, who shall con-
stitute the Board of Education one
Trustee for each school
At the same time of the election OF
these officers each ticket should contain
the words, ''for or against the power to
levy" tax sufficient, in connection with
the amount received from the ''distribu-
table fund of the State, to run the
schools four months in each year.
Under the old law the three Commis-
sioners organised rs Board of Educa-
ton, by electing one Of their number as
President. but under the new law the
President is elected by the people-thc
old law gave three trustees to each
school district, but the new only allows
one Trustee.
The old law also required the 'assent
of the voters" for the Board of Educa-
ton TO make township levy, but such
assent was never asked in this county,
the Boards heretofore making the annu
al township levies without the ''assent
of the voters thereof"
Chap. 1913, Sec. 6, says, "Thc Boards
of Education Of the several townships
shall hold their first meeting for each
school year on the first Monday in Sep
TENDER, and at this meeting they shall
determine the number of months the
schools shall be held. in their respective
townships, the number of teachers to be
employed and fix the salaries of the
same, &c"
Sec. %. ''To provide school houses,
grounds, furniture, fixtures, fuel,repairS,
&c, the Board of Education shalt annu
ally levy a tax on the taxable property
of the township, not to exceed the rate
of forty cents on every hundred dollars
valuation thereof, which fund shall be
called the "building fund" and can not
be taken to pay teachers salaries.
Sec. 40. For the support of the Free
Schools the Boards of Education of each
district township shall annually levy
tax on the taxable property thereof, not
to exceed the rate OF fifty cents on the
hundred dollars valuation, as will, with
the money received from the State, be
sufficient to keep the schools in opera
ton at least four months in the year
The proceeds of this levy, together with
that received from the State, shall con
stitute the "teachers fund and shall on
ly be used for paying the salaries Of
teachers
Sec. AZ, says, "No district shall here
after receive any share of the ''distribu-
table fund of the State for free schools,
in any year in which the levy required
by the 10th section is not made.
Sec. al, says, "If the Board of Edu-
cation of any district township agree
that the schools in their township should
be continued more than four months in
the year, they shall submit the question
to the voters thereof at time specified
in the order thereof, which order shall
also state the length of time for which
it is proposed to continue the schools
Should majority of the votes cast be
in favor of continuing the schools for the
time named, the Board may order the
levy accordingly"
BY comparing sections 40 and Al, We
infer that the "power to levy" meant
in Section ., only gives the Boards OF
Education the authority to make the
levy required in Section SO, and that
named in section 40, so far as may be
necessary to keep the schools open four
months in the year. Should they desire
to keep them open longer time, anoth-
err election must be held as is provided
in Section Al.
Should the "power to levy" be with
held from the Board, it will be observed
from Section ~, that the district so yo-
ting will not receive its quota OF the
"distributable fund" for free schools.
s'On the lst of July, 1872, the wife OF
Henry Westfall, in Preston county,thiss
State, was delivered of three boys, and
on the 18th of June, 1S73,she was again
delivered of two female children, who