The Russellville Democrat., 1877-07-19
ANNUAL SCHOOL MEETINGS.


 bring the matter of the annual school meetings before our readers. Elsewhere in to day paper we give the text of an act approved Dec. l, 1875, prescribing the manner and time of holding these annual school meetings. In the act entitled "An Act to maintain a System of Free Common Schools for the State of Arkansas the duties and powers of the people when assembled in annual school meetings are more fully set forth. Sec. 56 says they "shall have the power, by majority of the votes cast, first to choose a chair man, second, to adjourn from time to time; third, to appoint when neces- sarv, in the absence of the directors of the district, clerk pro tenn; fourth, to elect a director for the next three years (said director must be a person who oan read and wrlte;) fifth, to designate site for school house; sixth, to designate the length of time during which school shall be taught more than 3 months in a year; seventh, to determine what amount of money shall be raised, by tax, to defray the expenses of a school during the year; provided, that no tax for this purpose, greater than one half of one per cent. on the assessed value of the taxable proper ty of the district, shall be levied; and provided further, that they may, in case a sufficient revenue cannot be raised to sustain school three months in any one year, determine by ballot, that no school shall be taught during such year;-in winch case the revenue belonging to such district shall remain in the treasury subject to the credit of such district. < The mode of holding the election IS prescribed in the same section as follows: "The annual district elec- tion shall be held by the school d. rectors as judges, who shall appoint two clerks; and if any of the direct DTS should not attend, the assembled voters may choose judges in the place of those not attending, and the iudpes and clerks shall take the oath prescribed by the general election law. The ballot of the voter shall, in addition to tue name of the per son voted for as director, have writ. ten or printed on it the words "for tax,n or against tax" and also the amount of tax the voter desires levled. When the polls are closed the judges shall proceed to count the votes, ascertain the result, and make return thereof to the county court, showing the number of votes cast for each person as director, also the number of votes cast for, and against tax; and the number oi votes cast for each amount or rate of tax voted for: such return, togeth- CT with the ballots, shall be sealed up and delivered to the county clerk by one of the judges, at least ten days before the court meets to levy county taxes
 It will be seen from the above that these meetings arc of vast impor- tance to each and every tax payer In the State, the assembled voters being clothed with large powers in mat ter of the most vital interest to the people. Any five electors when law tullv assembled in one of these an nual school meetings, may control the entire school affairs of the dis trict; hence the importance of gen eral turnout of the taxpayers and voters on these occasions, in order that they may have their school matters determined as the majority wish.
 Sec. 60 of the school law provides that "the directors shall give notice of each annual school meeting by posting notices thereof, at least l. days previous to such meeting, il three or more conspicuous places within the district; but 1t shall no be lawful for district, at any annua meeting. to fix a sight for q schoo house, or to raise money for building or purchasing a school house, un less the directors shall have particu larly set forth, In the previous no ticc given of such meeting, tha these matters were to be submitted for their consideration and action"
 Sec 70 says one of the director
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