Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-06-27
sub-schooI District.


We publish below, as matter of gener .
al interest, the substance of law passed
at the last session of the General Assembly
of Virginia, providing for the sub-district-
ing of the school districts Of the State.
The first section requires that before the
opening of the schools in the next school
wear the district school boards shall deter
mine by specified boundaries what shall be
the area to be attached to each school
house for whites, and to each school house
for blacks.
Section 2, provides that when it is deem
ed necessary for the people. sub.district
may be made to include portions OF two or
more districts, or two or more counties
the sub-districts thus formed to be under
the school board on whose territory the
school-house is situated.
4. As soon as practicable after the laying
off of the sub-districts, and annually
thereafter, the district board shall, with
due notice appoint meeting of all resi-
dent taxpayers and heads of families at
some convenient place Ill each sub-district
for the election of school directors, and
for other purposes. The secretary. shall
make a list of all persons present VINO are
less than majority of the persons entitled
to vote are present, the meeting shall ad-
journ from time to time until at least
majority of the voters are in attendance.
When it has been ascertained that tho
meeting is lawful one, it shall then pro-
coed to elect three persons residing in the
district to serve as school directors, one of
whom is to serve one year, one TO serve for
two years, and one for three years from
the date of the meeting at which they are
elected: provided, that at subsequent an
naal meetings, expiring terms shall be re-
newed by elections for three years. Va
cancies occurring between meetings may
be filled by the remaining directors and
appointments thus made shall be valid I'M
til the next public meeting. 1t shall be
the duty of the secretary of the meetings
to make report to the district board OF the
names and terms Of office of persons cho
sen as school directors, and also such other
action as may be taken by the meeting
No compensation shall be allowed to any
officer provided for in this act. No one
shall be chosen director who is unable to
read and write. Should the people, in any
case, fail to appoint directors, the district
school board shall make the appointments.
5. At the same meeting. or at an ad'
journed meeting, provision shall be made
by such method as may be agreed upon for
the current contingent expenses of tho
contemplated school, including repairs,
fuel, and such like, but not including
teachers salary, furniture and apparatus;
but no pupil shall be excluded from a.
tendance upon the school by reason OF the
failure of his parent or guardian to con-
tribute to these current expenses: provl-
ded, that this section shall not prohibit
the district school board from making
contribution in whole OF part for the sup
ply of these wants, when for good reasons,
and especially in cases of general poverty
ameng the people. it..seems proper to do
so. Special meetings of the people may
be called at any time by the chairman or
secretary on the application of any five
citizens residing in the district.
7. The teacher for each sub district shall
be chosen by the school directors Of that
sub district from among those licensed by
the county superintendent. and when cho-
sen. information thereof shall be cOmmu-
nicated to the board of district school
trustees, which shall in due time enter in
to contract with this teacher. The COM
pensation of the teacher so far as drawn
from public funds, and also the time of
opening and closing the school, shall re-
main under the control of the board of
district school trustees: provided that this
board shall, when practicable, adopt the
system of opening every alternate school
during the first five months. and the re-
naming schools during the second five
months of the school year.
Section requires that when sub-dis-
tricts have been made to include territory
which before belonged to other districts,
it should be the duty of the clerk of the
board of district school trustees, as soon
as practicable after the completion of the
sub-district, and before an apportionment
of money shall have been made, to take
census in the usual form, of the school
population in any such addition of terrific
ry; and thereupon to apportion the school
money in accordance with the results thus
obtained.
Section 8, requires the school directors
to collect and apply all the contributions
provided for in section 5.
Section 9, Any violations OF the school
law, or other difficulties which the school
directors of the sub-districts may find
themselves unable to control, are to be
referred to the district board of trustees,
who shall continue to have ultimate power
and authority in all matters pertaining to
the schools.
10. This act shall not interfere with the
duties and authority of the county super
intendent in respect to teachers and
schools as heretofore provided by law.