The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-05-25
The Evening School Bill.

Inc following ls q copy OF the even
ing school bill, which passed finally in
the Senate and concurred in the house
last week. Eckley b. Coke, Senator
from Luzerne deserves the credit for
carrying this bill through The vote
in the Senate was almost unanimous.
Following is tie letter of the law.
AN ACT toprovide at the public ex-
pense free evening schools for the
education of the children Of this Com
monweallh who from any cause are
unable to attend the public schools.
SECTION b. enacted, &c, that it
shall be the duty of the board of school
directors or school controllers of any
school district in this Commonwealth,
upon the application of the parents of
twenty or more pupils above the age of
six years, residents of said school dis.
trict, to open free evening school for
their tuition in orthography, reading,
writing, arithmetic, aud such other
branches as may be deemed advisable
and to keep open said schools for term
of not less than four months in each
year, each of said months to consist of
twenty days, and each of said days an
evening session of at least two hours,
Provided, ho,oeoer, That when the
average daily attendance for one month
falls below fifteen daily, said board of
school directors or school controllers
may at their option close said evening
school for the remainder of said term.
SECTION 2. That upon such applica-
ton the board of school directors or
school controllers shall proceed without
unnecessary delay to hire competent
teacher, and open said evening school
in convenient location, Provided,
houeyer, That two or more contiguous
districts may at any time unite in the
establishment aud support of one or
more evening schools and contribute
pro rata to the expense of their main
tenance.
SECTION 8. That the qualifications
of teachers for said evening schools
shall be the same as those for the teach
ers of the public schools of the Com
monwealth as already made and provi-
ded or as may hereafter be made and
prooided by law.
SECTION 4. That the expenses for
the support and maintenance of said
evening schools shall be betrayed out
of the taxes raised for the support of
the common schools, Provided, That
said school board may, in making their
estimates for the school year, allow and
set aside certain sum for the support
and maintenance of said evening
schools and levy and collect their tax
rate accordingly.
SECTION 5. That The board of school
directors or school controllers of any
school district may, where necessary,
establish an eoening high school, and
that the board ofschool directors or
school controllers oftwo or more con-
tiguous school districts may unite for
the establishment and support of an
evening high school, the curriculum of
which shall be drawn up and arranged
by the several school boards in joint
session met and assembled, according
to their best judgment and the neces-
stiles of their respective districts.
SECTION 6. That no pupil shall be
admitted to said evening schools who
is unemployed during the day or in
actual attendance upon any school dur
ing the day, public or private.
SACTIoN 7. Tha. when the average
daily attendance upon said schools for
one month exceeds fifty pupils an a1di.
tional teacher may be engaged and re-
tanned until the average daily atten-
dance Falls to or below forty.
SECTION 8. That should any board
of school directors or controllers neglect
or refuse to carry out the provisions of
this act, the petitioners aforsaid may
present their petition to the Court of
Common Pleas of the proper county,
setting forth that application had been
made to the proper board of school di-
rectors or controllers as aforesaid, and
that said board had neglected or refus.
ed to carry out the provisions of this
act, whereupon such court shall, after
due proof of notice of the presentation
of such petition having been served
upon the president and secretary of
such board, proceed to hear and deter
mine as to the necessities and propriety
of the establishment of such school or
schools, and in its discretion order the
board of school directors or controllers
to open and maintain such school or
schools, with power to enforce such
order by attachment or mandamus at
the discretion of the court.
SECTION 9. That the provisions of
this act shall not go in force until the
beginning of the regular school year
Ammo Dimini one thousand eight hund.
red and eighty-three. Procided, That
the provisions of this act shall not ap-
ply to any part or section of the state
where special provision exists for night
schools
SECTION 10 That all acts or parts of
acts inconsistent herewith are hereby
repealed,
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