Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-27
SCHOOL LAWS.
RECENT LEGISLATION BEARING
ONTHE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
How a Number of Old Laws Were
Amended-Bonds for Free School Pur-
poses in Towns and Villages.

| laws passed Oy Ine lWenlN-seconu leSlsId-
| ture:
An act to authorize towns and villages
| Incorporated for free school purposes only
| to levy taxes and issue bonds for free school
| purposes.
Section l. Trustees of towns and villages
| that have been or may hereafter be lncor-
porated for school purposes only, under the
act of the Seventeenth legislature, approved
April 6, A. D. 1881 shall have power to levy
| and collect an annual ad valorem tax Of %
cents on the Si00 valuation of taxable prop
erty for the purpose of constructing or
purchasing public free school buildings and
sites therefor within the limits of such in
corporated district; and said trustees shall
have power TO issue coupon bonds OF the
town or village therefor, to be made payable
at date not exceeding twenty years from
date, in such sums as they shall deem expe-
dent, to bear interest not to exceed per
cent per annum: Provided. that the aggre-
gate amount of bonds issued for the above
named purposes shall never reach an
amount when the tax of a of per cent
per annum will not pay current interest
and provide a sinking fund sufficient to pay
the principal at maturity; and provided
further that no such tax shall be levied
and no such bonds shall be issued until an
election shall have been held for the pur-
pose of determining said question whereat
two-thirds of the tax payers voting at SAID
election shall have voted in favor of the
levying of said tax or the issuance OF sand
bonds. or both, as the case may be.
Sec. =. The election provided for in the
preceding section may be ordered by the
trustees on the written petition OF at least
twenty tax paving voters OF said towns or
villages, at any time not less than thirty
days from the date of the order, which or
der shall state the date and place when said
election shall be held. the amount of tax
TO ,,1 rar-Sa Il ont aD 11on1 nnnrG
issued. as the case may be and the trustees
shall also name and appoint therein the
manager or managers OF SAID election,
which shall be held as nearly as may be
possible in conformity with the general
election law of the state: Provided, that
when a proposition to levy such tax snail
be defeated, no election for that purpose
shall be ordered until after the expiration
of one wear
Sec 3. Public notice Of said election shall
be given by the said trustees by placing no.
tees OF the same in three different portions
of such incorporated district at least twenty
days before said election, which notice
shall state the time and place OF the elec,
ton, and the amount of the tax TO be levied
or the amount OF bonds to be issued, or
both. as the case may be.
Sec. T. No person shall vote at said cleo
ton unless he be a qualified voter under the
constitution and laws of this state and tax
payer in said Incorporated district; and
those in favor of the levying of such tax or
the issuance of such bonds shall write or
print upon their ballots For the tax, and
those against the levying of such tax or the
issuance of such bonds shall write or print
on their ballots Against the tax" and due
returns thereof shall be made to said
trustees within ten days, and the result
thereof to be recorded by the said trustees
in well bound book to be kept for that
purpose.
Chapter Is. division 2, section l, of the
.hool laws of 1889 has been amended to
read as follows:
Article 54la Towns and villages au-
thorized to incorporate under this chapter,
or having POO inhabitants or over not deslr-
ing to incorporate for municipal purposes,
NAV incorporate for free school purposes
only: Provided, that the territory incorpora-
ted shall not exceed four miles square. And
when so desiring an election may be held
under the provisions OF this title ana
chapter and if at said election majority
of the votes cast be in favor OF the lncor-
poration. it shall be the duty of the county
Judge to make return thereof ana cause q
record of the result of such election to be
made the same as is provided by articles
512 and 5l3 of this chapter, upon which
entry being made such town or village shall
be regarded as duly Incorporated for the
purposes of establishing and maintaining
a free school therein. and snail, upon
notice to the state board of education oy
the board of trustees hereinafter provided
for receive such pro Ia "a share of the avail
able school fund as its scholastic population
NAV entitle it to- and it is further enacted that
all towns and villages heretofore incorpor-
ateG under the provisions OF sad article as Ii
heretofore existed, but which Incorporation
is in valid by reason OF having Incorporated
more territory than radius OF two miles
~, Is enid &nTT-f
Note-The latter part of article 541a is
vague and incomplete, but it is an exact
copy of the original bill
Chapter Z. section of the school laws of
1889 has been amended so as to read as fol-
lows:
Section 8. The county judge shall have,
under the direction of the state Superin-
tendent the immediate supervision of all
matters pertaining to public education IN
his county. He shall confer with and
counsel teachers and trustees, visit and eN-
anime schools, deliver lectures on topics
calculated to excite an interest in public
education, or secure some one to DO so. He
shall organize and hold teachers Institutes
and shall approve all vouchers against the
school fund of his county. He shall ex-
anime all contracts between teachers and
trustees in both district and community
Counties and if in his Judgment such con-
tracts are proper, he shall approve the
same He shall discharge such other
duties as may be prescribed by the state
SUPERINTENDENT. He shall distribute
all school blanks and books to
the officers and teachers OF the public
schools He shall make such annual reports
to the state superintendent as may be re-
uuired by that officer: Provided that IN
considering whether he will approve con-
tract between q teacher and trustees he
shall be authorized to consider the amount
of salary promised the teacher.
Motel is now in full force and effect.
Chapter s. section 5, of the school laws of
1889 has been amended to read as follows:
Sec 8. Whenever twenty or more quail
fed property holding tax paying voters of
any district, or u majority of such voters IN
any district. wish for the purpose of taxing
themselves for the building of schoolhouses
or supplementing the state school fund ap-
portioned to said district, shall make appli-
cation to the county commissioners court,
duly signed by them, said court shall enter
up an order for an election TO be held IN
said district, to determine whether such
tax shall be levied or not; said application
shall designate the amount of tax asked to
be levied, and the order of said court shall
state:
l. When said election shall be held.
@ At what point or points the polls shall
be opened. i
g. The amount of tax to be voted on:
Provided that no election shall be held to
determine the levy of 4 tax exceeding 20
cents on the 500 valuation of property.
The commissioners court shall order the