The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-31
Interesting Measure introduced in
Legislature by Represen-
tative Losekamp.
BENEFIT THE COUNTY
Provisions Made for Their Establish.
ment and Maintenance-All
Districts Contribute.

Representative Losekamp Of Yellow
stone county. last Friday introduced
bill in the legislature for the establish
,ment of high schools in counties wher
they do not at present exist and il
which the funds Of a single district ar
not sufficient for their support. Thes
high schools are for the benefit of tn
whole county wherein they are estab
4lished and are entirely distinct from
the district school system. The bill
follows:
Section l. Any county in the state
may establish a county free high schoo
on the conditions and in the manner
hereinafter prescribed, for the purpose
Of affording better educational facili
ties for pupils more advanced thar
those attending district schools.
Section 2. Whenever two hundred
school electors in any county shall pc
tition the board of county commission
ers requesting that a county high
school be established in their county al
a place in said petition named, OF
whenever the said county commission
ers shall at their discretion think
proper, they shall give twenty days
notice that they will submit the ques-
ton to the school electors of said county
whether said high school shall be es-
t%ablished, and at the place specified, at
which election the school electors of
the county shall vote by ballot for or
against establishing such high school.
The notices shall distinctly specify the
city. town or district wherein it is
proposed to establish said high school.
Section g.. The election shall be con-
Quoted in all respects the same as the
election for school trustees. except that
the county commissioners shall call the
election. and that there shall be no reg
%istration of voters required. After said
election, the ballots Oh said question
shall be canvassed in the same manner
as in the election for county officers,
and if a majority Of all the votes cast
shall be in favor Of establishing such
high school. the county commissioners
shall Immediately proceed to appoint
six persons, who shall be residents and
tax payers of the county, but not more
than two of whom shall be residents of
the same township or city, who shall,
with the county superintendent of
schools constitute a board Of trustees for
said school. Each of said trustees APP
pointed IS aforesaid shall hold his office
until his successor is elected and quail
fled, and shall be required within ten
days after appointment to qualify by
taking the usual oath Of office, and by
giving such bond as may be required by
said county commissioners for the faith
full discharge Of his duties.
Section 4. At the next general cleo
ton for school trustees after said APP
pointment there shall be elected in said
county six high school trustees, who
shall be divided into three classes of
two each, the term Of office Of each
class to be one, two and three years re-
spectively, the respective terms to be de-
cided by lot. Each year thereafter
there shall be two such trustees elected
to succeed those whose term is about to
expire. Said trustees shall qualify and
enter upon the duties Of their office in
the same and at the same time
as other school trustees.
Section 5. A majority Of said board
shall constitute a quorum for the tran
sactlon Of all business, but four votes
shall be required to decide any question.
Section 6. At their first meeting in
each year the trustees shall choose from
their number a president, secretary and
treasurer. who shall hold office for one
year, or until their successors are APP
pointed and qualified: Said treasurer
shall give such additional bond as the
county commissioners shall deem sufi-
Gent. And said trustee shall have au-
thority to make all necessary rules for
government not inconsistent with
the law.
Section 7. At said first meeting, or
some succeeding meeting called for
such purpose, said trustee shall make
an estimate of the amount of funds
needed for building purposes, for pay
ment OF teachers wages, and for the
payment of contingent expenses, and
they shall present to the board of coun-
ty commissioners a certified estimate
the rate of tax required to raise the
amount desired for such purpose. But
no case shall the tax for such purpose
exceed in one year the amount Of = Oh
the dollar on the taxable property Of the
and when the tax is levied for
the payment Of teachers wages and for
expenses only, it shall not
sxCeed - on the dollar. Provided, that
aid trustees may, IL In their judgment
hey think best, bond the county for the
,uTpose Of raising the money necessary
. build and equip the high school here.
a provided for and 10 purchase q suit.
'ble ate therefor. But no bonds shall
ver b iasuod 10 pay for teAohsss' sala.
~ q log thu general expenses In main.
rid school.
ss6tion =. whsnevsF any board Of
Ineooas q Q county ffss high school
I'll doel1s - hund the oounty ~ pro.