Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-04-05
CHANGES OF SCHOOL LAW.
An Important Amendment Of interestto to all Con.
nected With tho Public Schools.

changes are just now of special in
terest to those who are anxious to
improve their school facilities. In
an interview few days ago, Super
lntcndent of Education N1cMahan
explained the changes as follows:
"This is the season of the year
when ambitious and progressive
ne'gnborhoods arc seeking to levy
an extra tax for the support of their
schools in more efficient manner
than can be done with the ordinary
constitutional tax alone. Tho Lcgis-
laturc changed the method of proceed
ure in the levy of this tax. 1 shall
be obliged to you if you will publish
the new law in order that all may
know how to make the levy legally.
The essential changes are:
"First. The petition to the county
board of education shall be by sone.
third of the resident voters and a
like proportion Of the resident free
holders OF the age of 81 years. while
formerly this petition had to be
signed by only six frccholders of the
age of II years.
"Sccond. The mass meeting to or
der the election is dispensed with,
and the board Of education orders
the election upon The petition signed
by only six frcchollers Of the age of
81 years.
"Third. An clcctor must have paid
taxes, but upon no special amount of
property, whereas heretofore he
could not vote at this election unless
he paid taxes upon 800 worth of
property"
Here is the full text of tie
amended statute under which special
school districts are hereafter to be
established:
Section 34-That the voters or
electors or any school district who
return real or personal property for
taxation arc authorized to levy and
collect an annual tax to supplement
any special or other constitutional or
other tax for like purpose in the fol-
lowing manner: Upon the written
petition or request Of at least one
third Of the resident voters and
like proportion of the resident free
holders of the age of q years being
filed with the county board Of cduca-
ton, asking for the same and stating
the rate of the tax levy proposed,
which shall not exceed four mills,
the said county board of education
shall order the board Of trustees of
said school district to hold an cleo
ton at some place within the dis
trict, after giving notice of the time
and place thereof for at least two
weeks in some newspaper published
within the county and by posting
notice thereof in at least three public
places within such school district of
such length of time, unless there be
no newspaper published within the
county, in which event the posting
Of the notice rs above shall suffice,
at which said election only such cleo
tors rs return real or personal pro-
pcrty for taxation and who exhibit
their tax receipts and registration
certificates as required iii general
elections shall be allowed to vote.
At said election the board Of trustees
shall act rs managers and the clcc-
ton shall be conducted rs provided
by law for the conduct of general
elections. At said election each
cIcctor favoring the proposed levy
shall cast ballot containing the
word eyes" printed or written
thereon, and each clcctor opposed to
$; levy shall cast ballot contain
ing the word "no" printed or written
thereon. That within ten days after
such election, if majority of those
voting shall vote for such levy, the
board Of trustees shall furnish the
county auditor with statement of
the amount 50 levied, and the auditor
shall enter the same in the tax dupli-
Gates and he shall annually, each
year thereafter, enter said amount in
the tax duplicates until the same is
increased, decreased or repealed by
said taxpayers at an election called
for the purpose, and he is no.
tilted that the same has been in
creased, decreased or repealed, and
if increased or decreased he shall
annually enter it az before, which
election shall be called and notice
given in the same way and manner
as herein provided for the calling Of
meetings to make the levy and the
giving Of the notice that it has been
made, and the county treasurer shall
collect the same as other county and
State taxes. Such levy shall be
lien on the property in such school
liStrict which shall bn suh;nrt