The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-04-05
THE NEW SCHOOL LAWS.
There are Many Changes and Some
Surprises.

la several important particulars radi-
cal and most revolutionary changes
were made by recent legislative enact
ments. and To the administrators OF the
school system as whole. About ahun-
dred copies OF the text OF the laws were
secured by the State Board and sent one
each To the superintendent OF every couu-
ty and city. The law carried cOnsterna.
tion into some camps and worked reyo'
lutions in Others. ln a number OF see
tions OF the State a thorough stir-up Is
eN pected when the school elections occur.
Under the statute existing today every
school trustee in the State will go out OF
office on the lat of May instead OF on the
ct Of August. "A has been the ease here
tofOre Elections will have 20 be held all
over Virginia The body which electe
the trustees ia called the school electoral
board. Each county has one The
board until February | 1901 consisted
of the county Judge, the Commonwealth's =
attorney and the superintendent OF
schuols. Since that date It is composed
OF the Common wealth's attorney. a resi-.
dent qualified voter who IL not IA county
or State officer, and the superintendent
Of ,chools. who il eX-OfiiciO chairman OF
the board.
But the most notable OF the changes
provides that mo district scho u board
shall employ or pay any teacherirom the
public iuuds il said teacher is the brother.
sister. wife. son or daughter OF any mem
Der of said board This means that
teachers who come under this category
will have 10 get out after the present
session or ELSE on May lat the trustees
To whom they are related will have to
resign their offices This provision will
play havoc ia certain s,eliOns Oi the
State aud will cut deep.
Another section provides that no led
eral officer. exc, pf fourth class post
master. and no supervisor. or county or
State officer. or any deputy oi said oil.
GERS. except notary pubic aud commits
si1ner IN chancery. shall be chosen or al
lowed 10 act ~ district school trustee.
The act further provides, that the reg
ular terms ol the trustees shall hereafter
be three years and their successors shall
be chosen by the several school trustee
electoral boards not more than thirty
days or less than ten days before the ex'
piratiOn of their regular terms; prOvifed,
that the fret appointments made under
the sections shall be for one. two and
three years. respectively, and theres tier
one trustee shall be appointed annually
in each district. The board will fill va
cancies occurring within a regular term
for the unexpired part thereof. No per
son who is unable TO raad and write
shall be appointed trustee.
A last revolutionary change may be
called to mind. A startling TACT reveal
ed by the last Virginia school report is
that the treasurers OF the several cOun-
ties receive more money for handling the
school iundH than the superintendents
receive for administering the school sys-
TEN. The aggregate OF salaries paid by
the State TO the superintendents was
$47, 100; the aggregate OF commissions
10 treasurers was $50, 1863. The new
law cute the latter sum in two. The
treasurers got two per cent. commission
before and received the amount cited
here. The law that will govern the
treasurer hereafter says: "His cOmpen.
satiOn for disbursing money apportoined
to the county from the State funds Tor
public free school purposes shall he
commission OF not exceeding one per cen.
tum on the amount thereof, 10 be Sded
by the county school board.