The log cabin Democrat., 1913-08-21
LAWS GOVERNING
 SCHOOL DISTRICTS
HOW THEY MAY BE FORMED
DIGEST OF ACTS RELATING TO ORGANIZATION AND CHANGE
 OF BOUNDARIES.

The following brief digest of the Arkansas laws governing the organ ization and changing boundaries of common and special school districts has been prepared by the State De- partment of Education and is concur red in by Attorney General Wm. L. Moose:
 Kirby's Digest, sections 7543 to 7553, providing for the organization or dissolution of school districts by the county court upon presentation of a petition by a majority of the cleo tors of the district, or districts, af- fected, is still in force and applicable to common school districts only.
 The provisions in the above sections that no existing school district shall be reduced in scholastic population to less than 35, still obtains and stands as bar against petitions to county court to form special rural districts under the provisions of act 321 of 1909, when the territory to be formed into the new district would leave any any district with less than 35 of school age, it being the intent of said act 321 of 1909 to supplement the school law by affording means whereby special districts might be ad- vantageously formed in rural com munities, but not the intent of said act to repeal the law protecting ex- isting school districts against being reduced below the minimum of 35 school population without their con sent.
 Section 7695 provides a means whereby contiguous territory may be added to special school districts by the county court. This petition in- cudes only those who live in the ter ritory to be annexed-but such change must not reduce the district being di- vided to less than 35 school popula- tion. This section applies with equal force to all special school districts whether in towns or cities or rural.
 However, none of the above provis- ions authorize the division of any spe- cial school district nor the cutting off of any portion of any special school district whatsoever The law provid- ing for the extension of a special school district coincident with the eX- tension of the incorporate limits of a city or town cannot apply when such territory is already a part of a spe- cial school district The fact that all special school districts are authorized to issue bonds makes the sections and acts referred to in this paragraph re- pugnant to acts 321 of 1909, and 169 of 1911 and 116 of 1911.
 Act 321 of 1909, as amended by act 169 of 1911, is still in force and ap- piles only to territory in rural com munities, and special rural districts may be formed under the provisions of this act out of any rural territory and the map presented may contain whole common school districts, or parts of one or more common school districts, provided that such division does not render imperative or reduce to less than 35 the school population of any districts divided by such peti- ton. Where the granting of such pc tition and election would take schoo privileges from children in the DOT tions of common school districts not included in the proposed special rura district, the county court should deny such petition. Constitution, Art. xiv section 1.)
 When election is called under ac 321 only those living in the territor! proposed for the formation of the spe cial rural district may vote at thu election, and only those living within the said territory of such proposed district shall sign the original peti tion, but those in affected district should have opportunity to be heart by the county court before the count. court shall call said election.
 Act 116 of 1911, Forming Consoli dated School Districts.-These consol idated districts may be formed iron any two or more school districts il the state, either special or common