that has been discontinued to any other in which a vacancy exists, and to prescribe the manner of advertising for and making contracts to be entered into by the board of education. They have control over the hall of the board of education, and may make all necessary alterations and repairs.

The board of education may remove from office any school officer proved to have been pecuniarily interested in any contract with the board, or guilty of immoral or disgraceful conduct. Any commissioner or inspector may be removed by the mayor, after due hearing, for official misconduct or neglect, inability to perform the duties of the office, or any conduct which tends to discredit the office or the school system. Inspectors.-The city must be divided by the board of education every five years into not less than 15 school inspection districts as nearly equal as possible in population. For each of these districts there is a board of school inspectors of five members, who are appointed by the mayor, and whose term of office is five years, one inspector being appointed each year. Any vacancy is filled by the mayor for the unexpired term. The inspectors must be residents of the districts for which they are appointed.

The several boards of inspectors of common schools organize each year by the election of a chairman and a secretary, and they must meet as often as may be necessary. It is their duty to examine at least once a quarter all the schools of the respective districts in regard to attendance of pupils and of teachers, studies, progress, and discipline of pupils, the cleanliness, safety, warming, ventilation, and comfort of the school premises, and violations of the sectarian-teaching law, and to call attention of the board of education without delay to every matter requiring official action. They must make quarterly written reports to the board of education.

The city superintendent has the general direction of all classes, pupils, principals, and other teachers, and is directly responsible to the board of education. It is the duty of the city superintendent and the assistant superintendents to visit every school and inquire into all matters relating to the conduct of the schools, to advise and counsel with the inspectors, and to report monthly to the board of education. They must report all violations of the law in relation to sectarian teaching. Except in special cases all reports in behalf of the board of superintendents must be in the name of the city superintendent.

Board of superintendents.-The city superintendent of schools and the assistant superintendents of schools together constitute the board of school superintendents. This board must meet at least twice a month, and it is their duty to recommend to the board of education, from time to time, modifications of the course of study, the length of sessions, to nominate principals and other teachers, to report upon such other matters

The number of districts which the board has formed in pursuance of this requirement is 35.

as appertain to the conduct of instruction throughout the schools of the city, to keep a record of the service, efficiency, and faithfulness of teachers, to examine applicants for teacherships, and to issue licenses to those qualified, to examine candidates for the position of principal who are proposed for such examination by a member of the board of education or who may be entitled to such examination under rules prescribed by the board of education as to previous experience or other qualifications. Teachers and principals must be selected from those who have passed the proper examination.

Promotion and removal of teachers.-The board of superintendents may advance teachers as regards pay or grade of instruction according to rules prescribed by the board of education, the said rules to be based on merit and length of service. The board of superintendents may remove any teacher with the written approval of the majority of the inspectors of the district, but the teacher so removed may appeal for reinstatement to the board of education. Any principal may be removed by vote of three-fourths of the board of education, upon the recommendation of the board of superintendents.

Janitors are appointed by the board of education on the nomination. and with a certificate of qualification of the superintendent of school buildings; they may be removed by the board of education on the recommendation of the same officer.

The city colleges.-The College of the City of New York and the Normal College of the City of New York are not controlled by the board of education as such, but the members of the board with the president of each institution compose the board of trustees for that institution.

CHICAGO, ILL.'

The board of education is composed of 21 members, appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the common council, for a term of three years, 7 being appointed each year. Vacancies are filled for the unexpired term by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

Any person who has resided in the city for more than five years next preceding his appointment is eligible to membership.

Organization. The board must organize each year by the election of a president and a secretary, the former being one of their own number, and must appoint such other officers and employees as they may deem necessary, and must prescribe their duties, compensation, and terms of office.

The board of education must keep a faithful record of their proceedings, and the yeas and nays must be recorded on all questions involving the expenditure of money.

Finances.-All moneys raised by local taxation for school purposes,

1 Compiled from Illinois School Law, 1895-96, page 52 et seq.

or received from the State common school fund or from any other source for school purposes must be held by the city treasurer as a special fund for school purposes subject to the order of the board of education, upon warrants to be countersigned by the mayor and the city clerk. The board of education may not expend more than the amount received from the State school fund, the rental of school property, and the amount appropriated by the city council for school purposes. The board have no authority to levy or demand the levy of any tax. All real estate is held by the city in trust for the use of the schools, and no sale of real estate or interest therein may be made except by the city council upon the written request of the board of education.

Powers and duties.-The general laws make all boards of education bodies corporate and politic, with right to sue and be sued.

The board of education have charge and control of the public schools of the city, and have the power, with the concurrence of the city council, to erect or purchase schoolhouses and keep them in repair; to buy or lease sites and grounds; to issue bonds for purchasing school sites, erecting or repairing schoolhouses; to borrow money on the credit of the city.

The board of education have sole power to furnish schools with the necessary fixtures, furniture, and apparatus; to establish and maintain schools; to rent buildings or rooms for their own use or for the use of the schools; to employ teachers and fix their compensation; to prescribe the books to be used and the studies to be pursued; to divide the city into school districts as circumstances may require, and generally to possess all rights, powers, and authority required for the proper man. agement of the schools; to expel any pupil guilty of gross disobedience or misconduct; to dismiss any teacher when in their opinion the interests of the schools require such dismissal; to apportion pupils to the several schools; to lease school property, and to loan moneys belonging to the school fund.

It is the duty of the board of education to take entire superintendence and control of the schools of the city; to examine all persons offering themselves as candidates for teachers, and when found well qualified to give them certificates gratuitously; to visit all schools as often as once a month; to establish and uniformly enforce proper rules and regu lations; to take charge of schoolhouses, furniture, and grounds and keep them in good condition; to provide fuel and other supplies; to inquire into the progress of scholars and the government of the schools; to prescribe and enforce the methods and course of instruction; to make to the city council from time to time suggestions relating to the schools and the school fund; to recommend the establishment of new schools and districts, and to report such other facts as may be required; to prepare and publish an annual report.

None of the powers conferred upon the board of education may be exercised except at a regular meeting of the board.

THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA (PHILADELPHIA).1

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

The board consists of 37 members, one chosen from each ward of the city by the judges of the court of common pleas for the city and county of Philadelphia. Their term of office is three years, the terms of onethird the members expiring each year. Vacancies in the board are filled by the same judges for the unexpired term. No person is eligible to membership who is related to either of the appointing judges by consanguinity or marriage, who does not possess the qualifications to serve as a member of the State senate, or who is a member of the city councils.

The board must meet for organization the first Monday in January of each year, and elect a president and such other officers as they deem necessary, to hold office for one year. They must meet thereafter at least quarterly, all meetings being open to the public.

They must keep regular minutes of their meetings, and must publish a statement annually of the amount of expenditures and of the number of children educated in the public schools.

The board is a body corporate and politic.

Finances.-The title to all school property, real and personal, is vested in the city of Philadelphia. All moneys due to the board of education must be paid into the city treasury, and all sums expended by the board of education are paid by the city treasurer upon orders drawn under appropriations regularly made by the city councils.

The city councils fix the rate and levy all city taxes, and direct the amount to be applied to school purposes. But after the appropriation has been made the councils have no further control of the money. Contracts, details of construction, and money expenditures are for the determination of the board. Contracts for the erection of a new building may be made only after due advertising for proposals and public opening of bids.

A copy of the specifications for general repairs to schoolhouses and contracts made for the same must be furnished to the board of directors of the section in which the work is to be done, and before the bill for the repairs may be paid the president of the proper board of directors must certify that the work has been done in accordance with the specifications and contract.

No member or officer of the councils or of any of the city boards may be interested in any contract with any branch of the city government. No contract may be made without previous appropriation by the city councils, and no expenditure may be made in excess of the proper appropriation. All work, labor, materials, supplies, stationery, printing,

1 Compiled from Digest of the Laws and Ordinances Relating to the Public School System of the City of Philadelphia, 1888.

fuel, etc., required must be advertised for and contracts let to the lowest responsible bidder in the presence of the president of the board of education and the committee of councils on education; and the city comptroller may not countersign any warrant unless he has been furnished with a copy of the advertisement, of the schedule of bids, and of the contract under which the warrant was drawn.

Powers and duties.-The board of education have power to determine the number of schoolhouses to be erected in each ward, to establish a model school for the training of teachers, and to provide books for pupils. They have the general superintendence over all schools and make necessary rules and regulations. It is their duty to examine all accounts of money disbursed in erecting and maintaining the schools of the city. They have power to distribute the duties of the directors of the schools for all the wards of the city.

The board of education are authorized to establish schools for children under 5 years of age, but the directors of the several school sections are not required to admit children into the public schools who are under 6 years old. The board of education may establish, maintain, and control a central high school, and they have the same power to confer academical degrees, honorary and otherwise, as that held by the University of Pennsylvania.

The board of education must conduct night schools for male adults during January, February, March, October, November, and December of each year. They may also establish night schools for females, fix the time for opening and closing all night schools, determine the age at which pupils may attend, and make the regulations under which the school directors of the school sections or wards may appoint visitors of the said night schools.

The board of education may organize and maintain a school for deafmutes, said school to be a part of the public-school system; but the total expense incurred therefor may not exceed $150 for each child for any one year.

The board of education may not change any text-book used in the schools oftener than once in three years. Neither the superintendent nor any of his assistants may be pecuniarily interested in any textbook used in the schools during his or her employment.

It is the duty of the board of education to provide suitable fire escapes for all school buildings of over two stories.

Physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effects of stim ulants and narcotics, are among the studies required to be taught in the schools, and no teacher may be employed who is not competent to teach these subjects.

The board of education may resort to condemnation proceedings when necessary to secure property required for school purposes.