county taxes, and the full amount of money collected must be paid to the city treasurer, to the credit of the board of education.

The board may purchase real estate for school purposes whenever six directors vote to make such a purchase, and may sell and convey the same whenever five directors vote to do so. They may not issue any bond, promissory note, or other obligation to pay money unless the same shall become due and be paid not later than the July 1 next following, and then for no greater sum than can be paid out of the regular revenues of the board.

The board of education may acquire real estate by condemnation proceedings whenever they deem it expedient, and the title acquired by such proceedings is an absolute estate in fee simple.

The board of education have entire control and management of all common schools in the city. They are entitled to demand and receive all moneys that accrue to the district for school purposes under any law of the State or otherwise, and may appropriate and use such moneys for the support and maintenance of the schools as they may deem best. They may hire or erect and maintain schoolhouses, but no building may be erected on land not held in fee simple. They may employ superintendents and teachers, and make rules and regulations for the government of the schools and for the employment and examination of teachers and prescribing their powers and duties; and prescribing the grading, and classification of pupils and their management, and the course of instruction and the books to be used, and other matters pertaining to the gov ernment and welfare of the schools. They may also make by-laws for their own government.

ST. PAUL, MINN.'

The board of school inspectors consists of seven persons, appointed by the mayor. Their term is three years, and two are appointed every year, except every third year, when three are appointed. Vacancies are filled by the mayor for the unexpired term. The president, vice-president, and secretary are elected by the board to serve for one year, and the superintendent of public schools to serve two years.

The board is not a corporation, and can not sue or be sued or hold property, all contracts being made in the name of the city of St. Paul, and the title to all property being vested in the city.

The expense of the public schools is limited to the amount appropriated by the common council, and the amount of school tax laid by the council may not be greater than 2 mills nor less than 2 mills on the dollar of all property on the assessment roll. All school moneys appropriated to the city of St. Paul from State or county funds are paid to the city treasurer. The treasurer and comptroller of the city of St. Paul report to the board of inspectors through their secretary every month the amount of funds in the city treasury set apart by the council for educational purposes.

1 1 Compiled from act of March 20, 1891, in Report of 1894-95, page 114 et seq.

The board of inspectors are required to make a detailed report of the progress and operations of the schools to the mayor every month, which report is transmitted to the council. They must also make a report each year to the mayor, specifying in detail the salaries desired to be paid to the teachers during the coming year. The mayor transmits the same to the council, who may reduce the total amount to be paid, but may not raise it, nor may they fix the salary of any teacher. The board of inspectors report annually upon the need of new buildings, specifying as nearly as possible the cost of the sites required as well as the probable cost of suitable buildings to be erected. If the condition of the school fund justifies it, the council, by a three-fourths vote, may order the mayor and the president of the board of school inspectors to proceed to obtain such site and erect a suitable building thereon, in accordance with plans and estimates to be provided by the board of inspectors.

In erecting buildings the mayor and the president of the board of inspectors must advertise for proposals for furnishing material and labor, and contracts are let to the lowest bidder, said contracts being between the contractor and the city of St. Paul; all payments are made from the city treasury. Whenever any school building is ordered to be erected by the common council a building inspector is appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council, whose duty it is to inspect the work upon the building, and who must report that the work has been done according to the plans and specifications before any requisition. may be drawn for payment. When the building is completed he must make a final report to the council, specifying fully the kind and amount of material that has been used and the manner in which the building has been erected.

The board of school inspectors do not purchase their own supplies, but each year they make a statement of what is desired for the ensuing year, and a committee, consisting of the mayor of the city, the president of the common council, and the city treasurer, advertise for and pur chase them.

The board of inspectors may make no debts except for the monthly salaries of teachers and for current expenses in the case of school buildings, and then only to the extent and in the manner herein specified. They have the care, custody, and control of schoolhouses, and appoint janitors and watchmen for the same. The police department of the city is especially charged with the protection of school property in every respect. The title to all property pertaining to the public schools of the city is vested in the city of St. Paul in trust for the uses and purposes of education solely.

The board of inspectors have full power to employ and dismiss teachers, and the city council have no control over them in that respect. Teachers serve during the pleasure of the board of inspectors, and after one year of successful service are not subject to annual elections.

No member, officer, or employee of the board may be a party to or interested directly or indirectly in any contract with the board of inspectors or the city of St. Paul.

The board of inspectors may make rules to enforce the attendance of children between 8 and 16 years old who may be enrolled in the schools as pupils.

DISTRICT NO. 1, ARAPAHOE COUNTY (DENVER), COLO.1

There are three separate school organizations in the limits of the city of Denver, known, respectively, as Districts No. 1, No. 2, and No. 17, Arapahoe County. These districts are not only distinct from each other, having different boards and officers, but all are entirely independent of the city government.

The following refers to District No. 1, which comprises a population of about 75,000, or over half the inhabitants of the city.

The board of education consists of six directors, elected by the quali fied voters of the district, to serve three years, two being elected each year. Vacancies are filled by the board till the next ensuing election. The directors must organize within ten days after their election by choosing a president, who must be one of their number, a secretary who may be one of their number, and a treasurer, who may not be of their number. All of these serve for a term of one year. The board is a body politic and corporate, and may contract or be contracted with, sue or be sued, and may receive any gift, grant, or devise made for the use of the schools of the district.

The president presides over all meetings of the board when present, signs all orders on the treasurer, and appoints such committees as he may deem expedient.

The secretary must keep a record of the proceedings of the board, make all the reports required by law of secretaries of district boards, make all necessary reports to the board, and perform such other duties as may be required by the board. His compensation is fixed by the board.

The treasurer takes charge of all moneys belonging to the district and disburses the same on the order of the president of the board, countersigned by the secretary. He must keep account of all receipts and expenditures, render such statements as the board may require, and give bond for the faithful discharge of his duties.

The board of education must hold regular meetings monthly, and may hold special meetings when necessary, but no business may be transacted at such special meetings except that for which the meeting was called.

The board of education have the power to levy a special tax of not over 3 mills on the dollar on the taxable property of the district for

1 Compiled from the school charter in the report of the Board of Education, 1893-94, page 87 et seq.

the purpose of building schoolhouses in the district. Such tax must be made by a two-thirds vote of the members of the board, and must be collected by the county collector at the same time and in the same manner as county taxes, and, when collected, it must be paid to the treasurer of the board.

The board of education must also annually determine what sums of money will be required in addition to their quota of the State school fund for the current expenses of the schools for the ensuing year, and they report the sum so required to the board of county commissioners, who must levy and collect the same as a tax upon all taxable property of the district. But such tax must not exceed 3 mills on the dollar of assessed valuation. The money, when collected, is paid to the treasurer of the board of education.

The title to all lands, houses, and other property used for school purposes in the district is vested in the board of education, and they have full power to sell, lease, and convey any such lands and tenements if they deem it expedient.

The board of education have entire control and management of all public schools and school property of the district; they have the power to make and enforce necessary rules and regulations; to purchase books and apparatus; to select and purchase sites; to hire or erect buildings and keep them in repair; to employ teachers; to fix the salaries of superintendent, secretary, and teachers; to determine what branches of instruction shall be taught; and to determine on what terms pupils living outside the district shall be admitted to the schools.

The board of education must annually elect a superintendent of schools to serve one year from the time of his appointment. It is his duty to have oversight of all public schools in the district; to examine applicants for teacherships, and grant certificates to those found quali fied; to visit the schools, observe the discipline, mode of teaching, progress of pupils, and such other matters as he may deem of interest, and to report thereon to the board of education, and to perform such other duties as the board may prescribe.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.'

The city is divided into eleven school districts by the board of school commissioners, and the qualified electors of each district elect one school commissioner to serve for three years, the terms being so arranged that one-third of the whole number of commissioners are elected each year.

The number and boundaries of the districts may be changed by the board of school commissioners at any time, and if the number is increased

1 Compiled from act of March 3, 1871, relating to all cities of 30,000 or more inhabitants, in Statutes of Indiana, Revision of 1876, page 817 et seq., and from subsequent acts specified. At the time of the passage of this law Indianapolis wa only city

in the State having the population named.

each additional district is entitled to clect one school commissioner. Vacancies occurring at any time prior to the annual election are filled by the board till the next annual election.

The election takes place annually on the second Saturday in June, and on the first Monday in July following the school commissioners assemble and organize by the election of a president, a treasurer, and a secretary, all of whom must be of their own number. Meetings are held at such times as the board may determine, and a record must be kept of all their proceedings. The members serve without compensation. The board of school commissioners are authorized—

(1) To district the city for the purpose of electing school commissioners and for general school purposes.

(2) To levy all taxes for the support of the schools in the city, in addition to the State taxes; but no such tax may exceed 25 cents on each $100 of taxable property for purchasing grounds, building schoolhouses, and furnishing supplies therefor, or 25 cents on each $100 for the payment of teachers.

(3) To levy a tax of not over 2 cents on $100 for the support of free libraries; to disburse all revenue so raised in the purchase of books, fitting up suitable rooms, and for the salaries of librarians; to make and enforce the proper regulations relating to said libraries.

(4) To cause to be examined all teachers applying for positions in the schools of the city and to license those found qualified.

(5) To purchase grounds, construct school buildings, employ and pay teachers and superintendents, and to disburse through their treasurer all school and library moneys.

(6) To require of their treasurer a sufficient bond for the proper performance of his duties.

(7) To determine the course of instruction and regulate the government and discipline of the schools.

(S) To issue bonds not to exceed in the aggregate $100,000.

All levies of taxes made by the board of school commissioners are certified to the proper city officers and collected at the same time and in the same way as other city taxes, the proceeds being delivered to the treasurer of the school board, which officer also receives all school moneys to which the city is entitled from county and State taxes and appor tionments.

The board of school commissioners may establish as a part of the system of common schools of the city a system of industrial and manua training, wherein shall be taught the practical use of tools and mechanl ical implements, the elementary principles of mechanical construction, and mechanical drawing. They may levy a tax of not over 5 cents on each $100 of taxable property for the purpose.1

Act of March 7, 1891.