shall be examined, sorted and recorded, and the result declared in the manner provided by law, and if the majority of the ballots so given in bear the words "Free text-books Yes," said school officers shall purchase such text-books and supplies as hereinbefore provided.

Sec. 900. Vote on supervision of schools. Any town employing more than twenty teachers and in which there is no superintendent of schools or supervising agent, approved or appointed by the State Board of Education in accordance with the provisions of sections 894, 897 and 899, may, at any annual or biennial town meeting, upon giving due notice thereof in the warning for said meeting, vote by ballot to determine whether said town will instruct its school visitors, town school committee or board of education to choose a superintendent of schools or request the appointment of a supervising agent under the provisions of sections 894, 897 and 899.

Sec. 955. Consolidation of districts. Any town may abolish all the school districts, and parts of school districts, within its limits, and assume and maintain control of the public schools therein, subject to the requirements and restrictions imposed by the general assembly; and for this purpose every such town shall constitute one school

Sec. 955. The assumption of control by the town carries with it all necessary power to repair school buildings. 71 C. 740, 741. A town assuming control of the school property holds it in trust for educational purposes. 73 C. 170, 171. Transfer of control from districts to town is merely a transfer from one public agency to another. Ib. Town not subject to all limitations applicable to district; location of schoolhouse. 77 C. 194. Town proper party to action after consolidation. 72 C. 565.

district, having all the powers and duties of a school district, with the exceptions hereinafter stated.

Sec. 956. Vote upon consolidation of school districts. Whenever a vote shall be taken in any town in reference to abolishing school districts and assuming control of public schools therein, and whenever a vote shall be taken to re-establish school districts under section 974, such vote shall be by ballot at an annual town meeting, upon notice thereof given in the warning. The selectmen shall provide a ballot box for that purpose, marked “Consolidation of School Districts." Those in favor of such consolidation shall deposit in said box a ballot with the words "Consolidation of School Districts Yes" written or printed thereon, and those opposed shall deposit a ballot with the words "Consolidation of School Districts No" written or printed thereon, and in towns divided into wards or voting districts for annual town meetings such a ballot box shall be provided at each of such wards or voting districts, and the ballots shall be examined, assorted, counted and declared in the manner provided by law. Section 576, in so far as the same is inconsistent herewith, shall not apply to votes taken under the provisions of this section.

Sec. 957. When vote to consolidate takes effect. A vote to consolidate the school districts in any town into one district shall take effect on the first Monday of July next succeeding said vote, and any

Sec. 956. What constitutes sufficient notice; not necessary to give each school district particular notice. 73 C. 166. Sec. 957. Vote to abandon control, taken before the fifth annual meeting, is of no effect. 73 C. 172. Effect of district's resuming control. 78 C. 329.

town assuming the control of its public schools, as provided in this chapter, may at any annual meeting, not previous to the fifth annual meeting thereafter, vote to abandon such control and re-establish the several districts as they were before said action, which vote shall be by ballot, in the manner prescribed in section 956.

Sec. 958. Number and election of committee; qualifications. The selectmen of a town voting to consolidate shall determine, not later than the first Monday of May, the number of which the town school committee shall consist. Such committee shall consist of either three, six, nine or twelve residents of said town. Every such town shall at a special meeting of said town called for the purpose by the selectmen, to be held on the first Monday of June following, elect by ballot a town school committee of the number determined upon by said selectmen. In all cases the number of the committee to be elected shall be stated in the warning of said meeting. Such election shall be conducted in the same manner as the annual elections of towns.

Sec. 959. Minority representation on committee; terms of office. If the number of the committee to be elected shall be six or twelve no person shall vote for more than half that number; if the number be nine, no person shall vote for more than five, and the six, nine or twelve persons, as the case may be, receiving the highest number of votes, shall be the town school committee of said town for the respective terms as hereinafter provided, commencing

on the first Monday of July next following. The members of such committee so elected shall divide themselves into three equal classes, holding office respectively until the second, third and fourth subsequent annual town elections of said town, at which elections and at every annual election, subsequent to the last thereof, two, three or four members, as the case may be, shall be elected by ballot for a term of three years, in the manner prescribed in section 855. If the number of the committee to be elected shall be three, the members thereof shall all be annually elected at the annual town meeting, and no person shall vote for more than two. The three persons receiving the highest number of votes shall be such town school committee.

The Merit System.

Sec. 2023. Method of adoption of the merit system. Any political division of this state may adopt the provisions of this chapter in the manner hereinafter provided. The council or other legislative body or, if there be no such body, the administrative officers of such political division may, and upon petition of bona fide residents of such division, in number not less than ten per centum of the total number of votes cast therein at the election last preceding, shall, submit the question of adopting the provisions of this chapter in such departments of such political division as such body or officers shall determine or as such petition may request, as the case may be, to a vote of the qualified electors thereof at the next general election, or at a special meeting called for such purpose. Such election or

meeting shall be called and held, the vote on each question cast and canvassed, and the result determined and certified, as nearly as may be in accordance with the provisions of the laws governing the election of civil officers therein. The warning for such election or meeting shall state that the purpose of such election or meeting is to ascertain whether or not such political division will adopt the merit system as to the officers and employees designated therein, and that such election or meeting is held under the provisions of this chapter. The vote on such question shall be by ballot, prepared and cast substantially in the manner and form in which official ballots for the election of civil officers are prepared and cast, which ballots shall bear the words "For the Merit System" and "Against the Merit System," and shall be so arranged as to enable the elector to indicate conveniently his preference. If, upon the official determination of the result of such vote, it appears that a majority of all the votes so cast are in favor of the adoption of the provisions of this chapter, it shall take effect forthwith as to such political division.

Sec. 2024. Civil service board; appointment; terms of office. Within thirty days after such official determination the chief executive officer of such political division shall appoint three persons as civil service commissioners, to hold office, one for two years, one for four years, and one for six years, and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified, which commissioners shall constitute