EDUCATION REPORT, 1904.

compensation they shall fix. His duty shall be to visit the schools of the town at least once each term, and oftener if the school board so directs. observe, when visiting a school, the condition of the buildings and grounds, He shall the number of the scholastic appliances, maps, text-books, etc., and make suggestions to the board. He may dismiss any incompetent teacher. having a graded school district under special act, the town and the special disIn towns trict may unite in the election of a town superintendent. Any two or more towns the aggregate number of schools in all of which is not more than 60 nor fewer than 20, may, by vote of the school directors of the several towns, unite for the purpose of employing a superintendent of schools, the directors of the several towns forming a joint committee for the election of the superintendent and determining the proportion of his salary to be paid by each town.

Truant officers.-The selectmen of each town and the mayor of each city shall annually appoint two truant officers, or, in case of failure to appoint, the constables, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, or policemen shall act as truant officers. The truant officer, or a member of the board of school directors, or other authorized person, may arrest, and upon the written application of three voters in the town shall arrest, a child who is illegally absent from school. Any person charged with the duty of arresting truants who shall refuse or neglect to perform the duty imposed by law shall be fined not exceeding $100. All persons acting as truant officers shall be paid $2 a day for time actually spent, unless otherwise provided. On complaint of a teacher to a school director the truant officer shall inquire into the cause of a pupil's absence, and if he have reason to believe that the pupil's parent, guardian, or master has violated the laws regarding attendance, the truant officer shall immediately make complaint to a justice of the peace or judge of the municipal court, who shall issue a warrent to have the parent, guardian, or master brought before him.

2. TEACHERS.

Certificates-Dutics-Preliminary training-Institutes.

A grad

Certificates. No person shall teach a public school without having a certificate or a permit, and a contract for teaching shall be void if the teacher does not obtain a certificate before opening school. a person under 17 years of age. No certificate will be granted to course of a normal school in the State shall be a license to teach in the public A certificate of graduation from the lower schools of the State for five years; from the higher course, ten years. uate of the lower course may, after one hundred weeks of successful teaching, present himself for examination in the studies of the higher course. who has held first-grade certificates for ten years and has taught two hundred A person weeks thereunder may, by concurrent action of the State superintendent and the county examiner, be granted, without examination, a certificate to teach in the public schools until same be revoked. grade certificate granted on examination, held by a teacher who is employed A first-grade certificate, or a secondcontinuously in the same school, shall remain in force during such continuous employment.

A graduate of a normal school in another State approved by the State superintendent may, upon presentation of a diploma or certificate of graduation, receive without examination from an examiner of teachers a first-grade certificate valid for five years from date of graduation, subject to the same provisions as certificates of graduation from a normal school in this State. A graduate of a college approved by the State superintendent may, upon presentation of a diploma or certificate of graduation to an examiner of teachers, receive without examination a certificate of the first grade; and after having taught successfully forty weeks such graduate may receive without examination a second first-grade certificate after the expiration of the first. A person who has held a first or second grade certificate or its equivalent in other States, and presents cvidence of recent and successful experience in teaching, may, under the approval of the State superintendent, without examination, receive a special second-grade certificate which shall be valid until the next public examination, or for a term not exceeding one year, when in the judgment of the examiner the exigencies of the case require.

The examination shall be oral and written, and shall be conducted by the examiner or some competent person appointed by him from printed questions prepared by the State superintendent. Certificates, issued by the examiner on blanks furnished by State superintendent, are of three grades. A first-grade cer

tificate shall be given only to one who has taught forty weeks successfully, whose examination papers show the applicant to have reached the standard required by the State superintendent, whose oral examination has been satisfactory, and who gives evidence of good moral character and ability to govern a school. Such certificate shall be a license to teach for five years in any town in the State. A second-grade certificate shall be granted to a candidate having taught twelve weeks, passed an examination in all the branches required by law to be taught in the common schools, proved by his papers that he has filled the requirements of the standard set by the State superintendent, and that he is of good moral character and capable of controlling a school. Such a certificate shall be a license to teach two years. A third-grade certificate shall be a license to teach for a specified time, not to exceed one year, and may, at the discretion of the examiner, be limited to the teaching of a particular school. One having twice taken a third-grade certificate, and who has taught at least twenty-four weeks, shall not afterwards be given a certificate of that grade. An examiner may give an applicant a private examination when the exigencies of the case require.

Teachers shall notify the clerk of the school board of the date, grade, and name of the grantor of their certificates before commencing school, and upon request shall submit same to his inspection. The contract of any teacher neglecting to comply with this provision shall be considered void.

Other duties.-Before commencing school the teacher shall secure a register from the clerk of the school board, keep therein in the prescribed form a record of the daily attendance of each pupil, enter therein correct answers to all interrogatories addressed to teachers, and return such register to said clerk at the end of each term, the final return to be on or before April 1. Teachers shall promptly notify school directors of any cases of truancy in their respective schools.

Preliminary training.―The normal schools at Randolph, Johnson, and Castleton are continued until August, A. D. 1920. The board of control for the three State normal schools consists of the State superintendent of education; a commission of three persons, one appointed each year by the governor for a term of three years; and a resident commissioner for each of the schools, appointed biennially by the governor. Members of the commission appointed by the governor, except the resident commissioner, shall receive $4 a day each and their traveling expenses for the time spent in the performance of their duties. Resident commissioners receive compensation for their traveling expenses when in discharge of their duties.

The board of control have the care of the three normal and training schools; they establish courses of study and revise the same when necessary; determine the conditions for admission to and for graduation from the normal schools; provide for the issue of certificates to teach to all persons of good moral character who may pass the examinations required for graduation, and may revoke the same for good and sufficient reasons; select and employ all teachers for the normal and training schools, and dismiss them when the interests of the school demand it.

The board, by their treasurer, receive all moneys appropriated from the State treasury for the support of the schools, and all moneys accruing to the schools from other sources, and apply the same in their discretion for the benefit of the schools. Eighteen thousand dollars is annually appropriated, in three equal parts, for the use of the schools.

A graduate of an academy, seminary, or high school in a four years' course, following an elementary course of nine years, approved in writing by the board of normal school commissioners, and having included at least thirty weeks of daily study and recitation in the principles and methods of education, definitely outlined by the State superintendent of education, may receive, after successfully passing an examination in the educational course herein described, under the direction of the normal school commissioners, a certificate of the second grade from the examiner of the county in which he intends to teach, upon the presentation of both a certificate of graduation and a certificate of the completion of the educational course from the board of normal school commissioners.

Institutes.-The State superintendent shall hold a teachers' institute in each county during each biennial term except as hereinafter provided, and may hold additional institutes if in his judgment advisable; but not more than two institutes shall be held in any county during a biennial term, nor shall an institute continue more than four days. Provided no institute is held in a county dur

ing any year, the superintendent of education and examiners of teachers may arrange for and conduct a summer school for teachers, the expense of which to the State shall not exceed $25 per day for not more than ten days, and the examiner may receive from the State compensation for not more than ten days for his services in connection with such summer school. Provided no institute or summer school is held in a county during any year, he may hold educational meetings in different towns in such county and employ competent assistance, but the expense per day shall not exceed the present allowance per day for institutes or summer schools; and the entire expense of such series of meetings in a county for any year shall not exceed the present allowance for institutes or summer schools, which shall be paid by the superintendent of education and be allowed in the settlement of his account.

In every teachers' institute especial attention shall be given to the training of teachers in methods of instruction; and the superintendent of education may employ persons specially skilled in such work to aid at an institute when advisable to do so.

The entire expense of a teachers' institute shall not exceed $30 for each day's session, which shall be paid by the superintendent of education and be allowed in the settlement of his account.

The time, not exceeding four days, actually spent by the teacher of a common school in attendance upon a teachers' institute or State teachers' association during the time such teacher is engaged to teach shall be considered as spent in teaching, nor shall legal holidays be considered as days lost.

3. SCHOOLS.

Attendance--Character of instruction-Text-books-Buildings.

Attendance. The term "legal pupils" shall include all persons between the ages of 5 and 18 years. No child under 5 years of age shall be received as a pupil, though school directors may establish a public kindergarten for such. Every person having under his control a child of good health and sound mind between 8 and 15 years of age shall cause it to attend a public school at least twenty-eight weeks in the year, unless such child has been otherwise furnished with the means of education for a like period or has already acquired the branches of study required by law to be taught in the public schools. No child under 15 years of age shall be employed in a mill or factory unless such child shall have attended a public school twenty-eight weeks during the preceding year, and shall deposit with the owner or person in charge of such mill or factory a certificate showing such attendance, signed by the teacher. No person shall employ children under 15 years of age who can not read and write, though capable of receiving instruction in those arts, during the time when the school such person should attend is in session. The penalty for violation of these provisions is not less than $5 nor more than $25, to be adjudged by any justice of the peace.

The board of school directors may use a portion of the school money for the purpose of conveying pupils to and from school.

Character of instruction.-In every town there shall be kept for at least twenty-eight weeks in each year, at the expense of the town, by a competent teacher or teachers of good morals, a sufficient number of schools for the instruction of all the children who may legally attend the public schools therein, and all pupils shall be thoroughly instructed in good behavior, reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, free-hand drawing, the history and the Constitution of the United States, and in elementary physiology and hygiene, and shall receive special instruction in the geography, history, constitution, and principles of the government of Vermont. Said school shall be within the limits of the town supporting it, and may be established at such places and held at such times as in the judgment of the board of directors will best subserve the interests of education and give all the children of the town as nearly equal advantages as may be practicable. Directors shall provide for the instruction of advanced pupils in the higher branches of study, in high schools maintained by the town or in high schools or academies of other towns or districts. Vocal music may be taught if allowed by vote of the town.. Boards of directors may also establish evening schools and kindergartens.

Text-books.-The school board of each town, city, or graded school district shall furnish at public expense all appliances, supplies, and text-books used in

the studies enumerated in the preceding paragraph (Character of instruction), and may furnish text-books on secondary school subjects.

Buildings.-Towns shall provide and maintain suitable schoolhouses, and the location, construction, and sale of the same shall be under the control of the board of school directors.

Local boards of health shall make, under the direction of the State board, a sanitary survey of each schoolhouse and report the same to the State board. The said local boards shall report at each March meeting to the voters of their towns the sanitary conditions of the schoolhouses. All schoolhouses shall be constructed, in respect to lighting, heating, ventilation, and other sanitary arrangements, according to regulations furnished by the State board of health.

A person who willfully and maliciously injures or defaces a dwelling house or other building shall be fined not more than $20 and be liable to the owner in action at law. A person who carelessly and without malice injures or defaces any part of a building belonging to a town or county or the appurtenances thereof of any kind, including trees and shrubbery, or fastens a horse or other animal to any such appurtenance, or posts bills, etc., whereby any defacement results, shall forfeit $2 to the State.

No barbed-wire fence shall be used to inclose school grounds.

4. FINANCES.

Funds (permanent or special)—Taxation.

United States deposit money.--The treasurer of the State shall receive moneys belonging to the United States to be deposited with this State. Such moneys shall be apportioned to the several towns, organized or unorganized, and to the gores in proportion to the number of inhabitants in each, according to the last State or national census. The town trustees of the public money may loan the same for one year to the town or to private individuals at an annual interest of 6 per cent. When there are no town trustees of public funds the State treasurer acts. The treasurer of each town shall give credit in his account of the school fund for all sums received by him as income from the town share of the deposit money, and this income shall be annually appropriated to the support of schools in the town; but if a town has other school funds the income of which is sufficient to support schools in such town for six months of the year, such town may appropriate the income received from its share of such money to any purpose. Failure to comply with the foregoing provisions makes the town liable to the county in a sum not exceeding double the interest on such moneys, and the grand jury shall inquire into the management and disposition of this fund.

Huntington fund.-The State treasurer shall annually apportion the interest, at 6 per cent, on the amount of the Huntington fund ($211,131.46) to the several towns in proportion to the number of inhabitants.

Town school fund.-The selectmen of a town shall have charge of the real and personal estate in such town appropriated as a fund to the use of schools unless otherwise provided by law or the donor. They shall lease lands and loan moneys on annual or semiannual interest secured by real estate.

State tar.-A tax of 8 cents on the dollar shall be annually assessed on the list of polls and ratable estate of the inhabitants of this State for the support of common schools. The treasurer shall annually apportion to the several towns and cities and unorganized districts the proceeds of such tax, according to the number of legal schools maintained during the preceding school year.

Local tax. The school directors of each town shall annually, in writing, recommend to the selectmen of their town the amount of money necessary for the use of schools, and said selectmen shall annually appropriate for such purpose a sum not exceeding one-half nor less than one-fifth of the grand list of such town, and shall assess a tax annually to defray such appropriations. Any town by special vote may raise a larger sum for school purposes.

a This "grand list" of Vermont is made up of the polls and 1 per cent of the assessed value of real and personal property. Eight per cent of this " grand list" is taken, as related in the text.

ED 1904 M- -32

VIRGINIA.

1. ORGANIZATION OF THE SYSTEM.

State board-State superintendent-County school board-County superintendent-District school board-City school board-City superintendent.

State board.-The State board of education shall be a corporation consisting of the governor, attorney-general, superintendent of public instruction, and three experienced educators elected quadrennially by the senate from a list consisting of one from each of the faculties and nominated by the respective boards of visitors or trustees of the State university, the military institute, the polytechnic institute, the State female normal college, the school for the deaf and the blind, and the College of William and Mary (State male normal school), together with two division superintendents (one from a county and one from a city), selected every two years by the six members named above. [The last two members have all the powers of other members except participation in theappointment of public school officers.]

They shall divide the State into appropriate school divisions comprising not less than one county or city each, and appoint (for four years), subject to confirmation by the senate, one superintendent of schools for each division; discipline and remove superintendents; prescribe the duties of the State superintendent; approve employees for the office of the State superintendent and nominated by him, the first clerk to serve as secretary of the board at an extra compensation; make rules for their own government and for the management and conduct of the schools; provide for examining teachers by the appointment of a State board of examiners or by such other plan as may be deemed expedient; select text-books and educational appliances; guard against the multiplying of schools to the detriment of the grade of instruction; approve plans of the State superintendent for the organization and conduct of summer normal schools and audit the accounts of expenses thereof; encourage teachers' meetings; decide appeals from decisions of State superintendent; order a vote in counties or districts on matters so referable by law; invest the capital and surplus income of the literary fund, recover any money belonging thereto, and audit claims to be paid therefrom; approve schemes of the State superintendent for apportioning State school money; determine contingent expenses of the State superintendent's office; appoint board of directors to manage State library; observe operations of school system and regulate matters in administration thereof not provided for; suggest to the general assembly improvements in system, and make report to said assembly, including the report of the State superintendent.

State superintendent.-A superintendent of public instruction, who shall be an experienced educator, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State every four years. He shall be the chief executive of the public free school system and ex officio president of State board, and shall see that the laws relating thereto are enforced, explain them to public school officers, prepare suitable registers, blank books, and forms for the transacting of the school business, and by circulars and otherwise give instruction to those who have educational duties to perform. He may require special reports from any officer, and may appoint persons (without compensation) to examine the schools of the county in which such person resides. He shall inspect the public schools as often as is consistent with his other duties; decide all appeals from decisions of county superintendents; select the time and place of holding summer normal schools; prescribe the course of instruction therein and select instructors therefor; issue State certificates; preserve all books, apparatus, maps, etc., received by him; prepare a scheme for apportioning the money appropriated by the State for the schools among the several counties and cities on a basis of the number of children from 7 to 20 years; provide a seal, and annually report to the board concerning his official acts, including a plain statistical account of receipts and expenditures, and other duties required of him by law.

County school boards.-The county superintendent of schools, together with the district school trustees in each county, shall constitute a body corporate. It shall hold a regular annual meeting, make and record rules for its own government, may appoint a clerk at $2 a day of actual service, prepare an estimate of the amount of money needed for the public schools and (after careful revision of the estimates of the district boards) separately prepare estimates of the expenses of schools in each school district; make annual settlements of school