SEC. 14. If any poor child attending any district school is destitute of necessary class books, the selectmen shall provide such books at the expense of the town upon application therefor. (Sec. 13.)

SEC. 15. Whenever it shall come to the knowledge of the superintending school committee of any town, or to the knowledge of the mayor and aldermen of any city in this State, that any child attending any district school is destitute of the necessary text books, and is poor and unable to procure the same, it shall be the duty of said committee of any town, and the mayor and aldermen of any city in this State, to furnish the same forthwith at the expense of said town or city. (Laws of 1852, chap. 1229, as amended by laws of 1852, chap. 1304.)

SEC. 16. The superintending school committee shall make out annually a report, and present the same to the town at its annual meeting, stating the number of weeks which the public schools have been kept in each district in summer and in winter, and what portion thereof has been kept by male and what portion by female teachers; the whole number of scholars that have attended each school; the progress made in each school in the various branches of learning; the number of children between the ages of four and fourteen years in each district that have not attended school therein; and the number of persons in each district between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one years who cannot read and write, with such suggestions as may be useful upon the management of schools and the subject of education. (R. S., chap. 73, sec. 14.)

SEC. 17. Such committee shall receive from the town a reasonable compensation for all services required by law to be performed by them. (Sec. 15.)

SEC. 18. The superintending school committee shall receive no compensation for their services until they shall have satisfied the selectmen that they have attended to the duties and made the reports by law required of them; and no prudential committee shall be authorized to receive the school money from the selectmen until such committee shall have caused to be presented to said selectmen the certificate required by law in reference to the qualifications of teachers by him employed. (Laws of 1846, chap. 317, sec. 1.)

SEC. 19. It shall be the duty of every teacher of a public school to make, at the close thereof, a report to the superintending committee of the town, of the number of scholars, male and female, that have attended; the branches of learning taught and the progress made. made. And no teacher shall be entitled to pay for his services until this provision has been complied with. (Laws of 1846, chap. 317, sec. 2.)

SEC. 20. It shall be the duty of all persons entrusted with or engaged in the instruction of the young, diligently to impress upon their minds the principles of piety and justice; a sacred regard to truth, love of country, humanity and benevolence; sobriety,

industry and frugality; chastity, moderation and temperance; and all other virtues which are the ornament and support of human society; and to endeavor to lead them into a particular understanding of the tendency of all such virtues to preserve and perfect a republican form of government, to secure the blessings of liberty and to promote their future happiness, and the tendency of the opposite vices to degradation, ruin and slavery. (R. S., chap. 73, sec. 16.)

SECTION 1. Each of the several cities and towns in this State be and they hereby are authorized and empowered to make all needful provisions and arrangements concerning habitual truants and children not attending school, without any regular and lawful occupation, growing up in ignorance, between the ages of six and sixteen years; and also all such ordinances and by-laws respecting such children, as shall be deemed most conducive to their welfare and the good order of such city or town; and there shall be annexed to such ordinances suitable penalties, not exceeding for any one breach a fine of ten dollars: provided, that said ordinances and by-laws shall not be repugnant to the laws of this State.

SEC. 2. The several cities and towns availing themselves of the provisions of this act may appoint, in the same manner that other officers are appointed by said city or town, three or more persons, who alone or any one of whom, shall be authorized to make the complaints in every case of violation of said ordinances or by-laws to the justice of the peace or other judicial officer who by said ordinance shall have jurisdiction of the matter, which persons, or one of them, shall alone have authority to carry into ex

ecution the judgments of said justice of the peace or other judicial officer.

SEC. 3. Any minor between the ages of six and sixteen years, convicted under the provisions of this act, of being an habitual truant, or of not attending school, or of being without any regular and lawful occupation, or growing up in ignorance, may at the discretion of the justice of the peace or judicial officer having jurisdiction of the case, instead of the fine mentioned in the first section, be committed to any said institution of instruction, house of reformation, or suitable situation as may be provided for the purpose under the authority given in said first section, for such time as such justice or judicial officer may determine, not exceeding one year.

SEC. 4. Any minor convicted of either of said offences, and sentenced to pay a fine as provided in the first section, may in default of payment thereof be committed to said institution, house of reformation, or suitable situation provided as aforesaid, or to the county jail, as provided in the case of non-payment of other fines. And upon proof that said minor is unable to pay said fine, and has no parent, guardian or person chargeable with his support, able to pay the same, he may be discharged by said justice or judicial officer, whenever he shall see fit.

SEC. 5. If any minor convicted of any offence mentioned in the foregoing act, shall, within twenty-four hours after said conviction and sentence, give a bond to said town or city in the penal sum of twenty-five dollars, with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by said justice or other judicial officer before whom said minor was convicted, that he will attend some district or other school, in said town or city for one term that the same shall be in operation next after said conviction and sentence, that he will voluntarily comply with all the regulations of said school, and will be regular and constant in his attendance upon the same, except in case of ill health, and will at all times be obedient and respectful to the teacher, said justice or other judicial officer shall have power, upon the payment of all costs, and upon the filing of said bond as aforesaid, to remit said fine.

SEC. 6. This act shall take effect and be in force in such towns only as shall at some legal meeting adopt the same, and in such cities as shall by their city government adopt the same, and make such ordinances and by-laws as may be necessary to enforce its provisions.

1. Districts may unite and form high 10. Superintending school committee,

SECTION 1. Any two or more contiguous school districts, in any town or towns in this State, may associate together and form a union for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a high school or high schools, for the instruction of the older and more advanced scholars belonging to the several associated districts; but no vote of any district to associate with another or others, shall be valid unless passed by two-thirds of the voters present at a legal meeting called and holden for that purpose. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 1.)

SEC. 2. When a union shall have been so formed, the associated districts shall be a body politic and corporate, under the name of the high school associated districts of-(the town in which they may be,) and shall have, possess, and enjoy all the powers and privileges conferred, and be subject to all the duties and liabilities imposed on school districts by the general laws of the State, except as herein otherwise provided; and all laws in relation to calling meetings in school districts, and the officers thereof, and their duties, shall be taken and deemed to be applicable to calling meetings in high school associated districts, and to choosing officers thereof, and their duties, except as is herein otherwise provided. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 2.)

SEC. 3. The officers of high school associated districts shall be a moderator, clerk and prudential committee. The several prudential committees of the districts so associated, shall be members

of and constitute the prudential committee of the high school associated districts; but if in any district the prudential committee shall consist of more than one person, then the chairman only of such committee shall be a member of the prudential committee of the high school associated districts. Said last mentioned committee shall have power to determine the age and qualifications of the scholars who may attend the high school or high schools, employ teachers, and make rules and regulations for the studies and discipline of such school or schools, which shall not, however, be in force until approved by the superintending school committee of the town. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 3.)

SEC. 4. All high school associated districts shall have power to purchase land for building school houses thereon; to build school houses and other necessary buildings, to remove, alter, repair and furnish the same; to hire school houses or other buildings, or rooms for keeping a high school or schools therein, and to raise money for the several purposes aforesaid. And the mode directed by the laws in force to be pursued to raise and collect money in school districts for building school houses, shall be pursued in raising and collecting money for the above purposes in high school associated districts. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 4.)

SEC. 5. A portion of the school money assigned by the selectmen to each of the school districts so associated, not exceeding one fourth part of the same, shall be appropriated to the maintenance of said high school or high schools, and shall be paid to the prudential committee of the high school associated districts. And said committee, in conjunction with the superintending school committee of the town, shall annually determine what portion of said school money shall be appropriated and paid, which determination shall be in writing and recorded. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 5.) SEC. 6. The teacher of every high school shall be competent to instruct in all the branches of English education prescribed to be taught in common schools, and shall be also competent to teach history, philosophy, chemistry, botany, book keeping, surveying, geometry, algebra, logic and rhetoric, all which branches, and also the ancient and modern languages, may be taught in such high schools. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 6.)

SEC. 7. The said high school associated districts may raise money to be appropriated exclusively to paying, in part, the salaries of the teachers of the high schools therein; the same proceedings being had which are prescribed by law for raising and collecting money to build school houses; but no vote to raise money for that purpose shall be valid unless passed by two thirds of the voters present. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 7.)

SEC. 8. This act (the seven preceding sections) shall apply to such towns only as, at any meeting duly notified and held for that purpose, shall have adopted its provisions; an article being in serted for that purpose in the warrant for said meeting. (Laws of 1845, chap. 220, sec. 8, amended by laws of 1852, chap. 1231.)