網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

one teacher and a daily session of five hours shall be confined to the elementary branches.

Text-books.-The State board shall select text-books, exercising its discretion as to books suitable for cities and counties, respectively. No book (except United States histories) may be changed inside four years. District boards shall decide what pupils shall be entitled to receive text-books free of charge owing to the poverty of their parents.

Buildings.-The board of school trustees shall provide suitable schoolhouses, with proper furniture and appliances, in every district, and may hire, erect, or purchase such houses, observing the utmost economy consistent with health and decency, after consultation with the county or city superintendent as to the style of architecture and the arrangements of the buildings and grounds. Unsanitary buildings may be condemned by county superintendents. An unused building may be occupied by a person who desires to open a school, except when school funds are at hand to keep it open as a public school. To disturb any exercise of a school is a misdemeanor, subject to a fine of not less than $10 or more than $50, and, in the discretion of the court, confinement in jail for not more than thirty days.

4. FINANCES.

Funds (permanent or special)—Taxation.

The funds applicable annually to the establishment, support, and maintenance of free public schools shall be as follows:

State funds, embracing the annual interest on the literary fund (arising from the sale of public lands, forfeited property, and fines for offenses against the State), a capitation tax not exceeding $1 per annum on every male citizen of age, and such tax on property, not less than 1 mill nor more than 5 mills on the dollar, as the general assembly shall order.

County funds, embracing such taxes as shall be levied by the board of supervisors, fines imposed upon school officers, and donations.

District funds, embracing such taxes as shall be levied by the board of supervisors of the county, not to exceed 10 cents on the hundred dollars, for the purposes of the school district, and donations. [The county and district tax together shall not exceed 20 cents on the hundred dollars.]

Municipal funds, embracing such taxes, property, and capitation as may be levied by the city or town councils, or such appropriations as they may make, not exceeding 3 mills on the dollar in any year.

WASHINGTON.

1. ORGANIZATION.

State board-State superintendent-County superintendent—District board—

City board.

State board. The governor shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, four suitable persons holding life diplomas, at least two of whom shall be selected from those actually engaged in teaching in the common schools of the State, who, together with the superintendent of public instruction, shall constitute the State board of education. The persons appointed shall hold their office for two years. The board shall hold an annual session at the capital and necessary special meetings. The members shall be paid for their services at the rate of $5 per diem of actual service, and shall be reimbursed for necessary traveling expenses; but the expenses of the board shall not exceed $1,000 in any one year. (See also Teachers--Appointment, qualifications, and duties; Schools-Character of instruction, Text-books.)

State superintendent.-There shall be elected by the qualified electors in the State, for a term of four years, a State superintendent of public instruction. His salary shall be $2,500. He shall have supervision over all matters pertaining to the common schools, shall report to the governor biennially, said report, of which 4,000 copies shall be printed, to contain a statement of the general condition of the common schools of the State, with full statistical tables, by counties, showing the number of schools and the attendance; the State and

county school fund apportioned; amount received from special tax or other sources, amount expended for salaries of teachers, the salaries paid by the several counties to the superintendent of schools, the amount they are paid for visiting schools, and their mileage; the amount expended for building and providing schoolhouses; the amount of bonded or other school indebtedness, with rate of interest paid; the reports of all State educational institutions, or such portions of them as he may think advisable, together with such other facts as he may deem of general interest. He shall also include in his report a statement of plans for the management and improvement of the schools. He shall prepare and superintend the printing and distribution to county superintendents of such blanks, forms, registers, blank books, and copies of the school law as may be necessary to the proper discharge of the duties of county superintendents, teachers, and all other school officers charged with the administration of the laws relating to common schools; also the rules and regulations for the use and government of the common schools, and the questions prepared for the examination of teachers. He shall, as far as possible, travel in the different counties of the State where common schools are taught, without neglecting his other official duties, for the purpose of visiting schools, consulting the county superintendents, and addressing public assemblages on subjects pertaining to common schools; also to open such correspondence as may enable him to obtain all necessary information relating to the system of common schools in other States. His traveling expenses and the actual amount expended for postage, stationery, and other expenses of his office at the capitol (in which he shall preserve the records of his office) shall be paid as are the incidental expenses of other State officers. He shall be ex officio president of the board of education. He shall, annually, on or before the 1st day of October, call a convention of county superintendents of this State, at such time and place as he may deem most convenient, for the discussion of questions pertaining to the supervision and administration of the school laws, and such other subjects affecting the welfare and interests of the common schools as may be properly brought before it. He shall, quarterly, apportion the State common school funds subject to apportionment among the several counties of the State, in proportion to the total days' attendance (provided that each school district shall be credited with 2,000 days' attendance), according to the last annual reports of the several county superintendents on file in his office at the time of making the apportionment. The attendance of a pupil in a school outside the resident district shall be credited to the resident district unless otherwise arranged between the districts or schools. He shall certify said apportionment to the State auditor, and upon said certification the State auditor shall draw his warrant on the State treasurer in favor of the county treasurer of each county for the amount apportioned to said county, and transmit the same to the several county treasurers. The superintendent of public instruction shall also certify to the county superintendent of schools of each county the amount apportioned to that county. It shall be the duty of the State auditor to notify the superintendent of public instruction of the amount of the State common school fund subject to apportionment. He shall, annually, on or before the 15th day of August, require of the president, manager, or principal of every seminary, academy, and private school, and of the president, principal, or manager of every State educational institution in this State, a report of such facts, arranged in such forms as he may prescribe; and he shall furnish blanks for such reports, and it is made the duty of every such president, manager, or principal to fill up and return such blanks within such time as the State superintendent may require. He shall keep a directory of the boards of regents and trustees of State educational institutions, of the faculties of said institutions, and of all teachers receiving certificates to teach in the common schools of the State. He may appoint a stenographer, a deputy superintendent, and such other assistants as the needs of his office may require (about $4,000 a year allowed for this purpose).

County superintendent.--A county superintendent of common schools shall be clected in each county every two years, and shall give bond. Vacancies snall be filled by the county commissioners. The superintendent may appoint a deputy and other necessary clerical assistants, but in counties having less than 100 districts such shall be at superintendent's own expense. He shall exercise a careful supervision over the common schools, visiting each at least once a year; distribute promptly all reports, laws, forms, circulars, and instructions received from the State superintendent; enforce the course of study adopted by the State board; preserve all reports made to him, and keep a record of the teachers, with all personal and pedagogical data; make an annual report to the State

superintendent, containing abstracts of the reports made to him by district clerks, and such other matters as the State superintendent may require; keep an accurate description of the boundaries of the several districts; appoint district directors to fill vacancies and form new districts; apportion the county school funds (amount received from the State, county taxes, fines, etc.) to each district according to the number of days' attendance: Provided, That each district shall be credited with at least two thousand days' attendance. He shall report to the county commissioners the number and names of defective youth in his county, and the county commissioners shall not allow his salary for July until the State superintendent shall certify that his annual report has been made.

Any decision made by the county superintendent may be appealed to the State superintendent. The county superintendent, in addition to the salary fixed by law, shall be allowed mileage at the rate of 10 cents for each mile necessarily traveled in visiting schools and in attending conventions of county superitendents, but he shall be allowed no other emolument.

Board of district directors.-The term "school district" means the territory under the jurisdiction of a single school board. To organize a new district a petition in writing shall be made to the county superintendent signed by at least five heads of families residing in the district, but for the purpose of transferring territory from one district to another it is necessary that a majority of the heads of the families residing in the territory to be transferred should petition.

Directors of school districts shall be elected at the regular annual school election. At the first annual election in all new districts three directors shall be elected for one, two, and three years, respectively. The ballots shall specify the term for which each is to be elected. In all districts in which elections have been previously held, one director shall be elected for the term of three years, and if any vacancies are to be filled, a sufficient number to fill them for the unexpired term or terms; and the ballots shall specify the respective term for which each director is to be elected.

Every board of directors, unless otherwise specially provided by law, shall employ, and for sufficient cause discharge, teachers, mechanics, or laborers, and fix, alter, allow, and order paid their salaries and compensation; enforce the rules and regulations prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction and the State board of education for the government of the schools, pupils, and teachers, and enforce the course of study prescribed by the State board of education; provide and pay for school furniture and apparatus, and such other articles, materials, and supplies as may be necessary for the use of schools; rent, repair, furnish, and insure schoolhouses; build or remove schoolhouses; purchase or sell lots or other real estate, when directed by a vote of the district to do so; purchase personal property in the name of the district, and receive, lease, and hold for their district any real or personal property, and have custody of all school property; suspend or expel pupils from school who refuse to obey the rules thereof, and may exclude from school all children under 6 years of age; provide free text-books and supplies, to be loaned to the pupils of the schools, when in their judgment the best interests of their districts will be subserved thereby ; require all pupils to be furnished with such books as may have been adopted by the State board of education, as a condition to membership in the schools; exclude from school and school libraries all books, tracts, papers, and other publications of an immoral or pernicious tendency, or of a sectarian or partisan character; provide and pay for transportation of children to and from school when deemed necessary; authorize the schoolroom to be used for summer and night schools, literary, scientific, religious, political, mechanical, or agricultural societies, under proper regulations; require teachers to conform to the provisions of the school law.

Any board of directors shall be liable as directors in the name of the district for any judgment against the district, for any salary due any teacher, and for any debts legally due, contracted under the provisions of this act, and they shall pay such judgment or liability out of the school funds to the credit of the district.

The directors shall annually elect one of their number clerk and as such clerk he shall annually take an exact census of all children and youth between the ages of 5 and 21 years, and shall designate the number of weeks each child between the ages of 6 and 21 years has attended school during the school year, the names and sex of all children subject to enumeration, noting defects of sight or hearing, and the names of their parents or guardians. He shall report the enumeration, and such information as the State superintendent shall require as to duration of schools, character of instruction, attendance, buildings, and

the salaries of teachers. He shall receive $3 per diem for taking the census and making his report, and such other allowances as the board of directors may deem reasonable, but he shall receive no compensation until he shall have made his reports.

Each incorporated city or town shall comprise one school district, and shall elect, when there is more than one school, a town school superintendent, who may be a teacher.

City board of education.-Whenever any incorporated city shall have a population of 10,000 or more inhabitants, together with any adjacent or contiguous territory that now is or may be hereafter attached to said city for school purposes, it shall constitute one school district, and the board of directors shall constitute the city board of education. The board of directors shall consist of five members, who shall be elected by ballot by the qualified electors of the district, and shall hold their offices for the term of three years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The regular district election for the election of members of the board of education shall be held annually in each district.

The board shall elect a secretary, who shall not be a member of the board, but shall act as its purchasing agent and in addition as superintendent of buildings, giving bond of $5,000 or more. The board shall employ a city superintendent of schools of the district, and for cause dismiss him, and fix his duties and compensation; enforce the rules and general regulations of the State superintendent and the State board of education; prescribe the course of study, the exercises, and the kind of text-books to be used, in addition to the text-books prescribed by the State board of education, for use of the common schools of this State; provide free text-books and supplies for all children attending school when so ordered by a vote of the electors; or, if free text-books are not provided, provide books for indigent children, on the written statement of the superintendent that the parents of such children are not able to purchase them; require successful vaccination as a condition of school membership, and provide free vaccination for all who are unable to pay for the same; provide for school furniture and for everything needed in the schoolhouses; make necessary by-laws for more effectively carrying out the provisions of this act and for facilitating the work of the board, as required by law; adopt and enforce such rules and regulations as may be deemed essential to the well-being of the schools, and establish and maintain such grades and departments, including night schools, as shall, in the judgment of the board, best promote the interests of education in the district; suspend or expel pupils from school who refuse to obey the rules; employ, and for cause dismiss, teachers; determine the length of time over and above eight months that school shall be maintained; fix the time for the annual opening and closing of schools and for the daily dismissal of primary pupils before the regular time for closing schools. They shall make an annual printed report to the taxpayers of the district, showing in detail the receipts and disbursements of the school funds. The board shall annually cause the school census to be taken by the secretary and census marshals selected by him, at such compensation as the board shall fix, and shall annually report to the county commissioners the amount of funds necessary to carry on the schools.

2. TEACHERS.

Certificates-Dutics-Preliminary training-Institutes.

Certificates. No person shall be accounted a qualified teacher who has not first received a certificate issued by the State superintendent, or a State certificate or life diploma from the State board of education, or a temporary or special certificate granted by the county superintendent.

Life diplomas, valid during the life of the holder, and State certificates, for five years, shall be issued by the State superintendent on authority of the State board. State certificates may, upon application and without examination, be renewed, or a life diploma be authorized in lieu thereof by the State board.

First-grade common school certificates are valid for five years; second grade, for two years; third grade, for one year. Said certificates shall be issued by the State superintendent.

Temporary certificates may be issued by any county superintendent, entitling the holder to teach in any common school of the county wherein the same is issued until the next regular examination of teachers. Special certificates may be issued without examination by the county superintendent to teachers of music, languages other than English, drawing and painting, manual training, and

penmanship, upon application of any board of directors, if the county superintendent shall have received satisfactory evidence of the applicant's fitness to teach the subject named, which certificate shall entitle the holder to teach the subject therein named in any school of the district under the control of said board of directors, until revoked for cause.

The State board of education shall sit as a board of examination at their annual or special meetings and grant State certificates or life diplomas. State certificates shall be granted to such applicants only as shall file with the board satisfactory evidence of having taught successfully twenty-seven months, at least nine of which shall have been in the public schools of this State. The applicant must pass a satisfactory examination in all the branches required for first-grade common school certificates, also plane geometry, geology, botany, zoology, civil government, psychology, history of education, bookkeeping, composition, and general history, or shall file with the board a certified copy of a diploma from some State normal school or a State or Territorial certificate, the requirements to obtain which shall not have been less than those of this State. Life diplomas shall be granted to such applicants only as shall file with the board satisfactory evidence that they have taught successfully for ninety months, not less than fifteen of which shall have been in the public schools of this State; in other respects the requirements shall be the same as those for State certificates. But no State certificate or life diploma shall ever be granted without examination to the holder of a diploma from any State normal school unless said school shall first have been placed on the accredited list by the State board, nor shall a State certificate or a life diploma be granted without examination to the holder of a State certificate or life diploma unless the name of said State shall be found on the accredited list of States. The fee for State certificates shall be $3 and for life diplomas $5.

The State board shall also have power to grant State certificates without examination to all applicants who are graduates of a regular four-year collegiate course of the University of Washington, the Agricultural College and School of Science, or of other reputable institutions of learning whose requirements for graduation are equal to the requirements of the University of Washington. The applicant shall file with the board a certified copy of his diploma and the course of study for the year in which he graduated, and shall pass a satisfactory examination before the State board in theory and practice of teaching, psychology, and history of education, and shall file with the board satisfactory evidence of having taught successfully for twenty-seven months, at least nine of which shall have been in the public schools of this State, unless the name of the institution by which it was granted shall appear upon the accredited list of schools.

There shall be held at each county seat on the second Thursday of May, August, and November each year an examination of applicants for teachers' certificates, conducted by the county superintendent according to the rules and regulations of the State board. Applicants shall be at least 17 years of age, and shall be examined in reading, penmanship, orthography, written and mental arithmetic, geography, English grammar, physiology and hygiene, history and Constitution of the United States, school law and the constitution of the State of Washington, and the theory and art of teaching; and for a first-grade certificate in the additional branches of physics, English literature, and algebra, and the applicant must present satisfactory written evidence of having taught successfully nine months; but the State board may adopt two other subjects in lieu of algebra and physics for teachers who have taught exclusively in primary schools for not less than fifty months, and the certificates granted to such primary teachers shall be known as first-grade primary certificates, and shall entitle the holder to teach only in the primary grades of city and village schools. The State superintendent shall also have power to grant common school certificates without examination to all applicants who are graduates of a regular four-year collegiate course of the University of Washington, the Agricultural College and School of Science, State normal schools equal in requirements to the State normal schools of Washington, or of other reputable institutions of learning whose requirements for graduation are equal to the requirements of the University of Washington; also to all applicants who hold State certificates or diplomas equal in requirements to those of the State of Washington; but the applicant shall pass an examination in State school law and constitution with a standing required for a first-grade certificate.

Fee for examination or temporary certificate or renewal, $1. The county superintendent shall, within three days of the close of said examination, forward to the State superintendent all the papers written at said examination

« 上一頁繼續 »