Treasurer of board, duties.

Instruction

to be given.

School to have land.

School to be free.

"Special classes."

Superintendent of public instruction, duty of.

President

agricultural college.

superintendent of school.

(487) 5957. SEC. 5. The county treasurer of the county in which said school is located shall be ex-officio treasurer of said board; all moneys appropriated and expended under the provisions of this act shall be expended by the county school board and shall be paid, by the said county treasurer on orders issued by said board or in counties having a board of county auditors, by such auditors, and all moneys received by said board shall be paid to the said county treasurer for the fund of the county school board.

(488) § 5958. SEC. 6. In the county schools of agriculture and domestic economy organized under the provisions of this act, instruction shall be given in the elements of agriculture including instruction concerning the soil, the plant life, and the animal life of the farm; a system of farm accounts shall also be taught; instructions shall also be given in manual training and domestic economy and such other related subjects as may be prescribed.

(489) § 5959. SEC. 7. Each such school shall have connected with it a tract of land suitable for purposes of experiment and demonstration, of not less than ten acres in

area.

(490) 5960. § SEC. 8. The schools organized under the provisions of this act shall be free to the inhabitants of the county or counties contributing to their support, who shall be qualified to pursue the course of study as prescribed by the school board. Whenever students of advanced age desire admission to the school during the winter months in sufficient number to warrant the organization of special classes for their instruction, such classes shall be organized and continued for such time as their attendance may make necessary.

(491) § 5961. SEC. 9. The state superintendent of public instruction shall give such information and assistance and establish such requirements as may seem necessary for the proper organization and maintenance of such schools, and, with the advice of the president of the Michigan state agricultural college, determine the qualifications required Proviso as to teachers employed in such schools: Provided, That no person shall be eligible to a position as superintendent of any school established under this act, who is not a graduate of a state college of agriculture. The state superintendent of public instruction shall have the general supervision of all schools established under this act; shall from time to time inspect the same, make such recommendations relating to their management as he may deem necessary, and make such report thereon to said schools as shall give full information concerning their number, character and efficiency.

Schools, when placed upon approved list.

(492) 5962. SEC. 10. Any school established under the provisions of this act, whose course of study and the qualifications of whose teachers have been approved by the superintendent of public instruction and the president of the

On Annual report.

Michigan state agricultural college, and which shall have expended at least twenty thousand dollars in buildings and equipment, and shall have acquired title to at least eighty acres of land to be used in connection with said school, may, upon application, be placed upon the approved list of county schools of agriculture, manual training and domestic economy. A school once entered upon said list may remain listed and be entitled to state aid so long as the scope and character of its work are maintained in such manner as to meet the approval of the superintendent of public instruction. the first day in July of each year the secretary of each county school board maintaining a school on the approved list shall report to the superintendent of public instruction, setting forth the facts relative to the cost of maintaining the school, the character of the work done, the number and names of teachers employed, and if more than one county contributes to the support of such school, the amount so contributed by each county and such other matters as may be required by the county school board or the said superintendent. Upon the receipt of such report, if it shall appear that the school has been maintained in a satisfactory manner for a period of not less than eight months during the year, closing on the thirtieth day of the preceding June, the said superintendent shall make a certificate to that effect and file it with the auditor general. Upon receiving such certificate, the Amount auditor general shall draw his warrant payable to the treasurer of the county maintaining such school for a sum equal to two-thirds the amount actually expended for maintaining such school during the year: Provided, That the total sum Proviso. so apportioned shall not exceed four thousand dollars to any one school in any one year: Provided further, That any such Further school receiving state aid shall be free to the inhabitants of the state on such terms as may be provided by said board and the superintendent of public instruction. When more than one county has contributed to the support of the school, the auditor general shall draw his warrant payable to the treasurer of each county for such portion of the state aid as the amount contributed by his county is part of the total amount contributed by all the counties for the support of the school for the preceding year. The auditor general shall Tax clause. annually, beginning in the year nineteen hundred thirteen, include and apportion in the state tax such sum as shall have been so paid.

Added 1909, Act 219; Am. 1911, Act 29; 1913, Act 12.

drawn.

proviso.

Establishment of.

Division of, into classes.

Referendum on consolidation.

Notice of election.

Proviso, petition

asking for submission.

RURAL AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS.

An Act to provide for the establishment of rural agricultural schools by consolidating three or more rural schools in any township or school district; for the organization of school districts in certain cases; for teaching agriculture, manual training and home economics therein, and providing state aid for the maintenance thereof.

[Act 226, P. A. 1917.]

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

(493) SECTION 1. Three or more rural schools which have been or may hereafter be consolidated and in which the teaching of agriculture, manual training and home economics shall or may be established as part of the regular courses of study, shall be known as rural agricultural schools and shall be entitled to state aid for the maintenance thereof, if built, equipped, and managed as provided for in this act. (494) SEC. 2. Such rural agricultural schools shall be divided into two classes, viz.:

(a) Class (a) shall include rural agricultural schools with less than twenty acres of ground and having a corps of teachers consisting of one principal and two or more teachers who are engaged to teach during not less than nine months in any one year.

(b) Class (b) shall include rural agricultural schools with twenty or more acres of ground used partly or wholly for the teaching of practical agriculture and animal husbandry and having a corps of teachers consisting of one principal, who is engaged for a year of twelve months, and of two or more teachers who are engaged during not less than ten months in any one year.

(495) SEC. 3. Whenever any district or township school board or boards deem it advisable to establish a rural agricultural school by consolidating three or more rural schools, they may submit the question of consolidating to the qualified voters of such district or districts, or township or townships, either at the annual school election or at a special election held for such purpose, notice thereof in either case being given not less than twenty days prior to the time of holding such election, by posting three or more notices in each district or township affected and by publication in a newspaper, if any is published in such district or districts, or township or townships: Provided, Such question shall be submitted and notice given as above stated whenever ten per cent or more of the resident electors of such districts or townships affected, who are qualified to vote at school elections, shall sign and file with their respective district or township school boards, a petition or petitions asking that such question be submitted at the next annual school election or at a special election to be held for such purpose.

education,

(496) SEC. 4. If the election mentioned in section three Board of is to be held in school districts having no school board or election of. township board of education either composed of five members, there shall be elected at the same time five members who shall constitute the board of education of such consolidated school district or districts, and who shall hold office one for one year, two for two years and two for three years: Provided, If such members are elected at a special election Proviso. the one who is elected for one year shall hold office until the next annual school election, and thereafter all members of said board of education shall be elected for three years. If such election is held in two or more school districts, the school boards of such districts shall canvass the vote in their respective districts and make returns thereof to the board Returns, of education of such consolidated district, and if a majority of the electors of such districts vote in favor of consolidating, the said board of education shall give notice to that effect to the county commissioner of schools and the superintendent of public instruction within five days after such election has been held, and the said board shall organize within said five days by electing a president, secretary and treasurer.

where made.

of district,

(497) SEC. 5. Within ten days after the vote mentioned Funds, etc., in section four shall have been declared carried, the funds disposition of. and property of each school district shall be turned over to the board of education of such consolidated district, but no indebtedness of any one district shall be assumed by such consolidated district.

(498) SEC. 6. Any school district formed under the provisions of this act shall be subject to all the provisions of act number one hundred seventeen of the Public Acts of Michigan of the year nineteen hundred nine and to the general laws of this state, as the same may now exist or be hereafter altered or amended so far as the same shall be applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this act. (499) SEC. 7. Rural agricultural school buildings shall School buildbe community centers and be available to residents of the for meetings. district or township for meetings after school hours or when school is not in session, and the board of education shall grant the use thereof providing such meetings are not held for political or religious purposes. A janitor shall be engaged for the entire year to care for buildings and grounds during school hours and when public meetings are held.

ings, use of,

plans, ap

(500) SEC. 8. Plans for rural agricultural school build- Building ings shall be approved by the superintendent of public in- proval of. struction. Such buildings shall be erected by advertising for sealed bids and shall contain six or more rooms, one assembly room or two rooms with removable partition. They shall be properly ventilated, have an ample water supply, toilets with proper sewerage, a central heating and lighting plant, a library and suitable equipment and apparatus for

Vehicles for transportation of pupils.

Proviso.

Home economics,

teachers in.

the teaching of agriculture, manual training and home economics.

(501) SEC. 9. The board of education shall provide a sufficient number of vehicles for the transportation of pupils from and to their homes and shall designate the routes over which such vehicles are to travel: Provided, That no pupils shall be compelled to walk farther than one mile from their homes to the nearest route. Such vehicles shall be of ample capacity, shall be enclosed to keep out rain or snow and be provided with robes or foot warmers during cold weather. In case less than six pupils reside on or near any one route, such pupils may be boarded at some convenient place if the cost is less than the cost of transportation.

(502) SEC. 10. Teachers in home economics shall have Certificates of teachers' life certificates and be graduates of or have taken a sufficient course in college or normal school, where science in home economics is taught. Certificates shall be endorsed by the superintendent of public instruction or president of college or normal school.

Grade teachers.

Principal, class (a).

Class (b).

State aid.

(503) SEC. 11. Grade teachers in rural agricultural schools shall, in addition to the regular teachers' certificates, hold a certificate from either college, state or county normal school showing that the course of studies included the subject of agriculture.

(504) SEC. 12. The principal in class (a) shall hold a teachers' life certificate and be qualified to teach the elements of agriculture and manual training as determined by such tests as may be required by the superintendent of public instruction and the president of the Michigan agricultural college. Before entering into a contract he shall have written endorsement of qualifications attached to the regular certificate.

(505) SEC. 13. The principal in class (b) shall hold a teachers' life certificate and have not less than two years' successful experience in other schools. He shall have practical experience in farm work and be either a graduate from any state agricultural college or a state normal school having a course in agriculture or have a certificate from such college or normal school showing that he has taken a course of not less than two years in such college or normal school and is qualified to teach agriculture and manual training. During the two months when school is not in session, he shall supervise boys' and girls' club work as carried on by the United States Department of Agriculture in co-operation with the Michigan agricultural college; he shall assist in supervising farm demonstrations which may be carried on in his district and he shall give such assistance and advice as may be required by farmers in such districts.

(506) SEC. 14. As state aid to assist in the maintenance of rural agricultural schools, each of such schools shall be entitled to receive two hundred dollars a year for each ve