erage number belonging" falls below fifteen for the several departments. SEC. 6. The sum of twenty thousand dollars, or so much Appropriation. thereof as may be needed, shall be annually appropriated for the payment of the several sums which may become due and payable under the provisions of this chapter; and the state auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders on the general treasurer in favor of such towns for such sums as shall be certified to him by the commissioner of public schools as due to said towns under the provisions of this chapter. SEC. 7. In the apportionment of the annual appropriation of the one hundred and twenty thousand dollars provided by law for the support of public schools, no town shall forfeit any portion thereof hereafter on account of any reduction in the number of its schools, by reason of the consolidation thereof in accordance with the provisions of this act, but each town shall continue to be entitled to the same amount from said annual appropriation upon the basis of the number of schools prior to such consolidation. (See Sec. 2, Chap. 53.) SEC. 8. The school committee of any town may consolidate any schools the average number belonging of each of which is less than twelve, for the purpose of establishing a graded school; and said school committee shall have authority to provide, in their discretion, transportation for pupils to and from school. SEC. 9. No person shall be employed to teach, as principal or assistant, in any school supported wholly or in part by public money unless such person shall have a certificate of qualification issued by, or under the authority of, the state board of education. (See Sec. 8, Chap. 60, and Sec. 1, Chap. 61.) Consolidation for part of shall not work any part public money. School comconsolidate mittee may schools, when. Every teacher must have State certificate. Examinations, when and by whom held. Annulment of certificate. Certificates issued without examination, when. SEC. 10. The state board of education shall hold, or cause to be held, in such places in different parts of the state, and at such times as they may determine, examinations for the position of teacher in the public schools of this state; and said board of education is hereby authorized to issue certificates of qualification which shall be valid throughout the state for the grade and time specified therein. SEC. 11. Said board of education may at any time annul for cause any certificate issued by them, after due notice to the holder thereof, and an opportunity for a hearing if desired. SEC. 12. Said state board of education may, in their discretion, issue certificates of qualification without examination to persons who have taught in the public schools in this state for three or more years, upon their filing with said board a written application approved by the school committee of the town where the applicant shall have taught the greater part of the three years next preceding the date of the application. SEC. 13. This act shall take effect on July first A. D. 1898, and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. Passed May 4, 1898. CHAPTER 545. AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 85 OF THE GENERAL LAWS, OF PROVISION FOR THE EDUCATION OF DEAF, It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Section 4 of Chapter 85 of the General Laws is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Chap. 569.] AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL LAWS. 109 for education of deaf, blind, and imbecile children. "SEC. 4. All bills arising under this chapter shall be ex- Appropriation amined and approved by the board of education, and the state auditor is hereby authorized to draw his orders on the general treasurer for the payment thereof when properly certified by the secretary of the board and approved by the governor; and a sum not to exceed fourteen thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby annually appropriated therefor out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated." SEC. 2. This act shall take effect on and after its passage, and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. CHAPTER 569. 1898. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION AND DISBURSE. Passed May 6, It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : SECTION 1. The school committee of the city of Newport shall have power to establish what shall be known as the public school teachers' retirement fund, which fund shall be administered by the board of trustees hereinafter provided for. Said fund shall consist of First, All moneys received from donations, legacies, gifts, bequests, or otherwise, for or on account of said fund, and also any appropriation which the city council of said city. may see fit to make from time to time for the benefit of said fund, which appropriations are hereby authorized to be made by said city council. Second, On and after September 1, 1898, the school committee of said city shall reserve and turn over to said fund Fund to be administered by or how. Certain deduc tions to be one per cent. of the salaries paid to teachers who shall, prior to that date, elect to come under the provisions of this act; and one per cent. of the salaries paid to all teachers apappointed after said date: Provided, that not more than one per cent. of twelve hundred dollars per annum shall be deducted from the salary of any one teacher. Third, All income or interest derived from the above moneys. SEC. 2. Three members of the said school committee, chosen annually by said committee, the superintendent of schools, and three representatives to be elected by those teachers of the public schools who contribute to the support of this fund in accordance with section I of this act, shall form a board of trustees who shall have charge of and administer said fund, and said board of trustees shall have power to invest and re-invest the same as shall be deemed by them most beneficial to said fund, and shall make pay-. ment from said fund of annuities granted in pursuance of this act, and shall from time to time make and establish such rules and regulations for the administration of such fund as they. shall deem best. The city treasurer of said city shall be exofficio the treasurer of said fund. Of the three representatives to be elected by the said teachers at the time of their first election, one shall be chosen for a term of one year, one for two years, and one for three years, and thereafter one such representative shall be chosen each year to serve for the term of three years. SEC. 3. Whenever a teachers' pay-roll shall be certified teachers' pay to the city auditor of said city for payment, it shall contain made from roll for said fund. a statement of the amount to be deducted from the salary of each teacher who contributes to the support of said fund in accordance with the provisions of this act, which amounts shall be added by said city treasurer to said retirement fund; and all amounts received by said treasurer for said fund, in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall be subject to the order of said board of trustees, signed by the president and secretary of said board. SEC. 4. Every teacher who has annually contributed to said fund in accordance with the provisions of this act for at least five years, and shall have taught in public schools for not less than thirty years, fifteen years of which service shall have been in the public schools of said city, may be retired, and shall have the right voluntarily to retire from such service and become a beneficiary under this act; and every such teacher so retired or retiring shall be entitled to an annuity equal to one half. the amount of salary received at the time of retirement, for the remainder of his or her life, to be paid by said board of trustees at the same time and in the same proportion as the salaries of public school teachers in said city are paid: Provided, that no annuity shall be paid till such retiring member shall have contributed to the fund a sum equal to all the assessments for thirty years had he been assessed hereunder upon his salary during said term, except under the conditions prescribed in section 5, and provided also, that the annuity so paid shall in no case exceed six hundred dollars in any one year. SEC. 5. Every teacher in the public schools of said city, Same subject. who shall have taught continuously therein not less than ten years, and for not less than five years annually contributed to said fund in the manner provided in this act, and has become, without the fault of such teacher, mentally or physically incapacitated for such service, may retire or be retired therefrom, and become a beneficiary of said fund in the same manner and to the same extent as provided in section 4 of this act; except that the teacher so retired may at the discretion of the board be exempted from the obligation to make good thirty full assessments as above, and such in |