the use of the library, nor in any other respect.-[School Law and notes of 1848. 1. If land is so situated that every legal subdivision of it is within two and a half miles of the school house site, in the district where the land lies, the same is subject to a school tax, or any other tax for school house purposes, notwithstanding the same land may have been before assessed and taxed in another district. If a new district is formed, the inspectors should ascertain the amount justly due to the new district, as provided in sections 75, 76, 77 and 78. If this duty is neglected, it can have no bearing on the tax. 2. There is no provision of law by which lands in an adjoining township, and not in any organized school district, may be added to a school district which does not contain nine sections of land. The inspectors of both townships may proceed and create a joint district, however. 3. When a district is divided, regulated or altered, it should be done by resolution accurately describing the change and boundaries. Such alterations and regulations will continue doubtless to be necessary to adapt our school system to the increasing population and settlement of the State, but they are only to be made as circumstances shall render proper. The resolution, in case of forming a district, should be similar to the following, viz: Resolved, That a new school district be formed in this township, to consist of the present districts No. 1 and No. 2, or of the present district No. 1 and part of district No. 2. (or whatever it may be,) which said district shall be numbered (insert the number) the township of - And the said district shall be bounded as follows: on the north by the township line, on the east by the easterly line of the farm owned by A- B- —and occupied by J L. K of -; on the south by the south line of lots owned by L and numbered 26 and 27; and on the west by the westerly line of the farm owned by D- H—, &c. H The above is given merely as a guide; the description must be made according to the circumstances of the country and the settlement of the township, but it should be in form, and some such resolution as the above should be had and carefully recorded. And the same form of resolution should be used in regulating and altering the boundaries of the district. The new boundaries caused by the alteration should be given. [See section 138.] 4. The inspectors should not in regulating or altering the boundaries of a district, leave any portion of the inhabitants included in the former district or districts, unprovided for, or cut off any portion from the advantages of a school. 5. "The great aim of the officers to whom this duty has been confided should be to form, as far as may be practicable, permanent and efficient districts, competent both in respect to taxable property and number of children, to maintain good schools and affording all requisite facilities for the regular attendance of all the children entitled to participate in the benefits of the school."-N. Y. Regulations. 6. Districts should not be any smaller than the necessity and circumstances of the country will permit. The remark made by an officer of the school system of New York, that "in feeble districts-cheap instructors, poor and ill furnished school houses-and a general langour of the cause of education are almost certain," will be found to be true here. SEC. 72. They may attach to a school district any person residing in the township, and not in any organized district, at his request; and for all district purposes, except raising a tax for building a school house, such person shall be considered as residing in such district; but when set off to a new district, no sum shall be raised for such person as his proportion to the district property. 1. Inspectors may perform their duty under this section without a meeting of the board, (in case it is impracticable for them to meet together,) by preparing a proper statement showing the fact that they have attached such person or persons to the district, which statement should be recorded by the township clerk after being signed by the inspectors or a majority of them. The law makes it necessary for the inspectors to act upon the request of the person wishing to be attached, but it is in the discretion of the inspectors whether to attach him or not. If they do so, the inhabitants of the district have no remedy but to acquiesce. If such person is attached, he stands on the same footing as a resident except so far as he is restricted by this section. There is no authority given to the Superintendent to interfere in these cases. SEC. 73. The inspectors shall apply for and receive from the township treasurer, all moneys appropriated for the township library of their township, and shall purchase the books, and procure the necessary appendages for the township library, and make such rules for the regulation thereof, and the preservation of the books contained in it, as they may deem proper. 1. It is made the duty of the Superintendent to recommend rules for the government of the libraries. This provision was intended as a guide or assistance to inspectors, and to secure a uniform system; but the inspectors may adopt such rules as they may deem proper. 2. The inspectors may make a rule imposing a fine upon a director neglecting to return the books, drawn quarterly by him. 3. A majority of the board may make purchase of books, or they may designate one of their number or some other person, to make purchases, under their direction. The chairman of the board has no authority, without the concurrence and consent of the other inspectors, or one of them, to purchase or pay for books. The authority to purchase books is one of the greatest importance, involving the whole question of the subsequent utility of the library. If the books purchased are not such as they should be-if they have not been selected with great care and consideration, and with a view to their adaptation to the great end proposed in the establishment of the libraries, the rules and regulations which may be made, will be of but little consequence. It was a subject of deep importance with the framers of our constitution, to secure the permanent establishment of these libraries, beyond the reach of dissolution and destruction, and it has been the aim of our legisla tors to make them in the highest degree, means of usefulness to our oitizens and our children. 4. The inspectors cannot make a rule in contravention with the provisions of section 51. 5. Text books for the schools cannot be purchased as library books. 6. The inspectors should invest the library money so as to prosure books of a varied character, historical, philosophical, agricultural, educational, poetical, &c., &c., but works of a merely sectarian or controversial character should not be purchased. No work of an immoral, or fictitious character should be purchased, and such works as "the celebrated trials of all countries," "lives of pirates," and the light reading of the day, are certainly not the works to prove useful to our people or our children. SEC. 74. They shall appoint one of their number to visit each school in the township having a qualified teacher, at least once in each school term in which a school is taught, who shall inquire into the condition of such schools, examine the scholars, and give such advice to both teachers and pupils as he may think benefical. 1. If the opinions of the best and most experienced writers on primary education are not entirely fallacious, and if all the results of experience hitherto are not deceptive, the consequences of a vig. orous system of inspection will be most happy. The teachers and pupils will feel that they are not abandoned to neglect; the apprehension of discredit will stimulate them to the greatest effort, while the suggestions of visitors will tend certainly to the improvement of schools, and they will themselves be more and more enabled to recommend proper measures from their better acquaintance with the subject.-[Spencer, Superintendent of N. Y. 2. When the schools are visited by the inspector appointed to do this duty, it is recommended that he invite parents and others to accompany him. For his services, he is entitled to his per diem pay. 3. "Section 74 makes it the imperative duty of the board of school inspectors to "appoint one of their number to visit each school in the township having a qualified teacher, at least ONCE in each school term in which a school is taught, who shall inquire into the condition of such schools, examine the scholars, and give such advice to both teachers and pupils as he may think beneficial." 4. "If the citizens of townships throughout the State, would, at their annual township meetings, select good practical men for school inspectors-the men best qualified to discharge the duties of the office, without any regard to personal or political considerations--and if the inspectors would be faithful in the discharge of this duty, there can be little reason to doubt that the schools of the State would ad. vance twenty per cent. in excellence." 5. "The inspectors should, at their first meeting every year, appoint the best and most practical and efficient member of the board, a VISITOR; and he should visit every school ONCE at least, as the law di rects. It would be well for inspectors to invite the citizens of districts, so far as practicable, and especially district boards, to accompany them in their visits." 6. "The visiting of schools is very commonly neglected, from the mistaken impression that inspectors are not entitled to pay while engaged in the discharge of this duty. But section 91, limiting the meetings of the board of inspectors at the expense of the township to six, has exclusive reference to meetings of the board. This is a service not contemplated in that limitation. School inspectors engaged in visiting schools are entitled to pay for their services, as when engaged in the discharge of other official duties."-[Notes of 1848, on School Law. SEC. 75. When a new district is formed, in whole or in part, from one or more districts possessed of a school house, or entitled to other property, the inspectors, at the time of forming such new district, shall ascertain and determine the amount justly due to such new district, from any district out of which it may have been, in whole or in part, formed, as the proportion of such new district, of the value of the school house and other property belonging to the former district at the time of such division. 1. When part of a district possessed of a school house and other property, is detached and attached to another district possessed of like property, the detached portion does not draw from the former district its proportion of the value of the district property. This is only the case where a new district is formed. Such a oase might arise under section 71, providing for altering the boundaries and not under the provisions of this section. 2. See section 138 for mode of procedure in case of a tax for district purposes, when any portion of a school district has been orga nized into a new district after a tax for district purposes other than the payment of the debts of the district, shall have been levied but not collected. SBC. 76. Such proportion shall be ascertained and determined according to the value of the taxable property of the respective parts of such former district, at the time of the division, by the best evidence in the power of the inspectors, and such amount of any debt due from the former district, which would have been a charge upon the new, had it remained in the former district, shall be deducted from such proportion. [Provided, That no real estate thus set off and which shall not have been taxed for the purchase or building of such school house, shall be entitled to any portion thereof, nor be taken into account in such division of district property.] SBC. 77. The amount of such proportion, when so ascertained and determined, shall be certified by the township clerk to the supervisor of the township, whose duty it shall be to assess the same upon the taxable property of the district retaining the school house or other property of the former district, in the same manner as if the same had been authorized by a vote of such district, and the money so assessed shall be placed to the credit of the taxable property taken from the former district, and shall be in reduction of any tax imposed in the new district on said taxable property for school district purposes. SBC. 78. When collected, such amount shall be paid over to the assessor of the new district to be applied to the use thereof, in the same man |