All money derived from the dog tax remaining after the satisfaction of the claims of sheep owners shall be apportioned among the several school districts. if over $100, in proportion to the number of children of school age.

Taration. It shall be the duty of the supervisor of the township to assess the taxes voted by every school district in his township, and also of all other taxes provided for by the school law chargeable against such district or township, upon the taxable property of the district or township respectively, and to place the same on the township assessment roll in the column for school taxes, and the same shall be collected and returned by the township treasurer in the same manner and for the same compensation as township taxes. He shall also assess 1 mill upon each dollar of taxable property, and all money so raised shall be apportioned by the township clerk to the district in which it was raised. The supervisor, on delivery of the warrant for the collection of taxes to the township treasurer, shall also deliver to him a written statement of the amount of school and library taxes, the amount raised for district purposes on the taxable property of each district in the township, the amount belonging to any new district on the division of the former district, the names of all persons having judgments assessed upon the taxable property of any district, with the amount payable, and the amount of the 1-mill tax levied within the bounds of a fractional school district a part of which is situate within his township but the returns of which are made to the clerk of another township, and the treasurer shall pay to the township treasurer of such other township the amount of the taxes so levied and certified to him for the use of such fractional school district. The township treasurer shall retain in his hands out of the moneys collected by him, after deducting the amount of tax for township expenses, the full amount of the school taxes on the assessment roll, and hold the same subject to the warrant of the proper district officers, to the order of the school inspectors or other persons authorized to draw thereon, and give written notice to the township clerk of the amount. Any school district may by a two-thirds vote of its qualified electors present at an annual or at a meeting called specially for the purpose, issue bonds to pay for a schoolhouse site and to erect or furnish school buildings as follows:

Districts

Of fewer than 30 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.
Of 30 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than...

Indebtedness.

$300

500

Of 50 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than

1,000

Of 75 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than..

2,000

Of 100 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.

3,000

Of 125 persons 5 to 20 years and an assessed valuation of property of $150,000 or more may incur not more than...............

5,000

8,000

15,000

20,000

25.000

30,000

Of 200 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.. Of 300 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.. Of 400 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.. Of 500 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.. Of 800 persons 5 to 20 years may incur not more than.... But in no case shall the indebtedness of a district extend beyond ten years for money borrowed. And in all proceedings under these provisions the director, assessor, and one person appointed by the district board shall constitute a board of inspection, who shall cause a poll list to be kept and a suitable ballot box to be used, which shall be kept open for two hours. When the school district shall have voted to borrow any sum of money, the district board shall issue the bonds thereof in sums of not less than $50 and at a rate of interest not greater than 8 per cent, and the district is authorized to provide for the payment of principal and interest by taxation [see also under Schools, Attendance].

WISCONSIN.

1. ORGANIZATION OF THE SYSTEM.

State superintendent.—Inspector of free high schools.—State board of examiners.-County superintendent.-District and high school boards.—Township board of directors.-City board of education.—Truant officers.

State superintendent.-A State superintendent shall be elected every two years. He may appoint an assistant, who shall perform such duties as the superintendent shall prescribe, also a chief clerk at a salary of $1,500 per annum, a clerk at not more than $1,200 who shall aid in the establishment and administration of libraries, and such other clerks, no one of which is to receive more than $1,000, as the work of his office may require. He shall have general supervision over the schools of the State; shall visit and inspect schools as far as practicable in every county, shall awaken an interest in public education and its improvement, shall recommend text-books

and secure uniformity as far as practicable, discourage the use of sectarian books and instruction, and open correspondence which will acquaint him with the movement of educational affairs throughout the State. He shall prescribe rules for the management of school-district libraries, prepare suitable forms for the use of local officers, and cause the laws and necessary instructions to be printed in pamphlet form, and distribute them to those having care of the public schools, with whom he shall also communicate through circulars and bulletins of information. He shall publish courses of study for ungraded and high schools, decide all cases appealed to him, and prescribe rules of practice, collect such books, apparatus, maps, and charts as can be obtained without expense to the State, and purchase rare and valuable works on education, for which $150 may be drawn from the treasury, apportion and distribute the school fund, and make copies at the rate of 12 cents a folio of any papers on file in his office. He shall hold at least four conventions of county superintendents, and make a biennial report which shall contain an abstract of all the common-school reports received by him from the several clerks of the county board of supervisors, a statement of the common schools in the State, estimates and accounts of expenditures of the school money, plans for the improvement and management of the common-school fund and for the better organization of common schools, a statement of his official visits during the year, and all such matters relating to his office and the common schools of the State as he may deem expedient to communicate.

Inspector of free high schools.-The State superintendent may appoint a person of suitable qualifications to assist him in visiting, inspecting, and supervising the free high schools of the State and to aid in giving any needed assistance to localities in organizing and maintaining free high schools in towns where no graded schools exist. State board of examiners.—(See Teachers, Appointment, qualifications, and duties.) County superintendent.-There shall be elected (biennially) by each county a superintendent of schools, whose duty it shall be to examine and license teachers; to visit schools at least once in each year and note the condition of instruction and the buildings, including the adornment of the school grounds; to direct alterations and repairs required by hygienic laws if costing no more than $25; to condemn houses unfit for use; to report annually to county board of supervisors; to transmit to the State superintendent the abstract of the report received from city, town, or village clerks; to report upon such matters as the State superintendent may require; to organize and conduct at least one institute for the instruction of teachers during the year; to advise upon questions arising under the operation of the school board; to form inspection districts for the purpose of teachers. He shall not engage in teaching if receiving fewer than $800 per annum nor any other occupation, nor absent himself from the county or district to engage in any occupation during the term for which he is elected for such time or in such manner as to interfere with the proper discharge of his duties as superintendent of schools. Whenever the county seat is located in a city having a school system of its own and there shall be two county superintendent districts in the county both superintendents may reside at the county seat. The county board of supervisors may allow the county superintendent his traveling expenses, not over $200. Upon petition setting forth the reasons, the county judge, after a judicial investigation, may remove any county superintendent for cause shown.

District board. The town board of each town shall have power to form and alter districts, but no district shall contain more than 36 square miles and must be composed of contiguous territory, nor shall a district be so diminished in size as to leave it with an indebtedness exceeding 5 per cent of its taxable property. The annual meeting of all school districts shall be held on the first Monday of July of each year, at 7 p. m., unless otherwise ordered by the district. The district shall have power to choose a director, treasurer, and clerk; to designate a site for a schoolhouse; to vote a tax to procure site and build, repair, or furnish the schoolhouse (Provided, That a district having fewer than 250 inhabitants must obtain the consent of the town board to raise more than $600 for building or purchasing a schoolhouse, and districts having fewer than 1,000 inhabitants must obtain the consent of the town board to raise more than $1,000); to vote a tax for teachers' wages on the following schedule: Districts having an average attendance of 15 shall not raise more than $350; 15 to 30, not more than $450; 30 to 40, not more than $550; to authorize the sale of any schoolhouse site or other property; to tax to pay indebtedness; to buy apparatus; to raise $100 or less sum annually to procure library; to borrow money; to admit to the schools persons over 20; to authorize the board to purchase text-books; to determine duration of the session of school; and to fix compensation of clerk. [For free high school district see "Schools, Character of instruction," and "Finances, Taxation."]

The officers of each school district shall be a director, treasurer, and clerk, who shall be residents of the district, and shall hold for three years, one being elected annually; together they form the district board, and in case of vacancy the other members shall fill it. The district board shall execute the decisions of the district

meeting, and shall have the care and keeping of the school property, may purchase Į national flags, shall contract with teachers, expel pupils for cause, and determine what school books shall be used and what branches other than as required by law be taught in the school under their charge.

The clerk shall annually make a report under oath to the town clerk containing the number of children, by sex, 4 to 20 years of age, and the names of their parents or guardians; the number, 4 to 20, taught in the schools, by sex; the number in school under 4 and over 20; the number of days schools are taught by qualified teachers, including holidays, and the days teachers have attended an institute; the names of all teachers employed during the year, the number of days taught by each, the monthly wages paid to each, and the time allowed for attendance on teachers' institute; the amount of money received from the town treasurer during the year, designating the amount received from apportionment of the common school income, the amount of public money received in each, the number of children taught in each, and the number 4 to 20 years; the amount of money received in the town for school purposes since the date of the last preceding report (setting forth separately the amount received from the State, the amount levied by the county board, the amount raised by the town at its annual meeting in towns where the township system of school government has been adopted); the amount raised by district tax, the manner in which such moneys have been disbursed, the balance on hand, and generally such other facts as the State superintendent may require concerning public or private schools.

Each town clerk shall make a report to the county superintendent, stating the whole number of school districts set off within the town and the number of parts of joint districts in which the schoolhouses belonging thereto are located, the districts or parts of districts in which reports shall have been made, and length of time school has been taught in each district reporting.

Township board of directors.—Any town may vote to adopt the township system, and the several school districts and parts of joint districts within the town shall then be styled subdistricts. The clerks of the several subdistricts and parts of joint districts shall constitute the town board of school directors.

The board of school directors of each town shall have power, out of the funds provided by the town for that purpose, to purchase or hire sites, houses, and rooms for the use of schools, and to fence and improve the same, as they may deem proper, and upon such sites to build, enlarge, alter, improve, and repair schoolhouses, outhouses, or any other building for school purposes, as they may deem advisable; and also, whenever in the opinion of the board any schoolhouse or schoolhouse site is no longer needed for school purposes, the same may be sold and conveyed in the corporate name of the board, such conveyance to be executed by the president and secretary of the board.

Said board shall establish and maintain such and so many schools in the several subdistricts under their charge as they may deem requisite and expedient: Provided, That there shall be at least one common school in each subdistrict, and that all such schools shall be kept each year not less than six months. The board shall have, in all respects, the supervision and management of all the schools, with full power to adopt, enforce, modify, and repeal from time to time all rules and regulations not inconsistent with the laws of this State necessary for their organization, gradation, and control, and for the instruction given by them in the different branches of education taught therein, and to establish and enforce proper penalties for the violation of such rules. It shall elect a secretary, who may or may not be a member, who shall perform the duties of clerk and superintendent.

All powers conferred upon district boards by the provisions of the school law excepting those the exercise of which would conflict with the provisions of law relative to the township system, are hereby conferred upon the town boards of directors herein provided for.

Truant officers.-See under Schools, Attendance.

2. TEACHERS.

Appointment, qualifications, and duties.—Preliminary training.—Meetings. Appointment, qualifications, and duties.-Every person who shall desire to teach in any of the common schools, unless holding a diploma or certificate then authorizing that person to teach, shall procure such certificate from the proper examining officer, and no certificate shall have force except in the district of the examining officer issuing it; but any county superintendent may call upon another to send him the examination papers upon which a certificate was issued, and if satisfactory may issue a certificate of like grade.

Certificates shall be of three grades. The third-grade certificate shall entitle the holder to teach one year or less in any town of the superintendent's district in which ED 94-76

the teacher has been examined, but may be limited to any town or district, and shall show that the holder has passed in orthography, orthoepy, reading, penmanship, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, history and Constitution of the United States, the constitution of Wisconsin, physiology and hygiene with special reference to the effects of stimulants and narcotics upon the human system, and the theory and art of teaching. The second-grade certificate shall entitle the holder to teach for two years, and embraces all the subjects required for the third-grade certificate and grammatical analysis, physiology, physical geography, and elementary algebra. A first-grade certificate shall entitle the holder to teach for four years (but the county superintendent may limit its duration to one year subject to removal of the restriction after six months of successful teaching by the holder), and shall embrace all the subjects of the second-grade certificate and higher algebra, natural philosophy, and geometry.

The State superintendent shall annually appoint three competent persons at $5 per diem for actual service, residents of the State, who shall constitute a board of examiners, and meet at least once a year to examine applicants for State certificates (provided the State superintendent is thereby authorized to examine principals of high schools and of free high schools who shall have been elected superintendents of the city schools containing such high schools, and to grant certificates to successful candidates valid for one single locality). The State superintendent shall prescribe the manner of conducting and managing such examinations, reporting the results thereof, and with the advice of the examiners in what branches of study in addition to those fixed by law the applicant for an unlimited State certificate shall be examined. The required subjects are those of a first-grade county certificate, mental philosophy, and English literature. In addition, evidence shall be required of good moral character, experience, and success in teaching. An unlimited State certificate shall qualify to teach in any public school of the State. A limited State certificate shall qualify to teach in any public school for five years from its date.

The State superintendent is authorized to examine principals of high schools and of free high schools who shall have been elected superintendents of the city schools containing such high schools, and to grant certificates valid for one year and for a single locality. The State board of examiners may grant diplomas of scholarship and ability to teach to normal school graduates passing a thorough and satisfactory examination in the course of study prescribed by the board, and when any such graduate has, after receiving such diploma, taught a public school in the State for one year the State superintendent may countersign the diploma after investigating the moral character and professional ability of the holder, which shall thereafter have the force of an unlimited State certificate. Any graduate of the State university successfully having taught a public school in the State for sixteen months is entitled to have his diploma countersigned by the State superintendent after examination as to moral character and professional ability. The diploma so countersigned has the force of an unlimited Stato certificate. Graduates of any college or university incorporated by the State having courses fairly equivalent to the corresponding courses in the State university may have their diplomas countersigned as above described for the State university. Graduates of the course in the science and art of teaching in the State university may have their diplomas countersigned by the State superintendent after the holder has successfully taught a public school in the State eight months and examination as to moral character and professional ability. Graduates of the Milwaukee normal school having taught five years in a public school of the State shall have their diplomas countersigned, after examination as to character and professional ability, by the State superintendent, making it in effect an unlimited State certificate. Preliminary training. For the government of the normal schools established, and which may hereafter be established, there is constituted a board called "the board of regents of normal schools," composed of the governor and State superintendent, as ex officio regents, and of nine appointed regents. The term of office of the regents appointed shall be three years, the term of office of three regents expiring each year; and not more than two such members of the board shall reside in any one Congressional district. The governor shall fill all vacancies by appointment, by and with the approval of the senate, if the legislature be in session, and if not, then subject to the approval of the senate at the next succeeding session; but in case of a vacancy before the expiration of a term, the appointment shall be for the residue of the term only.

In addition to those heretofore established, the board of regents may establish other State normal schools at such places as they may designate, upon sites selected by them, and when, in their opinion, the educational interests of the State require it they may proceed to erect suitable buildings upon the sites so selected, and they may enlarge, alter, or repair any normal school building.

The exclusive purposes and objects of each normal school shall be the instruction and training of persons, both male and female, in the theory and art of teaching, and in all the various branches that pertain to a good common-school education, and in

all subjects needful to qualify for teaching in the public schools; also to give instruction in the fundamental laws of the United States and of this State in what regards the rights and duties of citizens. Said board shall also establish a model school or schools for practice in connection with each State normal school, and shall make all the regulations necessary to govern and support the same; and they may, in their discretion, admit pupils to such model schools free of charge of tuition.

The said board shall have the government and control of all the normal schools, and shall have power therefor.

Meetings.-Institutes for the instruction of teachers shall be held in each year in such counties as may be designated by the State superintendent, with the advice and concurrence of the board of regents of the normal schools, preference being given to such counties as receive the least direct benefits from the normal schools. The State superintendent, by and with the advice and consent of said board, may make such rules and regulations as they shall deem proper for organizing and conducting such institutes, and may, by and with the like advice and consent, employ an agent or agents to perform such work in connection therewith as by such rules and regulations may be prescribed. Each of said institutes shall be held under the direction of such agent or agents, assisted by the county superintendent. The course of study pursued in such institutes shall, as far as practicable, be uniform, and be prescribed by the State superintendent, with the assistance of such agents, but subject to revision by the board. The board may use such sum, not exceeding eight thousand dollars in any year, as it may deem necessary, of which not exceeding six thousand dollars shall be paid from the normal school fund income and not exceeding two thousand dollars from the general fund, and the State superintendent may use such additional sum, not exceeding one thousand dollars, to be also paid from the general fund, as he shall deem proper for the purpose of providing public lectures in connection with such institutes by the professor of the theory and art of teaching of the university or such other competent person as the State superintendent may designate, and such amounts as shall be so expended are hereby annually appropriated from the said funds respectively.

3. SCHOOLS.

Attendance.-Character of instruction.—Text-books.—Buildings.

Attendance. The electors of a district shall determine the length of time a school shall be taught, which shall not be less than six months free, to all.

Every parent or other person having under his control any child between the ages of 7 and 13 years shall cause such child to attend, for at least twelve weeks in each and every school year, some public or private school: Provided, however, that this act shall not apply to any child that has been or is being otherwise instructed for a like period of time in the elementary branches of learning, or that has already acquired such knowledge, or whose mental or physical condition is such as to render his or her attendance at school and application to study inexpedient or impracticable, or who lives more than 2 miles from any school by the nearest traveled road, or who is excused for sufficient reasons by any court of record. Every person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not less than $3 nor more than $20 for each and every offense. It shall be the duty of the director of any school district, or the president of any board of education of any incorporated village or city, or any truant officers appointed by such board of education to prosecute any offense occurring under this act, and such person neglecting to prosecute for such fine within fifteen days after a written notice has been served upon him by any qualified elector or taxpayer within the district, village, or city within which the offending party shall reside shall be liable to a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $20 for each and every offense.

The board of education of every city and incorporated village and the district school board in every school district may appoint one or more persons, who shall be designated as truant officers, whose duty it shall be, acting discreetly, to apprehend upon view all children between 7 and 13 years of age who habitually frequent or loiter about public places and have no lawful occupation, and place such children, when so apprehended, in such schools as the parent or other person having the control of such children may designate. And such officers shall report all cases of truancy to their respective boards of education within a reasonable time. The persons appointed such truant officers shall be entitled to such compensation as shall be fixed by the boards appointing them, and such compensation may be paid out of the school fund.

The fines provided for by this act shall, when collected, be paid over by the officers collecting the same to the proper school treasury of the city, village, or school district in which such person convicted resides, to be applied and accounted for by such