STATE OF MICHIGAN, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. Lansing, Michigan, August 12, 1907. To County School Boards and Instructors in The legislature of 1907 by Act 38 of the Public Acts of 1907 made it possible to establish county schools of agriculture, manual training and domestic economy. These institutions are to be established for the special purpose of training the farmers and farmers' wives of the future and thus improve the social conditions of rural communities in general and uplift the farm home. I give herewith the Act in full and some general suggestions in regard to the organization of these schools, the course of study and the list of reference books. It is to be hoped that the people of the several counties of the State will avail themselves of this great educational opportunity and that many schools of this kind will be established in the comparatively near future. Very respectfully, L. L. Might Superintendent of Public Instruction. [ACT NO. 38 OF 1907.] AN ACT to provide for the establishment of county schools of agriculture, manual training and domestic economy. The People of the State of Michigan enact: SECTION 1. The board of supervisors of any county is hereby authorized to appropriate money for the organization, equipment and maintenance of a county school of agriculture and domestic economy. The board of supervisors of two or more counties may unite in establishing such a school, and may appropriate money for its organization, equipment and maintenance: Provided, That whenever the board of supervisors of the county shall by a two-thirds vote of all members elect, resolve to contract indebtedness or issue bonds to raise money for the organization, equipment and maintenance of such school, the question shall be submitted to the vote of the electors of the county at a general or special election to be called for that purpose. Notice of the submission of such resolution to the vote of the electors and in case a special election is called, notice of the calling of such special election shall be given in the same manner and for the same length of time as is now prescribed by law for general elections. If a majority of the electors of each county, voting on such resolution, shall vote in favor thereof, it shall be deemed to have carried. The returns of the election herein provided for shall be canvassed and the results declared in the same manner and by the same officers as is provided by general law for canvassing the returns of and declaring the results in city, county and district elections. The manner of stating the question upon the ballots shall be prescribed by the resolution of the board of supervisors. The SEC. 2. A board to be known as the county school board is hereby created, which shall have charge and control of all matters pertaining to the organization, equipment and maintenance of such schools, except as otherwise provided by law. Said board shall consist of five members, one of whom shall be the county commissioner of schools of the county or district in which the school is located. other members of the board shall be elected by the board of supervisors, one for one year, one for two years, one for three years and one for four years, and thereafter one member of the board shall be elected annually for the full term of four years from the date of the expiration of the term about to become vacant, but no member of the board of supervisors shall be eligible. Vacancies existing in the board from whatever cause, except in the case of the county commissioner, shall be filled by appointment made by the chairman of the board of supervisors, if the board of supervisors is not in session when such vacancy occurs. If the board of supervisors is in session, vacancies should be filled by election by said board for the unexpired term. Appointments made by the chairman of the board of supervisors, as herein before specified, shall be for the period of time until the next regular meeting. of the board of supervisors. Each person appointed or created a member of the county school board shall, within ten days after the notice of such appointment, take and subscribe an oath, to support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of Michigan, and honestly, faithfully and impartially to discharge his duties as a member of said board, to the best of his ability, which oath shall be filed in the office of the county clerk. He shall also, within the same time, file a bond in such sum as may be fixed by the board of supervisors, which bond shall be filed in the office of the county clerk. Within fifteen days, after the appointment of said board, the members thereof shall meet and organize by electing one of their number as president. The couty commissioner of schools shall be ex-officio secretary of the said board. The board hereafter created shall prescribe the duties of the several officers except as fixed by law. SEC. 3. Whenever two or more counties unite in establishing such a school, the provisions of section two of this act shall apply to the organization of the county school board, and to filling vacancies therein: Provided, That the county commissioner of the county in which the school is located shall be a member of the board and ex-officio its secretary; and two members shall also be elected from each county by the board of supervisors thereof, one for one year and one for two years, and thereafter one member of the board shall be elected annually in each county for the full term of two years, but no member of the county board of supervisors shall be eligible. SEC. 4. Whenever two or more counties shall unite in establishing and maintaining a school under the provisions of this act, the county school board herein provided shall, on or before the first day of October in each year, determine the amount of money necessary for the equipment and maintenance of said school for the ensuing year, which said amount they shall apportion among the counties in proportion to the assessed valuation of each county as last fixed by the State Board of Equalization and shall report their estimate and apportionment to the county clerk of each county, who shall lay said report before the board of supervisors at its annual meeting. The amount so apportioned to each county shall be levied by the board of supervisors of such county, as a portion of the county tax for the ensuing year, for the support of the said school. 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. 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; instruction shall also be given in manual training and domestic economy and such other related subjects as may be prescribed. 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. 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 |