LAWS of' new HAMPSHIRE 
 
 RELATING TO 
 
 COMPILED FROM PUBLIC STATUTES AND SESSION 
 LAWS OF 1591, 1593, 1595, 1597, 1599, 1901, 1903. 
 
 CONCORD, N. H.: 
 
 Ira C. Evans Co., Printers. 
 
 1903- 
 
LK 
 
 
 II ^^eh^ 
 
 ^^M.^J^j^^dk^r,^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. Chapter. 
 
 School Money 5 88 
 
 School Districts 8 89 
 
 Meetings and Officers of School Dis- 
 tricts 15 90 
 
 schoolhouses. 21 9i 
 
 School Board, Teachers and Truant 
 
 Officers 26 92 
 
 Scholars 34 93 
 
 Superintendent of Public Instruction. 41 94 
 
 New Hampshire State Normal School. . . 44 95 
 
 Special I,aws Passed January Session, 
 
 1891 47 
 
 Special I,aws Passed January Session, 
 
 1893 48 
 
 Special Laws Passed January Session, 
 
 1895 " 50, 51. 52 
 
 Special I^aws Passed January Session, 
 
 1897 53, 54 
 
 Special I^aws Passed January Session, 
 
 1899 • 54, 61 
 
 Amendment to Session I^aws of 1899 57 
 
 Special Laws Passed January Session, 
 
 1901.... 57,58 
 
 Town Clerks, Chapter 43, Public Stat- 
 utes 62 
 
NEW HAMPSHIRE 
 
 SCHOOL LAWS. 
 
 CHAPTER S8. 
 
 SCHOOL MONEY. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. School tax, amount and assessment of. * 
 
 2. Town may raise additional money. 
 
 3. School money, how appropriated. 
 
 4. How assigned to districts. 
 
 5. Ward's tax, where assigned. 
 
 6. Neglect to assess, assign, etc. ; penalty. 
 
 7. Neglect to apply according to law ; penalty. 
 
 8. District may raise additional money. 
 
 9. Iviterary fund, what so termed. 
 
 10. How distributed to towns, etc.^ annually. 
 
 11. Unincorporated places, when to receive. 
 
 12. I^iterary fund, how expended. 
 
 13. Misapplication of; penalty. 
 
 14. What part of dog tax applied to support of schools. 
 
 Section 1. \^As amended hy chapter 92, Ses- 
 sion Laivs o/lOOl.] The selectmen in each town 
 shall assess annually, upon the polls and ratable 
 estate taxable therein, a sum to be computed at 
 the rate of six hundred dollars for every dollar of 
 the public taxes apportioned to such town, and so 
 for a greater or less sum. 
 
6 
 
 Sect. 2. The town may raise a sum exceediug- 
 the aiuount aforesaid, which shall be assessed in 
 the saiiie niauiier. 
 
 Sp:ct. 3. The sums so raised shall be appro- 
 priated to the sole purpose of maintaining public 
 schools within the town for teaching reading, writ- 
 ing, English grammar, arithmetic, geography and 
 such other branches as are adapted to the advance- 
 ment of the schools, including the purchase of fuel 
 and other supplies, the making of occasional re- 
 pairs upon schoolhouses, appurtenances, and furni- 
 ture, and the conveyance of scholars to and froin 
 school as provided by law. 
 
 Sect. 4. The selectmen shall assign to each 
 district a proportion of such money, according to 
 the valuation of the district for the year, or in such 
 other manner as the town, at tlie annual meeting, 
 shall direct, and shall pay over the same to the 
 school board of the district. 
 
 Sect. 5. When a guardian and ward reside in 
 the same town, the Selectmen shall assign the tax 
 assessed upon the ward's personal property to the 
 school district in which the ward lives and has his 
 home. 
 
 Sect. G. If the selectmen of any town neglect 
 to assess, assign, or pay over the school money as 
 aforesaid, they shall pay for each neglect a sum 
 equal to that so neglected to be assessed, assigned, 
 or paid over, to be recovered by action of debt, in 
 the name and for the use of the district, by the 
 school board. 
 
 Sect. 7. If the money so assigned and paid 
 over to the school board of any district is not 
 
expended by them according to law, they shall be 
 fined not exceeding twice the sum so unexpended 
 or not legally expended, for the use of the district. 
 
 Skct. 8. Any district may raise money for the 
 support of schools in addition to the sum required 
 by law, which shall be assessed, collected and paid 
 over to the district as other school taxes. 
 
 Skct. 9. All taxes collected by the state upon 
 the deposits, stock, and attending accumulations 
 of depositors and stockholders of savings banks, 
 trust companies, loan and trust companies, loan 
 and banking companies, building and loan asso- 
 ciations, and other similar corporations, who do 
 not reside in this state, or whose residence is un- 
 knowi], shall be known as the "literary fund." 
 
 Skct. 10. The state treasurer shall assign and 
 distribute, in November of each year, the literary 
 fund among the towns and places in proportion to 
 the number of scholars not less than five years of 
 age who shall, by the last reports of the school 
 boards returned to the superintendent of public 
 instruction, appear to have attended the public 
 schools in such towns and places not less than two 
 weeks within that year. 
 
 Skct. 11. No unincorporated place shall receive 
 its portion until a treasurer or school agent shall 
 have been chosen to receive and appropriate the 
 same as required by law. 
 
 Skct. 12. The portion of the literary fund so 
 received by any town or place shall be assigned to 
 the districts as other school money, and shall be 
 applied to the maintenance of the public schools 
 during the current year ; one fifth part thereof" 
 may be applied by the school board to the purchase 
 
of blackboards, dictionaries, maps, charts, and 
 school apparatus. 
 
 Skct. 13. If any town or incorporated place or 
 the agent of any unincorporated place shall apply 
 any money so received to any other purpose, the 
 town, place, or agent so offending shall refund to 
 the state treasury double the sum so misapplied. 
 
 Sect. 14. All money arising from the taxation 
 and licensing of dogs, remaining in the treasury 
 of any town or city on the first day of April, an- 
 nually, which is not due to holders of orders given 
 for loss of or damages to domestic animals by dogs, 
 shall be applied to the support of the public 
 schools, and shall be assigned to the districts as 
 other school money. 
 
 CHAPTER 89. 
 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. Kach town a school district. 
 
 2. When presumed to be legall3' organized ; powers of. 
 
 3. May raise money, for what purposes. 
 
 4. May hire money, how much ; and when payable. 
 
 5. Selectmen to assess tax to pay same, when. 
 
 6. Persons and property, where taxed. 
 
 7. New invoice made, when. 
 
 8. Non-resident taxes assessed after July i, when and 
 
 how collected. 
 
 9. Districts may have high schools. ■ 
 
 10. Adjoining districts may contract to maintain schools 
 jointly. 
 
9 
 
 ir. Districts may contract with academies, etc., to furnish 
 instruction to scholars. 
 
 12. Non-resident scholars, how admitted to schools. 
 
 13. Joint districts, how to share in school money. 
 
 14. How dissolved and united to town districts. 
 
 15. Town district to take possession of school property in 
 
 such case. 
 
 16. Rights in property, how equalized. 
 
 17. Selectmen to apportion property among parts of dis- 
 
 solved districts in two or more towns. 
 
 18. Referee to be appointed in case selectmen fail to ap- 
 
 portion. 
 
 19. Notice in such case before appointment of referee. 
 
 20. Such notice, how served. 
 
 21. Referee to give notice of hearing. 
 
 22. Tax to adjust apportionment, how assessed. 
 
 23. Town district to lake property and assess tax in rela- 
 
 tion thereto. 
 
 24. Dissolved districts to continue, for what purposes. 
 
 25. Income of trust funds, how used. 
 
 26. Meetings of dissolved districts. 
 
 27. Preservation of district records. 
 
 Section 1. Each town shall constitute a single 
 district for school purposes ; provided, howecer, 
 that districts organized under special acts of the 
 legislature niaj' retain their present organization. 
 
 Sect. 2. School districts that have exercised, 
 the privileges of a district for a year shall be 
 presumed to be legally oi'ganized ; and all districts 
 legally organized shall be corporations, with power 
 to sue and be sued, to hold and dispose of real 
 and personal property for the use of the schools 
 therein, and to make liecessary contracts relating 
 thereto. 
 
10 
 
 Sect. 3. School districts may raise money to 
 procure land for schoolhoiise lots, and for the en- 
 largement of existing lots ; to build, purchase, 
 rent, repair, or remove schoolhouses and outbuild- 
 ings; to procure insurance; to plant and care for 
 shade and ornamental trees upon schoolhouse 
 lots ; to provide suitable furniture, books, maps, 
 charts, apparatus, and conveniences for schools ; 
 and to pay debts. 
 
 Sect. 4. School districts may hire money for 
 building schoolhouses, not exceeding four-fifths of 
 the cost thereof, which shall be payable within 
 five years, in equal proportions, with the interest. 
 
 Sect. 5. The selectmen, upon application of 
 the creditor and receipt of copies of the vote and 
 note of the district, may, in each annual tax, assess 
 upon the district one fifth of such debt and the 
 interest, and shall cause the same to be collected 
 and paid to the town treasurer, and shall give an 
 order upon the treasurer to the creditor for the 
 amounts collected. 
 
 Sect. 6. In the assessment of school-district 
 taxes, every person shall be taxed in the district 
 in which he lives for his poll and his personal 
 estate subject to taxation in town. Heal estate 
 shall be taxed in the district in which it is situ- 
 ated. 
 
 Sect. 7. The selectmen may make a new 
 invoice of all the property in the district when 
 necessary for the just assessment of such taxes. 
 
 Sect. 8. If such taxes are assessed after the 
 first day of July in any year upon the property of 
 non residents, the collector shall send to the own- 
 ers of said property, or to their agents, if known, 
 
11 
 
 a bill of their taxes within two months after the 
 delivery of the list to him, and shall, at the expi- 
 ration of fonr months after snch delivery, adver- 
 tise and sell the property on which the taxes have 
 not been paid in the same manner as if such 
 taxes had been assessed in April preceding. 
 
 Sect. 9. Any school district may, by vote or 
 by-law, establish and maintain a high school in 
 which the higher English branches of education 
 and the Latin, Greek, and modern languages may 
 be taught. 
 
 Sect. 10. Two or more adjoining districts jn 
 the same or different tov\^ns may make contracts 
 with each other for establishing and maintaining 
 Jointly a high or other public school for the benefit 
 of their scholars, and may raise and appropriate 
 money to carry the contracts into effect ; and their 
 school boards, acting jointly or otherwise, shall 
 have such authority and perform such duties in 
 relation to schools so maintained as may be pro- 
 vided for in the contracts. 
 
 Sect. 11. Any school district may contract 
 with an academy, seminary, or other literary insti- 
 tution located within its limits or in its im- 
 mediate vicinity, for furnishing instruction to its 
 scholars ; and the school money may be used to 
 carry the contract into effect. 
 
 Sect. 12. Each district may determine upon 
 what terms scholars from other districts or towns 
 may be admitted into its schools. If the district 
 neglects to make such determination, the school 
 board may do it. 
 
 Sect. 13. Every district situate in tv^'o or more 
 towns shall be entitled to its just proportion of 
 
12 
 
 school taxes, income of school funds, literary 
 fund, and dog tax in each town, according to the 
 valuation of polls and property taxable therein. 
 
 Sect. 14. Any school district organized under 
 a special act of the legislature may, by a majority 
 vote of the qualified voters present and voting at a 
 legal meeting, dissolve its corporate existence and 
 unite with the town district.* 
 
 Sect. 15. In such case the town disti'ict so 
 formed shall forthwith take possession of the 
 schoolhouses, lands, apparatus, and other property 
 owned and used for school purposes by the district 
 so dissolved which the district might lawfully sell 
 or convey. 
 
 Sect. 16. The property so taken, and also like 
 propert}' of the distiict to which the special dis- 
 trict is united, shall be appraised by the selectmen 
 of the town, and at the next annual assessment a 
 tax shall be levied upon the whole town district 
 equal to the amount of the whole appraisal ; and 
 there shall be remitted to the taxpayers of each 
 district the appraised value of its property. 
 
 Sect. 17. If a district so dissolved is formed 
 of parts of two or more towns, an equitable appor- 
 tionment of its assets and liabilities between such 
 parts shall be made by the selectmen of the tow^ns 
 in which they are situate, acting as a joint board, 
 within sixty days after the dissolution. 
 
 Sect. 18. If such joint board fail to make an 
 apportionment within the time limited therefor, 
 any taxpayer withia the district may apply by 
 petition to a judge of the supreme court for the 
 
 *See chapter 64, Session Laws of 1891. 
 
13 
 
 appointment of a referee to make the apportion- 
 ment. 
 
 Sect. 19. The judge shall appoint a time and 
 place of hearing upon the petition, and order 
 notice thereof to be given to all parties inter- 
 ested, and after hearing them he shall appoint a 
 referee. 
 
 Sect. 20. The notice shall be served by post- 
 ing copies of the petition and order thereon in at 
 least two public places in each of said parts, and by 
 giving to the clerk of the dissolved district, and 
 the clerk of each town district in which any part 
 thereof is located, like copies ten days at least 
 before the day of hearing. 
 
 Sect. 21. The referee shall cause notice of his 
 hearing to be given to all parties interested, in the 
 same manner as is provided in the preceding sec- 
 tion. He shall hear the parties, make his report 
 in writing, and file a copy thereof with the clerk 
 of the dissolved district and the clerk of each 
 town interested ; and the report, so made and filed, 
 shall be final. 
 
 Sect. 22. Upon receiving a copy of the appor- 
 tionment, the selectmen shall assess upon that 
 part of the district within their town the amount 
 for which it is charged, and cause the same to be 
 collected and paid to the town district in which 
 the creditor part of the dissolved district is situ- 
 ated. 
 
 Sect. 23. The town district shall take the 
 property and assets of that part of the dis- 
 solved district which is situate in such town 
 district, and the selectmen of the town shall 
 
14 
 
 assess and remit taxes with reference to the 
 property so taken, and like property of the town 
 district, the same as in other cases. 
 
 Sect. 24. The corporate powers of a district 
 shall continue for the purpose of settling up its 
 affairs and of holding, managing, and enjoying 
 any property held by it in trust, notwithstanding 
 its dissolution ; but the school board of the district 
 of which it forms a part shall be its agents to 
 expend the income of any such trust property that 
 is devoted to the support of schools. 
 
 Sect. 25. The school board shall first give to 
 such district or districts such term or character of 
 schooling as would be just and reasonable if no 
 such fund were in existence, and only use the 
 income to lengthen the school or schools, or to 
 carry out the purposes of the trust under which 
 the funds are held. 
 
 Sect. 26. Any justice of the peace may, upon 
 application of three or more voters, resident within 
 the limits of the dissolved district, call a meeting 
 thereof in the same manner as other school-dis- 
 trict meetings are called, at which a moderator, 
 clerk, and agents may be chosen, and any other 
 business transacted for the purposes mentioned in 
 section twenty-four of this chapter. 
 
 Sect. 27. The records of dissolved school dis- 
 tricts whose corporate existence is not continued 
 for any purpose shall be returned by the clerks of 
 such districts to the town clerk's office for preser- 
 vation with the public records of the town. 
 
15 
 
 CHAPTER 90. 
 
 MEETINGS AND OFFICERS OF SCHOOL 
 DISTRICTS. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. Annual meetings, when holden. 
 
 2. Special meetings, when holden. 
 
 3. District meetings, where held. 
 
 4. Warrants, by whom issued and what to contain. 
 
 5. Warrants to contain notice of special subjects, when. 
 
 6. When and where to be posted. 
 
 7. May be issued by a justice of the peace, when. 
 
 8. To be returned to the clerk and be recorded. 
 
 9. Voters, who are. 
 
 10. Check-list to be used, when. Amendment of 1S95. 
 
 11. Illegal voting, how punished. 
 
 12. Ofificers, what. 
 
 13. Districts which maintain high school may increase 
 
 membership of their school boards. 
 
 14. Eligibility to office. 
 
 15. Officers, hovi chosen; to be sworn, 
 
 16. Tenure of office. v 
 
 17. Moderator's powers and duties. 
 iS. Clerk's duties. 
 
 19. Clerk to report names, etc , of school board to town 
 
 clerk, when ; penalty for neglect. 
 
 20. Treasurer to give bond. 
 2:. Treasurer's duties. 
 
 22. Auditor's duties. 
 
 23. Vacancies in district offices, how filled. 
 
 24. District may elect or appoint superintendent of schools, 
 
 etc. 
 
16 
 
 Sfxtion 1. A meeting- of every school district 
 shall be liolclen aiiimally between the first day of 
 March and the twentieth day of April, inclusive, 
 for the choice of district officers and the transac- 
 tion of other district business. 
 
 8kct. 2. A special meeting of a school district 
 shall be holden whenever, in the opinion of the 
 school board, there is occasion thei'efor, or when- 
 ever ten or more voters, or one sixth of the voters 
 of the district, shall have made written application 
 to the school board therefor, setting forth the 
 subject-matter upon which action is desired. 
 
 Sect. 3. School-district meetings niay be held 
 at tlie usual place where town meetings of the 
 town are held, or at such other suitable place as in 
 the opinion of the officers calling the meeting will 
 best accommodate the voters. 
 
 Sect. 4. They shall be warned by the school 
 board, or, in cases authorized by law, by a justice 
 of the peace, by warrant addressed to the inhab- 
 itants of the district qualified to vote in district 
 affairs, stating the tin)e and place of the meeting 
 and the subject-matter of the business to be acted 
 upon. 
 
 Sect. 5. The officers issuing a warrant for a 
 district meeting shall insert therein any subject- 
 matter for which application has been made to 
 them in writing by ten or more voters, or by one 
 sixth of the voters of the district. 
 
 Sect. 6. The school board or justice issuing a 
 warrant shall cause an attested copy of it to be 
 posted at the place of the meeting, and alike copy 
 at one other public place in the district, fourteen 
 days before the day of meeting. 
 
17 
 
 Sect. 7. If the school board does not cause a 
 warrant for the annual meeting to be posted on or 
 before the second Tuesday of March in any j'ear, 
 or for a special meeting within ten days after 
 application therefor is made to them, a justice of 
 the peace, upon application of ten or more voters, 
 or of one sixth of the voters of the district, may 
 issue such warrant and cause it to be posted. 
 
 Sect. 8. The warrant, with a certificate thereon, 
 verified by oath, stating the time and places when 
 and where copies of it were posted, shall be given 
 to the clerk of the district at or before the time of 
 the meeting, and shall be recorded by him in the 
 records of the district. 
 
 Sect. 9. Any person, whether male or female, 
 but in all other respects except sex qualified to 
 vote in town affairs, may vote at school-district 
 meetings in the district in which such person has 
 resided and had a home three months next pre- 
 ceding the meeting. 
 
 Sect. 10. Upon petition of ten legal voters of 
 any district, presented in January, or if the district 
 at its annual meeting shall have voted that a check- 
 list be used at future meetings, the school board 
 shall make, post, and correct a list of the legal 
 voters in the district, as supervisors are required 
 to do in regard to the list of voters in their towns ; 
 and such list shall be used and checked, at the 
 election of officers and otherwise, at the annual 
 meeting of the district, as in case of town meet- 
 ings. 
 
 [Section 10 was amended by chapter 97 of Ses- 
 sion Laws of 1895, as follows : 
 
18 
 
 Section 1. That section 30 of chapter 90 of 
 the Public Statutes shall not ])e applicable to any 
 special school district in this state, unless a peti- 
 tion for a check-list shall be signed by five per 
 cent, of the legal voters of the district.] 
 
 Sect. 11. If any person under the age of twen- 
 ty-one years, or any alien not naturalized, or any 
 person M'ho has not resided and had his home in 
 the district for three months and in the town for 
 six months preceding, shall vote in any district 
 meeting, or if any person shall give in more than 
 one vote for any officer voted for at the meeting, 
 or if any person, being under examination before 
 the school board as to his qualifications as a voter, 
 shall give any false name or ansv^'er, he shall be 
 fined not exceeding thirty dollars, or be impris- 
 oned not exceeding three months. 
 
 Sect. 12. The officers of every school district 
 for which the law does not otherwise provide shall 
 be a moderator, a clerk, a school board of three 
 persons, a treasurer, and one or more auditors, and 
 such other officers and agents as the voters may 
 judge necessary for managing the district affairs. 
 
 Sect. 13. While any district maintains a high 
 school or unites with another district in maintain- 
 ing one, it may have a school board consisting of 
 three, six, or nine members, as it shall determine 
 by vote or by-law. Whenever it ceases to main- 
 tain or to unite in maintaining a high school, it 
 shall thereaftervYards elect only one member to 
 the school board each year to fill vacancies occur- 
 ring from expiration of term of service, so that the 
 board will decrease in numbers, year by year, until 
 it shall be composed of only three members. 
 
19 
 
 Sect. 14. No person shall be eligible to any 
 school-district office unless he is a voter in the dis- 
 trict. 
 
 Sf:ct. 15. [As amended hy chapter 69, Session 
 Laivs of 1897.] The moderator shall be chosen 
 by ballot, by a plurality vote ; the clerk, school 
 board, and treasurer shall be chosen by ballot, by 
 a majority vote. The moderator, clerk, and 
 school board shall be sworn. 
 
 Sect. 16. One third of the members of the 
 school board shall be chosen each year to hold 
 office for three years, and until their successors 
 are chosen and qualified, and vacancies in the 
 board shall be filled so as to preserve such succes- 
 sion in office. All other officers shall be chosen 
 annually, and shall hold office for one year, and 
 until their successors are chosen and qualified. 
 
 Sect. 17. The moderator shall have the like 
 power and duty as a moderator of a town meeting 
 to conduct the business and to preserve order, and 
 may administer oaths to district officers and in the 
 district business. In case of a vacancy or absence, 
 a moderator j^ro tempore may be chosen. 
 
 Sect. 18. The clerk shall keep a true record of 
 all the doings of each meeting ; shall deliver to the 
 selectmen of the town an attested copy of every 
 vote to raise money within ten days after the 
 meeting ; shall make an attested copy of any 
 record of the district for any person upon request 
 and tender of legal fees therefor ; shall act as mod- 
 erator of anj^ meeting until a moderator pro tempore 
 shall be chosen, if the moderator is absent or the 
 office has become vacant : and shall have the same 
 
20 
 
 power to adniinister oaths which the moderator 
 has. If the clerk is absent at any meeting, a clerk 
 pro tempore shall be chosen. 
 
 Sect. 19. The clerk of every school district 
 shall, forthwith, after the election from time to 
 time of members of the school board, report in 
 writing their names and post-office addresses to the 
 town clerk of the town ; and if he fails to do so, he 
 shall be fined twenty dollars, one half for the use 
 of the complainant and the other half for the use 
 of the town. 
 
 Sect. 20. The treasurer shall, before entering 
 upon the duties of his office, give a bond with suf- 
 ficient sureties to the district, to the acceptance of 
 the school board, for the faithful performance of 
 his official duties. 
 
 Sect. 2J. The treasurer shall have the custody 
 of all moneys belonging to the district, and shall 
 pay out the same only upon orders of the school 
 board. He shall keep a fair and correct account 
 of all sums received into and paid from the dis- 
 trict treasury. At the close of each fiscal year he 
 shall make a report to the district, giving a par- 
 ticular account of all receipts and payments dur- 
 ing the year. He shall furnish to the school board 
 statements from his books, and submit his books 
 and vouchers to them and to the district auditors 
 for examination, whenever so requested. 
 
 Sect. 22. The auditors shall carefully exam- 
 ine ihe accounts of the treasurer and school board 
 at the close of each fiscal year, and at other times 
 whenever necessary, and report to the disti'ict 
 whether the same are correctly cast and well 
 vouched. 
 
21 
 
 Sect. 23. The school board shall fill vacancies 
 occurring in the board, and in other district offices 
 except that of moderator, until the next annual 
 meeting of the district. In case of vacancy of the 
 entire membership of the board, or the remaining 
 members are unable to agree upon an appointment, 
 the selectmen, upon application of one or more 
 voters in the district, shall fill the vacancies so ex- 
 isting until the next annual meeting of the dis- 
 trict. 
 
 Sect. 24. [As amended hy chapter 48, Session 
 Laios o/1895.] A school district may require the 
 school board to elect or appoint a superintendent 
 of schools, who shall hold office for such term, be 
 vested with such of the powers and charged wdth 
 such of the duties of the school board, and be en- 
 titled to such compensation as it may provide ; and 
 such district may raise and appropriate money to 
 pay the compensation. \_See chapter 47, Session 
 Laws of 1895, and chapter 77, Session Laius of 1899.] 
 
 CHAPTER 91. 
 SCHOOLHOUSES. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. District may locate by vote or committee. 
 
 2. Powers of committee limited. 
 
 3. Voters aggrieved may apply to school board. 
 
 4. School board to locate, vv^hen, 
 
 5. County commissioners to locate, when. 
 
 6. Chairman to give notice of hearings, how. 
 
 7. Vacancies in board, how filled. 
 
90 
 
 8, Hearing, when ; decision, how made and filed. 
 
 9. District to take no steps to carry former location into 
 
 effect while appeal pending. 
 
 10. Commissioners, how paid. 
 
 11. Location conclusive, for what time. 
 
 12. Kxisting lot, how enlarged. 
 
 13. Land appraised by selectmen, when. 
 
 14. Appeal by landowner. 
 
 15. Title to vest in district, when. 
 
 16. Selectmen to bnildschoolhonse, when. 
 
 17. Schools, where kept. 
 
 18. Use of schoolhouses may be granted, for what pnrposes 
 
 and when. 
 
 [^For cities, see cliapter 65, Session Laivs of lSi)7 .^ 
 
 Section 1. The district may decide upon the 
 location of its schoolhouses, by vote or by a com- 
 mittee appointed for the purpose. 
 
 Sect. 2. No committee shall have power to 
 bind the district beyond the amount of money 
 voted by it, and the district shall not be bound by 
 any act, as a ratification of the doings of such 
 committee, beyond their authority, unless by 
 express vote of the district. 
 
 Sect. 3. If ten or more voters of a district are 
 aggrieved by the location of a schoolliouse by the 
 district or its committee, they may apply by peti- 
 tion to the school board, who shall hear the par- 
 ties interested and determine the location. 
 
 Sect. 4. If the district does not agree upon a 
 location for a schoolliouse or upon a committee to 
 locate the same, or if the same is not located by 
 such committee within thirty days after its ap- 
 pointment, the school board, upon petition of ten 
 or more voters, shall determine the location. 
 
23 
 
 Sect. 5. If ten or more voters of a school 
 district are aggrieved by tlie location of a 
 schoolhotise by the district or its committee, 
 or by the school board, they may apply by 
 petition to the county conunissioners within 
 ten days after the making of the location, who 
 shall hear the parties interested and determine the 
 location. 
 
 Sect. 6. The chairman of the county commis- 
 sioners shall appoint a time and place within the 
 district for a hearing upon every such petition ; 
 and shall give notice thereof by causing attested 
 copies of the petition and order of notice to be 
 posted at two or more public places within the 
 district and to be given in hand to, or left at the 
 abode of, the clerk of the district and of one of 
 the school board, fourteen days before the day of 
 hearing. 
 
 Sect. 7. In such cases, vacancies in the board 
 of commissioners arising from disqualification of 
 members or otherwise shall be filled in the same 
 manner as like vacancies are filled in highway 
 cases referred to them. 
 
 Sect. 8. The hearing shall be closed within 
 sixty days. The commissioners shall hear all 
 parties interested who desii'e to be heard, and 
 shall make their decision in writing and file it 
 with the clerk of the district. 
 
 Sect. 9. The district shall take no steps to 
 carry into effect a former location while any sub- 
 sequent proceedings authorized by law for a change 
 thereof are pending. 
 
 Sect. 10. The commissioners shall be paid by 
 the district for their services the same fees as in 
 
24 
 
 highway cases. Districts are authorized to raise 
 money for that purpose. 
 
 Sect. 11. The location of schoolhouses, how- 
 ever made, shall be conclusive for the term of five 
 years, unless an appeal therefrom shall be prose- 
 cuted as provided in this chapter. 
 
 Skct. 12. The school board or county commis- 
 sioners n)ay enlarge any existing schoolhouse lot 
 so that it shall contain not exceeding one acre, 
 upon such petition to them and proceedings 
 thereon as are required to authorize them to de- 
 termine the location for a schoolhouse. 
 
 Sect. 13. If any school district shall neglect or 
 refuse to procure the lot of land selected for the 
 location of a schoolhouse or for the enlargement of 
 an existing schoolhouse lot, as i^rovided in this 
 chapter, or if the owner of the land shall refuse to 
 sell the same to the district for a reasonable 
 price, the selectmen, upon petition to them by the 
 school board or by three or more voters of the dis- 
 trict, shall appraise the damages occasioned to the 
 landowner by the taking of his land. The ap- 
 praisal shall be made in writing, and be tiled with 
 the clerk of the district. 
 
 Sect. 14. Any landowner aggrieved by such 
 appraisal of his damages may appeal therefrom to 
 the supreme court by petition within sixty days 
 after the appraisal is filed with the clerk of the 
 district ; and the procedure and remedies upon 
 such appeal shall be the same as in appeals from 
 tlie assessment of damages by selectmen in high- 
 way cases, except that service of papers shall be 
 made upon the clerk of the district and one of the 
 
25 
 
 school board, instead of the town clerk and one of 
 the selectmen, and except as provided in the fol- 
 lowing section. 
 
 Sect. 15. Upon payment or tender of the dam- 
 ages awarded, 'the land, shall vest in the district, 
 and it may take possession of it. Such payment 
 or tender may be made in accordance with the 
 award of the selectn)en before an appeal is taken, 
 or while an appeal is pending, and shall have like 
 effect. In such case, if the damages are increased 
 upon appeal the landowner shall have judgment 
 for the excess ; if decreased, the district shall have 
 judgment for the amount of the decrease. If the 
 result of the appeal is to change the award of dam- 
 ages in favor of the landowner, he shall recover 
 costs ; otherwise, he shall pay costs. 
 
 Sect. 16. If a district shall refuse or neglect 
 to build, repair, remove, or fit up a schoolhouse, or 
 shall refuse or neglect to build a schoolhouse npou 
 or to remove it to the lot designated as aforesaid, 
 the selectmen, npon petition of three or more 
 voters of the district, after hearing the parties, 
 may assess upon the district and collect such sums 
 of money as may be necessary, and therewith 
 cause such schoolhouse to be built, removed, re- 
 paired, or fitted up. 
 
 Sect. 17. The schools of a district shall be 
 kept in its schoolhouses, if it has suitable houses 
 that will accommodate the scholars ; if not, the 
 school board shall provide suitable accommoda- 
 tions for the schools at the expense of the district. 
 
 Sect. 18. A school district or the school board 
 thereof may grant the use of any schoolhouse in 
 the district for a writing or singing school, and 
 
20 
 
 for religions and other meetings, whenever snch 
 use will not conflict with any regular school exer- 
 cise. The persons so using a schoolhouse shall be 
 liable for any damages to the same and to the 
 property therein. 
 
 CHAPTER 93. 
 
 SCHOOL BOARD, TEACHERS AND TRUANT 
 OFFICERS. 
 
 Skction 
 
 1. Board to provide schools. 
 
 2. To hire teachers. 
 
 3. May dismiss teachers, when. 
 
 4. Teacher to receive no pay for services rendered after 
 
 dismissal. 
 
 5. Rules and regulations lo be prescribed bj- the board. 
 
 6. Branches of studj* prescribed, and examination of 
 
 teachers. 
 
 7. P'ree text-books. 
 
 8. United States flags to be purchased at expense of 
 
 town. 
 
 9. Text-books favoring religious sect or political part^^ not 
 
 allowed. 
 
 10. School boards to furnish registers and visit schools. 
 
 11. Teacher to return the register, when. 
 
 12. School board to make report annually. 
 
 13. School boards shall send reports to superintendent of 
 
 public instruction. 
 
 14. Penaltj' for neglect. 
 
 15. Schoc^ boards shall appoint truant officers. 
 
27 
 
 i6. Tenure of office. 
 
 17. Duties in regard to truants. 
 
 iS. Duties in regard to children in manufacturing estab- 
 lishments. 
 
 19. Compensation of school board. 
 
 20. .School daj"-, etc., what. 
 
 21. Teachers may attend institutes. 
 
 Section 1. The school board of every dis- 
 trict shall provide schools at such places within 
 the district and at such times in each year as 
 will best subserve the interests of education, 
 and will give to all scho'ars of the district as 
 nearly equal advantages as may be practicable. 
 They may use a portion of the school money, 
 not exceeding twenty-five per cent, for the pur- 
 pose of conveying scholars to and from the 
 schools. 
 
 Sect. 2. \_As amended hy chapter 50, Session 
 Laios of 1895.] The school board shall select and 
 hire suitable and competent teachers holding cer- 
 tificates, as provided by law, shall provide neces- 
 sary fuel, and shall make such occasional repairs 
 of the schoolhouses and furniture as may be 
 necessary, not exceeding in cost five per cent, of 
 the school money. 
 
 Sect. 3. \^As amended hy chapter 51, Session 
 Laws of 1895.] They shall dismiss any teacher 
 found by them to be unsuitable or incompetent or 
 who shall not conform to the regulations by them 
 prescribed. 
 
 Sect. 4. No teacher shall recover pay for ser- 
 vices rendered after notice of dismissal. 
 
28 
 
 Sect. 5. The school board may prescribe reg- 
 ulations for the attendance upon, and for the man- 
 agement, studies, classification, and discipline 
 of the schools; and such regulations, when re- 
 corded by the district clerk, and a copy thereof 
 has been given to the teachers and read in the 
 schools shall be binding upon scholars and teach- 
 ers. 
 
 Sect. G. [As amended hy chapter 40, Ses- 
 sion Laws of 1895, and chapter 31, Session Laws 
 of 1903.] They shall prescribe in all mixed 
 schools and in all graded schools above primarj^, 
 the studies of physiology and hygiene, having 
 special reference to the effects of alcoholic stimu- 
 lants and of narcotics upon the human system, 
 and shall see that the studies so prescribed are 
 thoroughly taught in said schools and that well 
 approved text-books upon these subjects are 
 furnished to teachers and scholars, and that the 
 constitution of the United States and of the state 
 of New Hampshire be read aloud by the scholars 
 at least once dui-ing the last year of the course 
 below the High School, and may permit or pre- 
 scribe the study of algebra, geometry, surveying, 
 bookkeeping, philosophy, chemistry, and natural 
 history, or any of them, and other suitable 
 studies.* School boards shall, annually, in the 
 month of June or July, and at such other times 
 as they deem best, hold an examination of can- 
 didates for certificates of qualification to teach 
 
 ^Section 2, chapter 40, T^aws of 1S95. If any member of 
 the school board shall nco^lect or refuse to comply with the 
 provisions of the first paragraph of section 6, he shall 
 forfeit the sum of two hundred dollars. 
 
29 
 
 in tlie public schools. Candidates shall be exam- 
 ined ill the studies prescribed by law, or by the 
 school board in accordance with law. Such can- 
 didates as pass an examination satisfactory to the 
 school board, and present satisfactory evidence of 
 good moral character and capacity for govern- 
 ment, shall receive certificates of qualification 
 signed by the school board, to continue in force 
 not more than one year from the date thereof.* 
 
 Sect. 7. [.45 amended by chapter 50, Session 
 Laws of 1895.] They shall purchase, at the 
 expense of the city or town in which the district is 
 situated, text-books and other supplies required 
 for use in the public schools ; and shall loan the 
 same to the pupils of such schools free of charge, 
 subject to such regulations for their care and 
 custody as the school board may prescribe. They 
 shall make provision for the sale of such books at 
 cost to pupils of the school wishing to purchase 
 them for their own use. 
 
 Sect. 8. \^As amended, by chapter 39, Session 
 Lav:s of 1903. Chapter 50, Session Laws of 
 1895.] They shall purchase at the expense of 
 the city or town in which the district is situated, 
 a United States flag of bunting not less than five 
 feet in length with a flag-staffc' and appliances for 
 displaying the same, for every schoolhouse in the 
 district in which a public school is taught not oth- 
 erwise supplied. They shall prescribe rules and 
 regulations for the proper custody, care, and 
 display of the flag ; and whenever not otherwise 
 displayed, it shall be placed conspicuously in the 
 
 * See chapter 49, Session I^aws of 1S95, page 49. 
 
30 
 
 principal room of the schoolhouse. Any members 
 of a school board who shall refuse or neglect to 
 comply with the provisions of this section shall be 
 fined ten dollars for the first olfense and twenty 
 dollars for every subsequent offense. 
 
 Not more than ten dollars shall be expended for 
 the flag, flag-staff", and a])pliances for any one 
 schoolhouse, and the school board shall have the 
 same control over its preservation and display that 
 it has over the other district property. 
 
 Sect. 9. [^As amended by chapter 50, Session 
 Laws of 1895.] No book shall be introduced into 
 the public schools calculated to favor any particu- 
 lar religious sect or political party. 
 
 Sect. 10. They shall furnish to every teacher 
 one of the blank registers provided by the super- 
 intendent of public instruction, and shall visit and 
 examine each school in their district at least twice 
 in each term, once near the beginning and once 
 near the close thereof. 
 
 Sect. 11. Every teacher shall niake the en- 
 tries in the register required by the supeiintend- 
 ent of public instruction, and at the close of the 
 term shall return the register to the school board. 
 Tw^enty dollars of the wages of every teacher shall 
 be withheld until he lias made such return. 
 
 Sect. 12. \^As amended by chapter 50, Session 
 Laws of 1895.] School boards shall file with the 
 selectmen on or before the first day of August, in 
 each year, their reports to their respective dis- 
 tricts, stating the number of weeks the public 
 schools have been kept in their districts in sum- 
 mer and winter, and what portion by male and 
 what by female teachers ; the number of teachers 
 
31 
 
 employed during the year, reckoning successive 
 teachers employed in the same school as one 
 teacher ; the number of days' attendance of all 
 the pupils of the district, inclusive of days spent 
 by teachers of the schools of said district in at- 
 tendance upon teachers' institutes as provided by 
 law and days spent in attendance upon the annual 
 meeting of the state teachers' association, and 
 tlie average attendance of pupils during the re- 
 mainder of the term shall be considered as the 
 attendance of the pupils during such days ; the 
 number of scholars who have attended each 
 school; the number who have attended to each 
 study ; the number of scholars of their districts 
 not less than five years of age who have attended 
 the public schools in their district not less than 
 two weeks during the year ; and containing such 
 suggestions relative to the schools as they may 
 think useful. School boards of town districts 
 shall also include in their reports a statement of 
 the number of children qf each sex reported by 
 the truant officer or agents of the school board ; 
 the number of each sex between the ages of five 
 and sixteen years who have not attended school ; 
 the number of scholars not less than five years of 
 age who have attended the district schools in the 
 town not less than two weeks dui'ing the year, 
 and the number of persons in each district be- 
 tween the ages of fourteen and twentj^-one years 
 who cannot read and write. 
 
 Sect. 13. [As amended hy chapter 50, Session 
 Laws of 1895, and chapter 5, Sessioji Laios of 
 1903.] School boards shall on or before the 
 fifteenth day of July in each year, send to the 
 
32 
 
 superintendent of public instruction copies of 
 their annual reports and answers to the questions 
 proposed by him, relating to the schools in their 
 district; the school year shall begin with the fall 
 term. 
 
 Sect. 14. Any nien)ber of a school board who 
 shall neglect or refuse to comply with the provi- 
 sions of the preceding section shall be fined not 
 exceeding fifty dollars. 
 
 Sect. 15. \^As amended hij chapter 70, Session 
 Laws 0/1899.] School boards shall appoint truant 
 otficers for tlieir districts, and fix their compensa- 
 tion at a reasonable rate, which compensation 
 shall be paid by the towns. 
 
 Sect. 16. Truant officers shall hold office for 
 one year, and until their successors shall be ap- 
 pointed, but they may be removed by the school 
 board at any time for cause. 
 
 Sect. 17. [.l^^ amended hy chapter 70, Session 
 Lawsofl'^d^.'] Truant officers shall, under the 
 direction of the school board, enforce the laws and 
 regulations relating to truants and children be- 
 tween the ages of eight and sixteen years not at- 
 tending school, and without any regular and law- 
 ful occupation ; and the laws relating to the 
 attendance at school of children between the ages 
 of eight and sixteen years. 
 
 Sect. 18. \_As amended hy chapter 70, Session 
 Laws of 1899.] Truant officers shall, if re- 
 quired by the school board, enforce the laws pro- 
 hibiting the employment of children in manufac- 
 turing, mechanical, or mercantile establishments, 
 who have not attended school the prescribed time ; 
 
33 
 
 and for this purpose they may, when so author- 
 ized and required by vote of the school board, visit 
 the manufacturing, mechanical, and mercantile es- 
 tablishments in their respective cities and towns, 
 and ascertain whether any children under the age 
 of sixteen are employed therein contrary to the 
 provisions of law, and they shall report any cases 
 of such illegal employment to the school board ; 
 and the truant officers, when authorized as afore- 
 said, may demand the names of all children under 
 sixteen years of age employed in such manufac- 
 turing, mechanical, and mercantile establishments, 
 and may require that the certificates and lists of 
 such children provided for by lav^ shall be pro- 
 duced for their inspection. Truant officers shall 
 inquire into the employment, otherwise than in 
 such manufacturing, mechanical, and mercantile 
 establishments, of children under the age of six- 
 teen years, during the hours when the public 
 schools are in session, and may require that the 
 certificates of all children under sixteen shall be 
 pi'oduced for their inspection ; and any such officer 
 may bring a prosecution against a person or corpo- 
 ration employing any such child, otherwise than 
 as aforesaid, during the hours when the public 
 schools are in session, contrary to the provisions 
 of law. 
 
 A refusal or failure on the part of an employer 
 of children under sixteen years of age to produce 
 the certificate required by law, when requested by 
 a truant officer, shall be prima facie evidence of 
 the illegal employment of the child whose certifi- 
 cate is not produced. 
 
34 
 
 Truant officers shall have authority without 
 a warrant to take and place in school any children 
 found employed contrary to the laws relating to 
 the employment of children or violating the laws 
 relating to the compulsory attendance at school of 
 children between the ages of six and sixteen j^ears. 
 
 Sect. 19. The school board, upon satisfying 
 the selectmen that they have attended to the du- 
 ties and made the reports by law required, shall be 
 paid such reasonable compensation as the town or 
 selectmen may determine. 
 
 Sect. 20. In the absence of express contract, 
 a session of three hours in the forenoon and three 
 hours in the afternoon shall constitute a school 
 day, five such days a school week, and four such 
 weeks a school month, in the public schools. 
 
 Sect. 21. [As amended hy chapter 29, Session 
 Laws of 1903.^ Teachers of public schools may 
 attend teachers' institutes held within the state, 
 as provided by law, not exceeding three days in 
 any term or five days in any year, and the time so 
 spent shall be regarded as spent in the service of 
 the district. 
 
 CHAPTER 93, 
 SCHOLARS. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. Scholar not to attend where not a resident without 
 
 leave. 
 
 2. Children not to attend school unless vaccinated. 
 
 3. May be dismissed for misconduct. 
 
 4. To attend where assigned. 
 
35 
 
 5. Penalty for attending without right. 
 
 6. District may make by-laws as to truants. 
 
 7. Offenders against by-laws, how punished. 
 
 8. Fine may be remitted, etc. 
 
 9. May attend school upon giving bond for good behavior. 
 
 10. Children under twelve not to be employed in manufac- 
 
 turing establishments. 
 
 11. Children under si.xteen who cannot read and write 
 
 English may be so emplo5'ed, when. 
 
 12. No minor to be employed unless he can read or write 
 
 Knglish when evening school is in session. 
 
 13. Penalties in such cases for violation of the .statutes. 
 
 14. Parents required to send children to school. 
 
 15. Superintendent of public instruction authorized to en- 
 
 force attendance laws. 
 
 16. School boards to furni.sh copy of law in certain cases. 
 
 17. Persons disturbing school, how punished. 
 
 18. School board to prosecute offenders. 
 
 19. lyiraitation of prosecutions. 
 
 20. Certificates from private schools. 
 
 Section 1. No person shall attend school, or 
 send a scholar to the school, in any district of 
 which he is not an inhabitant, without the consent 
 of the district or of the school board. 
 
 Sect. 2. [.4 s amended hy chapter 19, Session 
 Laivs 0/1901.] No chihl shall attend any public, 
 parochial, or private school unless he has been vac- 
 cinated or has had the smallpox, and this section 
 shall be enforced by the board of health. 
 
 Sect. 3. Any scholar may be dismissed from 
 school by the school board for gross misconduct, 
 or for neglect or refusal to conform to the reason- 
 able rules of the school ; and he shall not attend 
 the school until restored by the school board. 
 
36 
 
 Sect. 4. No scholar who shall have been as- 
 signed to a particular school by the school board 
 shall attend any other school in the district until 
 assigned thereto. 
 
 Sect. 5. If any scholar, after notice, shall 
 attend or visit a school which he has no right to 
 attend, or shall interrupt or disturb the same, he 
 shall be fined for the first ott'ense five dollars, and 
 for any subsequent offense ten dollars, or be im- 
 prisoned not exceeding thirty da3's. 
 
 Sect. 6. Districts may make by-laM'S, not 
 repugnant to law, concerning habitual truants 
 and children between the ages of six and six- 
 teen years not attending school and not having a 
 regular and lawful occupation, and to compel tiie 
 attendance of such children at school, and may 
 annex penalties for the breach thereof not exceed- 
 ing ten dollars for each offense. 
 
 Sect. 7. Any offender against such by-laws, 
 upon conviction, may be sentenced to pay a fine 
 and to be committed to the Industrial School until 
 it is paid or he is otherwise discharged, or he may 
 be sentenced to the Industrial School for a term 
 not exceeding one year. 
 
 Sect. 8. The court or justice imposing a fine 
 upon any such offender may remit it upon proof 
 that he is unable to pay it, and has no parent, 
 guardian, or person chargeable with his support, 
 able to pay it, and iiuiy discharge him from the 
 Industrial School if he has been committed there 
 for non-payment thereof. 
 
 Sect. 9. Any such offender so convicted may 
 give bond to the district in the penal sum of 
 
37 
 
 twenty-five dollars, with sufficient sureties, ap- 
 proved by the court or justice before whom he 
 was convicted, conditioned to attend regularly 
 some school kept in the district for one term next 
 ensuing, to comply with the regulations thereof, 
 and to be obedient and respectful to the teacher ; 
 and his fine raa}^ thereupon be remitted by 
 such court or justice upon payment of the costs. 
 
 Sect. 10. \^As amended hy chapter 61, Session 
 Laws of 1901.] No child under the age of twelve 
 years shall be employed in any manufacturing 
 establishment. No child under the age of four- 
 teen years shall be employed in any manu- 
 facturing establishment, nor in any mechanical, 
 mercantile, or other employment during the time 
 in which the public schools are in session in the 
 district in which he resides. 
 
 Sect. 11. [^As amended hy chapter 61, Session 
 Laivs of 1901] No child under the age of sixteen 
 years shall be employed in any manufacturing 
 establishment, or in any mechanical, mercantile, 
 or other employment, during the time in which 
 the public schools are in session in the district in 
 which he resides, without first presenting a state- 
 ment of his age from his parent or guardian, sworn 
 to before the superintendent of schools, or, if 
 there is no superintendent of schools, before some 
 person authorized by the school board of the dis- 
 trict in which such child is employed. 
 
 And no child under the age of sixteen years 
 shall be employed as aforesaid during the time in 
 which the public schools are in session in the 
 district in which he resides without first present- 
 ing a certificate from the superintendent of 
 
38 
 
 schools, or, if there is no superintendent of 
 scliools, some person authorized by the school 
 board, that such child can read at sight and write 
 legibly siniple sentences in the English language. 
 And any superintendent of schools or person 
 authorized by the school board who certifies 
 falsely as to matters prescribed by this section 
 shall be fined not less than twenty nor more than 
 fifty dollars for each offense. 
 
 Sect. 12. [^1.? amended by cliapler 61, Sesfiion 
 Laws of 1901.] No minor shall be employed in 
 any manufacturing establishment, or in any me- 
 chanical, mercantile, or other employment, who 
 cannot read at sight and write legibly simple 
 sentences in the English language, while a free 
 public evening school is maintained in the district 
 in which he resides unless he is a regular attend- 
 ant at such evening school or at a day school ; 
 provided, that upon presentation by such minor of 
 a certificate signed by a regular practising physi- 
 cian, and satisfactory to the superintendent of 
 schools, or, whei'e there is no superintendent of 
 schools, the school board, showing that the phys- 
 ical condition of such minor would render such 
 attendance in addition to daily labor prejudicial 
 to his health, said superintendent of schools or 
 school board shall issue a permit authorizing the 
 employment of such minor for such period as said 
 superintendent of schools or school board may 
 determine. Said superintendent of schools or 
 school board, or teachers acting under authority 
 thereof, may excuse any absence from such even- 
 ing school arising from justifiable cause. Any 
 parent, guardian, or custodian who permits to be 
 
39 
 
 employed any minor under his control in violation 
 of the provisions of this section shall forfeit not 
 more than twenty dollars for the use of the even- 
 ing schools of such town or city. 
 
 Sect. 13. [As amended by chapter 61, Session 
 Laivs of 1901.] If any owner, agent, superin- 
 tendent, or overseer of a manufacturing, mechan- 
 ical, or mercantile establishment or any other 
 person shall employ any child in violation of the 
 provisions of either of the three preceding sec- 
 tions, he shall be fined not exceeding fifty dollars 
 for each offense, for the use of the district. 
 
 Sect. 14. [As amended hy chapter 61, Session 
 Laios of 1901, a7id chapter 13, Session Laws of 
 1903.] Every person having the custody and con- 
 trol of a child between the ages of eight and 
 fourteen years, or of a child under the age of 
 sixteen years, who cannot read at sight and write 
 legibly simple sentences in the English language, 
 residing in a school district in which a public 
 school is annually taught, shall cause such child 
 to attend the public school all the time such 
 school is in session, unless the child shall be ex- 
 cused by the school board of the district because 
 his physical or mental condition is such as to 
 prevent his attendance at school for the period 
 required, or because he was instructed in the 
 English language in a private school approved 
 by the school board for a number of weeks equal 
 to that in which the public school was in session 
 in the common English branches, or, having ac- 
 quired those branches, in other more advanced 
 studies. Any person who does not comply with 
 the requirements of this section shall be fined ten 
 
40 
 
 dollars for the first offense and twenty dollars for 
 every subsequent offense, for the use of the dis- 
 trict. 
 
 Sect. 15. [^is amended hy cliapter 61, Session 
 Laws of 1901.] The state superintendent of 
 public instruction shall have authority to enforce 
 the laws rehating to attendance at school and the 
 employment of niinors, and, for this purpose, he 
 and any deputy appointed by him shall be vested 
 with the powers given by law to truant officers 
 when authorized by school boards to enforce the 
 laws relating to attendance at school and the 
 employment of children. And the expenses 
 necessarily incurred by the state superintendent 
 in such enforcement shall be paid, as audited and 
 allowed by the governor and council. 
 
 Sect. 1G. The school board of every district 
 shall cause a copy of the two preceding sections 
 to be sent to every person who they have reason 
 to believe does not comply with the requirements 
 of section fouileen of this chapter. 
 
 Sect. 17. Any person, not a scholar, who shall 
 wilfully interrupt or disturb any school shall be 
 punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars, or 
 by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days. 
 
 Sect. 18. It shall be the duty of the school 
 board to prosecute offenders for violations of the 
 provisions of this chapter. If they neglect to 
 perform this duty they shall forfeit twenty dollars 
 for each neglect, for the nse of the district, to be 
 recovered in the name of the district by the select- 
 men of the town. All necessary expenses incurred 
 in such proceedings shall be paid by the district. 
 
41 
 
 Sect. 19. No prosecution under this chapter 
 shall be sustained unless begun within one year 
 after the offense is committed. 
 
 Sect. 20. \_E'nacted hij chapter 62, Session Laws 
 of 1895.] No certificate as provided in the 
 foregoing secLions shall be issued for attendance 
 at any private school, unless such school shall 
 have previously been approved by the school 
 board of the district in which it is situated as 
 furnishing instruction in the English language in 
 all the studies required by law equal to that given 
 in the public schools of said district, and unless 
 the record of attendance shall be kept in the form 
 required of the public schools, and be open to the 
 inspection of the school board of the district at 
 all times. 
 
 CHAPTER 94. 
 
 SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUC- 
 TION. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. vSuperinteiident, how appointed; tenure of office. 
 
 2. His duties defined. 
 
 3. To visit and lecture in towns. 
 
 4. To organize and hold teachers' institutes. 
 
 5. To appoint suitable person to attend in case he cannot. 
 
 6. Kxpense of institutes provided for. 
 
 7. How paid. 
 
 8. His accounts audited, how. 
 
 9. To send copy of his report to school boards. 
 
 10. Clerical expenses provided for. 
 
42 
 
 Section 1. 'I'lie govi'inoi-, with udvice of coun- 
 cil, slijill apjjoiiii ;i siii)eriiik!ii(len(i ol" public in- 
 struction, who sluiU hold oliice i"or tlie term of two 
 years, and .shall liave general supervision and con- 
 trol of the educational interests oL' the state. 
 
 Si'Xri'. 2. [yl.s aiiwiulcd htj cliapter '35, Ses- 
 sion Lairs <)/' li^UT), and chapter O'], Session Lams 
 of VJO'-S.] The superintendent of public instruc- 
 tion shall prescribe the form of register to be kept 
 in the schools, and the form of blanks and incpiir- 
 ies for the returns to be made by the school 
 boards, and shall S(\asoiuibly send the same to the 
 clerks of the several towns and cities for the use 
 of the school boards therein ; he shall receive, pre- 
 serve, or distribute all state documents in regard to 
 public schools or education, and shall receive and 
 ai'range in his oHice re[)oi'ts and returns of school 
 boards ; he shall investigate the condition and elli- 
 ciency of the system of popular education in the 
 state, especially in relation to the amount and 
 character of the instructioti given to the study of 
 l)hysiol()gy and hygicuie, having sj^ecial refei'ence 
 to tlu! elfects of alcoholic stimulants and of nar- 
 cotics upon the human system, ;ind shall rccom- 
 njend to school boards what he considers the best 
 text-books upon those subjects and suggest to 
 them the best mode of teaching them, and shall 
 pursue such a course for the puri)ose of awakening 
 and guiding juiblic sentinumt in relation tluM'cto 
 as nuiy seem to him best, and he shall biennially 
 make a rejtort, containing a concise abstract of the 
 returns ol' the school boards, a detailed report of 
 his own doings, a statement ol' the condition and 
 progress of popular education in the state, and 
 
43 
 
 such suggestions and recommendations in regard 
 to improving the same as liis inroi-matit)n and 
 judgment nuiy dictate. He shall liave authority 
 at the close oi" each biennial session oi' tlie legis- 
 lature to compile and issue at the expense of the 
 state an edition of the school laws with the ses- 
 sion amendments, not exceeding two thousand 
 copies. 
 
 Skct. 3. lie shall visit and lecture upon edn- 
 cational subjects in as many towns and cities of 
 the state during the term of his olllce as the time 
 occupied by his other odicial duties will ]»ei-mit. 
 
 Skct. 4. lie shall organize, superintend, and 
 hold at least one teachers' institute each year in 
 each county of the state, and appoint the time and 
 place, and make suital)le arrangements therefor. 
 
 Skct. 5. In case he is unable for any cause to 
 conduct in person any institute, or to mnlco the 
 necessary arrangenuuits therefor, he shall a]>point 
 the principal of the state normal school, or some 
 other suitable person, for that purpose. 
 
 Skct. 6. The state treasurer is authorized and 
 instructed to invest, as a permanent institute fund, 
 the proceeds of the sale of the state lands effected 
 under the authority of a joint resolution approved 
 «June 28, 1867, and the annual income thereof is 
 set apart for the support of teachers' institutes. 
 
 Skct. 7. The superintendent of public instruc- 
 tion may draw upon the states trtiasurer each year 
 for such part of said inconie as may be iXMpiired to 
 defray the necessary expenses of the institutes, 
 and for procuring suitable instruction and lec- 
 turers for the same. 
 
44 
 
 Sect. 8. His account for the expenses of the 
 institutes shall be audited each year by the gov- 
 ernor and council, and he shall incorporate in his 
 annual report a report of the institutes and of the 
 expenses of the same. 
 
 Sect. 9. He shall forward to the chairman of 
 every school board in the state a copy of each of 
 his annual reports. 
 
 Sect. 10. [.l.s amended hij chapter 36, Session 
 Laws of lS9d.^ The sum of ten hundred dollars, 
 or such part thereof as may be needed, is annually 
 appropriated for clerical expenses of this depart- 
 ment. 
 
 CHAPTER 95, 
 
 NEW hampshirp: state normal 
 
 > SCHOOL. 
 
 Section 
 
 1. Normal school, its object. 
 
 2. Trustees of school, and tenure of office. 
 
 3. How organized. 
 
 4. To employ principal of school. 
 
 5. Courses of study. 
 
 6. Admission and graduation. 
 
 7. Tuition free, in what cases. 
 
 8. Annual appropriation and b}' whom expended. 
 
 9. Normal teachers to assist at institutes. 
 
 10. Superintendent of public instruction to report condi- 
 tion of school. 
 
45 
 
 Section 1. The New Hampshire State Nor- 
 mal School, as heretofore established and located, 
 is continued. The instruction in the school shall 
 be confined to such branches as will specially pre- 
 pare the pupils to teach in the public schools, and 
 to such other branches as are usually taught in 
 normal schools. The school shall be in session at 
 least twenty weeks in each year. 
 
 Sect. 2. \^As amended hy chapter 3, Session 
 Laws of 1903.] The management of the school 
 shall be vested in a board of trustees composed of 
 the governor, the superintendent of public instruc- 
 tion, and five other persons who shall be appointed 
 by the governor, with the advice of the council, 
 and shall hold office for five years, one of whom 
 shall be appointed each year. 
 
 Sect. 3. The board shall choose from its mem- 
 bers a president and secretar}^, and such commit- 
 tees and other oflicers as may be necessary to 
 transact its business, and may choose a treasurer 
 who is not a member of the board. They shall 
 meet at least once each year and shall receive no 
 compensation for services, but shall be paid their 
 reasonable expenses while engaged in the per- 
 formance of their duties. 
 
 Sect. 4. They shall select and employ a 
 principal teacher for the school, who shall be 
 allowed with their advice and consent, to select 
 the assistants and provide for the discipline of the 
 school. 
 
 Sect. 5. The trustees, with the principal, shall 
 arrange courses of study for the school. 
 
 Sect. 6. The trustees and principal shall pre- 
 scribe and control the examinations for the 
 
46 
 
 aclniission and graduation of pnpils, and the}' shall 
 grant certificates of graduation to such as com- 
 plete either course and pass the required examina- 
 tions. 
 
 Sect. 7. Tuition and graduation shall be free 
 to all those completing either course of stud}" who 
 will agree to teach in the public schools of this 
 state for a period equal to the length of such 
 course. The trustees shall make such provisions 
 as may be necessary to effect the purposes of this 
 section. 
 
 Sect. 8. [As amended hjj chapter .59, Ses.'iioii 
 Laics of 1903.] The sum of twenty-five thousand 
 dollars is annually appropriated for the mainte- 
 nance of the school, to be expended as the trus- 
 tees shall direct. 
 
 Sect. 9. The principal and teachers of the 
 State Normal School shall assist and give instruc- 
 tion at teachers' institutes, so far as they can 
 without interfering with their duties in the nor- 
 mal school, but they shall receive no additional 
 compensation, except for travel and other actual 
 and necessary expenses while so employed. 
 
 Sect. 10. The superintendent of public instruc- 
 tion, in his annual report, shall state the condition 
 of the school, the terms of admission and gradua- 
 tion, the times of the commencement and close of 
 the sessions, and shall cause the same to be printed 
 on the cover of the school register. 
 
47 
 
 CHAPTER G4, SESSION LAWS OF 1891. 
 
 An Act in relation to special school districts. 
 
 Section 1. Whenever any school district or- 
 ganized under a special act of the legislature shall 
 vote to abolish such district and to unite with the 
 town district, if said town district shall vote to 
 receive said special district, if said special district 
 has for the five years next preceding such vote 
 maintained a high school, it shall be incumbent 
 on the town district with which it unites to there- 
 after keep and maintain within the limits of said 
 specia,! district a high school for at least thirty 
 four weeks in each year, and of equal grade to that 
 which had been previously maintained therein by 
 such special district, said high school to be open 
 to all scholars in the town district, of suitable age 
 and qualifications. 
 
 Sect. 2. It shall be the duty of said town dis- 
 trict to raise and appropriate each year thereafter 
 sufficient money in addition to the school money 
 which the town in which it is situated may raise, 
 to properly maintain such high school, or schools, 
 as may be established under the preceding sec- 
 tion. 
 
 Sect. 3. Any high school hereby established 
 may be discontinued, or the location thereof 
 changed, by the supreme court, on petition of tiie 
 school board of the town district in which it is 
 located, after such notice as the court may order, 
 if it shall appear that the educational interests of 
 the tovim district require such discontinuance or 
 chanoe. 
 
48 
 
 Sect. 4. Any town district failing to compl,y 
 with tlie provisions of this act, or any of tiieni, 
 sliall be fined for such neglect. 
 
 Sect. 5. This act shall take effect on its pas- 
 sage, and all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with 
 this act are hereby repealed. 
 
 CHAPTER 72, SESSION LAWS OF 1893. 
 
 An Act to provide for annexing parts of towns 
 to adjoining towns for school purposes. 
 
 Section 1. Any person interested in severing 
 part of any town tlierefroni and annexing it to 
 another town, or school district therein, for school 
 purposes, may apply therefor by petition to the 
 selectmen of the town from which it is proposed 
 to sever such territor}^, and to the selectmen of the 
 town to which it is proposed to annex the same. 
 
 Sect. 2. It shall be the duty of said selectmen, 
 upon notice to such petitioners and to the school 
 boards of the respective towns and school districts 
 interested in the proposed transfer, to hear the 
 parties, and determine whether the reasonable 
 accommodation of such petitioners or others re- 
 quires such transfer, and to make return of their 
 findings to the clerks of their respective towns in 
 writing within thirty days. 
 
 Sect. 3. If a majorit^^of each of said boards of 
 selectmen report in favor of such transfei", they 
 shall sign a certificate of that fact, describing such 
 territory, and stating that it is annexed to such 
 adjoining town, or district therein for school pur- 
 poses, which certificate shall be recorded by the 
 town clerk of each town. 
 
49 
 
 Sect. 4. Any territory now or hereafter an- 
 nexed for school purposes to an adjoining town or 
 school district therein, may, upon proceedings 
 such as have been prescribed in the foregoing sec- 
 tions of this act, be restored to the town or dis- 
 trict from which it has been severed. 
 
 Sect. 5. The annexation of territory under 
 this "act shall have the same force and validity as 
 if made by a special act of the legislature. 
 
 Sect. 6. The selectmen and collector of any 
 town to which part of any other town is now or 
 may hei'eafter be annexed for school purposes 
 shall have the same powers and duties in respect 
 to such annexed territory, of furnishing blank 
 inventories and of assessing and collecting taxes 
 for school purposes, and the inhabitants and own- 
 ers thereof shall for such purposes be subject to 
 the same liabilities, as if such territory were in 
 tlie town to Avhich it is or may be annexed. 
 
 Sect. 7. [As amended hy chapter 75, Session 
 Laws of 1895.] The selectmen of any town, and 
 the school board of any high school or other spe- 
 cial district in the same town, may, upon petition 
 of persons interested, after notice to the school 
 board of the town school district of such town, 
 and after hearing the parties, unite parts of either 
 district to the other, a majority of the board of 
 selectmen and a majority of the school board of 
 such special district, and a majority of the school 
 board of the town school district concurring 
 therein, and their decision in writing being re- 
 corded on the town records. 
 
 [Section 6 was amended by chapter 26 of the 
 Session Laws of 1897, as follows : 
 
50 
 
 Sp:ction 1. Section 6 of chapter 72 of the Ses- 
 sion Laws of 1893 shall not apply to special 
 districts, but only to town districts, and all special 
 taxes voted by said districts shall be assessed and 
 collected in the same maimer as they were 
 assessed and collected prior to tlie enactment of 
 said chapter 72.] 
 
 CHAPTER 47, SESSION LAWS OF 1895. 
 
 An Act in relation to the grouping of towns for 
 the purpose of employing a superintendent of 
 schools. 
 
 Skction 1. Two or more towns or special dis- 
 tricts may, by vote of each, form a district for the 
 purpose of employing a superintendent of the 
 public schools therein, who sliall perform in each 
 town the duties prescribed by law and the regula- 
 tions of the school boards. 
 
 Sect. 2. Such superintendent shall be 
 appointed by a joint committee composed of the 
 school board of each of the towns in said district, 
 who shall determine the relative amount of ser- 
 vice to be performed by him in each toM'n, and 
 shall fix his salary and apportion the amount 
 thereof to be paid by the several towns, and certify 
 such amount to the treasurer of each town. Said 
 joint committee shall, for said purposes, be held 
 to be the agents of each town composing such 
 district. 
 
51 
 
 CHAPTER 49, SESSION LAWS OF ]895. 
 
 An Act to provide for the exaniiDatiou and certi- 
 ficatioii of school teachers by the superintendent 
 of public instruction. 
 
 • Section 1. The superintendent of public in- 
 struction shall cause to be held, at such convenient 
 times and places as he may from time to time 
 designate, public examinations of candidates for 
 the position of teacher in the public schools of the 
 state. Such examinations shall test the profes- 
 sional as well as the scholastic abilities of candi- 
 dates, and shall be conducted by such persons and 
 in such manner as the superintendent of public 
 instruction may from time to time designate. Due 
 notice of the time, place, and other conditions of 
 the examinations shall be given in such public 
 manner as the superintendent of public instruc- 
 tion may determine. 
 
 Sect. 2. A certificate of qualifications shall be 
 given to all carididates who pass satisfactory ex- 
 aminations in 'such branches as are required by 
 law to be taught, and who in other respects fulfill 
 the requirements of the superintendent ; such cer- 
 tificate shall be either probationary, or permanent, 
 and .shall indicate the grade of school for which 
 the person named in the certificate is qualified to 
 teach. 
 
 Sect. 3. A list of approved candidates shall be 
 kept in the office of the department of public in- 
 struction and copies of the same, with such in- 
 formation as may be desired, shall be sent to school 
 committees* upon their request. 
 
 *School Boards. 
 
0-J 
 
 Sect. 4. [As amended hy . chapter 12, Session 
 Laws o/1899.] The certificates issued under the 
 provisions of tliis act shall be accepted by school 
 committees* in lieu of the personal examination 
 required by section 6 of chapter 92 of the Public 
 Statutes. 
 
 Sect. 5. A sum not exceeding three hundred 
 dollars may be annually expended from the income 
 of institute fund for the necessary and contingent 
 expenses of carrying out the provisions of this act. 
 
 CHAPTER 46, SESSION LAWS OF 1895. 
 
 An Act requiring truant officers or agents ap- 
 pointed by the school boards of cities and 
 towns to make an annual enuHieration of chil- 
 dren between the ages of five and sixteen years. 
 \_As amended hy chapter 86, Session Laios of 1903.] 
 
 Section 1. Truant officers or agents appointed 
 by school boards of cities and towns shall annually, 
 in the month of Octobei', make an enumeration of 
 the children of each sex, between the ages of five 
 and sixteen years, in their town or city, giving 
 such items in regard to each child as may be re- 
 quired by the school board or the state superin- 
 tendent of public instruction, and shall make a 
 report to the scliool board thereof within fifteen 
 days after the completion. 
 
 Sect. 2. Section 14, chapter 43, Public Stat- 
 utes, and any other acts inconsistent with this act, 
 are hereby repealed. 
 
 * Scliool Boards. 
 
53 
 
 CHAPTER 14, SESSION LAWS OF 1897. 
 
 An Act providing that certain sessions of the 
 public schools shall be devoted to exercises of a 
 patriotic nature. 
 
 Section 1. In all the public schools of the 
 state one session during the week in which Memo- 
 rial Day falls, or a portion thereof, shall be de- 
 voted to exercises of a patriotic nature. 
 
 CHAPTER 65, SESSION LAWS OF 1897. 
 
 An Act in addition to chapter 91 of the Public 
 Statutes, in relation to schoolhouses. 
 
 Section 1. The school board of cities shall 
 have sole power to select and purchase land for 
 schoolholl^e lots. When said board has secured, 
 by vote of the city councils, an adequate appropri- 
 ation for the purchase of a specified lot at a speci- 
 fied price, then said board may make the purchase. 
 
 Sect. 2. No schoolhouse shall be erected, 
 altered, remodeled, or changed in any city school 
 district, unless the plans thereof have been previ- 
 ously submitted to the school board of that dis- 
 trict and received its approval, and all new school- 
 houses shall be constructed under the direction of 
 a joint special committee, chosen in equal num- 
 bers by the city councils and the school board. 
 
 Sect. 3, Upon the completion of a new^ school- 
 house, the city councils shall, by vote, transfer it 
 to the care and control of the school board. When- 
 ever a schoolhouse shall , no longer be needed for 
 
54 
 
 public school purposes, the school hoard shall re- 
 transfer its care and control to the city. 
 
 Sect. 4. The provisions of the three preceding 
 se*ctions shall not apply to the Union School Dis- 
 trict of Concord, or to the Union School District 
 in the citv of Keene. 
 
 CHAPTER 44, SESSION LAWS OF 1897. 
 An Act relating to shade trees. 
 
 Section 1. AVhenever any party, at a proper 
 time of the year, shall present to the selectmen of 
 any town or ward well-grown nursery trees of the 
 nut, shade, or ornamental varieties, such selectmen 
 may set out said trees in the highways, cemeter- 
 ies, commons, schoolhouse yards, and other public 
 places, as indicated by the donor of said trees, and 
 protect the same at the expense of the town. 
 
 Sect. 2. Nothing in this act shall be construed 
 to compel any party to have trees set in the high- 
 v^ay on the side next his land without his consent. 
 
 CHAPTER 77, SESSION LAWS OF 1899. 
 
 An Act to ecpialize the school privileges of the 
 cities and towns of the state. 
 
 Section 1. Two or more towns or special dis- 
 tricts, or their school boards when duly author- 
 ized by their respective districts, may, by vote of 
 each, form a supervisory district for the purpose 
 of employing a superintendent of the public 
 schools therein, who shall perform in each town 
 
55 
 
 the duties prescribed by law and by the regula- 
 tions ot" the school boards, giving thereto his 
 entire time. 
 
 Sect. 2. The school boards of the several dis- 
 tricts forming the supervisory district shall con- 
 stitute a joint committee which for all purposes of 
 this act shall be the agent of each disti'ict therein 
 represented. Said committee shall meet between 
 April 1 and August 1 of each year, as may be 
 agreed upon by the chairmen of the several boards, 
 and organize by the choice of a chairman, a secre- 
 tary, and a treasurer. It shall elect a superintend- 
 ent for such supervisory district, determine the 
 character and value of his services, and apportion 
 the same among the several districts, certifying 
 such apportionment to their respective treasurers. 
 
 Sect. 3. [As amended by clicqiter 18, Session 
 Lmvs of 1901.] Any town or special district 
 which shall unite with one or more districts to 
 form a supervisory district, which shall employ as 
 superintendent, at an annual salary, a person hold- 
 ing a permanent state teachers' certificate, and 
 shall certify through its chairman and secretary 
 such facts to the state treasurer, shall be entitled 
 to one half its apportioned share of said salary, 
 said sum to be paid by him in December of each 
 year to the town treasurer of each town in said 
 supervisory district, upon sworn statement of the 
 state superintendent of public instruction certify- 
 ing as to what amount each town is entitled. This 
 section shall not apply to cities. 
 
 Skct. 4. Supervisory districts formed under 
 this act shall employ not fewer than twenty nor 
 more than sixty teachers. 
 
56 
 
 Sect. 5. Every scliool district in the state shall 
 maintain its schools at least twenty weeks during 
 every school year. 
 
 Sect. 6. The sum of twenty-live thousand dol- 
 lars ($25,000) shall be appropriated annually 
 from the state treasury for the purj^oses of this 
 act. Twenty-five per cent, of the entire appro- 
 priation shall be set apart each year to carry into 
 effect section three of this act. Any portion of 
 the sum so set apart, and not expended as afore- 
 said, shall remain in the state treasury, to be used 
 in any subsequent year, if needed, to carry out 
 the purposes of said section. The remainder 
 shall be paid by the state treasurer in December 
 of each year to all the towns of the state in which 
 the equalized valuation is less than $3,000 for each 
 child of the average attendance in the public 
 schools of such towns during the school year next 
 preceding, and such other towns as may be added 
 as hereinafter provided on the sworn statement of 
 the superintendent of public instruction certify- 
 ing as to what amount each town is entitled, in 
 direct propoition to said average attendance, and 
 in inverse proportion to the equalized valuation 
 per child, and shall be used exclusively for the 
 support of the public schools. The governor and 
 council may, upon recommendation of the super- 
 intendent of public instruction, add to the class 
 of towns specified above in this paragraph such 
 other towns as may seem from their peculiar con- 
 ditions to need relief from too great a burden of 
 school tajiiition. 
 
 Sect. 7. No town shall receive any benefit 
 under this act nor any portion of the literary 
 
57 
 
 fund unless its returns have been made to the 
 superintendent of public instruction as I'equired 
 by chapter 92, section 13, of the Public Statutes, 
 nor u*nless its schools have been maintained at 
 least twenty weeks during the school year next 
 preceding. 
 
 [Chapter SI, Session Laws of 1901, in amendment 
 of chapter 77, Session Laws of 1899.] 
 
 Section 1. Any town or special district 
 which has united, or may hereafter unite, with 
 any other town or towns, district or districts, to 
 form a supervisory district, as provided by chap- 
 ter 77 of the Laws of 1899, may, at any annual 
 school district meeting, by vote, rescind such 
 action, and thereupon shall, at the end of the 
 school year or at the expiration of the period for 
 which such supervisory district may then already 
 have contracted for the services of a superintend- 
 ent, cease to be a part of such supervisory dis- 
 trict. 
 
 CHAPTER 112, SESSION LAWS OF 1901. 
 
 An Act to establish evening schools. 
 
 Section 1. Upon petition of five per cent, of 
 the legal voters of any city or town having more 
 than five thousand inhabitants, according to the 
 latest United States census, said city or town 
 shall establish and maintain, in addition to the 
 schools required by the law to be maintained 
 therein, evening schools for the instruction of 
 
58 
 
 persons over fourteen years of age in such branches 
 of learning and art as the school board shall 
 deem expedient. 
 
 Skct. 2. The school board of such cities and 
 towns shall have the same superintendence over 
 such evening schools as they have over other 
 schools, and may determine the term or terms of 
 time in each year and the hours of the evening 
 during which such schools shall be kept, and may 
 make such regulations as to attendance at such 
 schools as they may deem expedient. 
 
 Sect. 8. Nothing contained in this act shall 
 exempt any person from the requirements of chap- 
 ter 93 of the Public Statutes. 
 
 CHAPTER 96, SESSION LAWS OF 1901. 
 
 An Act relating to high schools. 
 
 Section 1. [As ajiiended by Chapter 118, Ses- 
 sion Laws of 1903.] Any town not maintaining 
 a high school or school of corresponding grade 
 shall pay for the tuition of any child who with 
 parents or guardian resides in said town and who 
 attends a high school or academy in the same or 
 another town or city in this state, and the parent 
 or guardian of such child shall notify the school 
 board of the district in which he resides of the 
 high school or academy which he has determined 
 to attend, provided, hoirecer, that no town shall be 
 liable for tuition of a child in any school, in excess 
 of the average cost per child of instruction for 
 the regularly employed teachers of that school 
 
59 
 
 and the cost of text-books, supplies, and appara- 
 tus during the school year preceding, nor, in any 
 case, shall the town be liable for tuition of any 
 child in excess of forty dollars per year. 
 
 Sect. 2. If any town in which a high school 
 or school of corresponding grade is not main- 
 tained neglects or refuses to pay for tuition as 
 provided in the preceding section, such town shall 
 be liable therefor to the parent or guardian of the 
 child furnished with such tuition, if the parent or 
 guardian has paid the same, or to the town or city 
 furnishing the same in an action of contract. 
 
 Sect. 3. Five thousand dollars shall be appro- 
 priated annually from the state treasury for the 
 payment of tuition in high schools and academies, 
 to be paid by the state ti-easurer in the month of 
 December of each year to the treasurers of such 
 towns as are entitled, and in such manner as is 
 hereinafter provided, upon a sworn certificate of 
 the superintendent of public instruction of the 
 sums due. 
 
 Towns whose rate of taxation for school pur- 
 poses in any year is $3.50 or more on $1,000, and 
 whose average rate of taxation for all purposes 
 for five years next preceding is $16.50 or more 
 on $1,000, shall receive a share of said appropria- 
 tion as follows : 
 
 If the tax rate is from $16.50 to $17.49, one 
 tenth of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $17.50 to $18.49, two 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $18.50 to $19.49, three 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
60 
 
 If the tax late is from $19.50 to .|20.49, four 
 teiitlis of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $20.50 to $21.49, live tenths 
 of tlie tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $21.50 to $22.49, six 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $22.50 to $23.49, seven 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from |23.50 to $24.49, eiglit 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
 If the tax rate is from $24.50 to $25.49, nine 
 tenths of the tuition paid. 
 
 Over $25.49, the whole of such tuition. 
 
 If more tlian $5,000 should be needed in any 
 year for the purposes of this act, the said $5,000 
 shall be distributed pro rata to the towns entitled 
 to receive the same, in accordance with the fore- 
 going classification. 
 
 Skct. 4. [As amended hy Chapters 31 and 
 118, Session Laics o/ 1903.] By the term "high 
 school" or "academy," as used in this act, is 
 understood a school having at least one four 
 years' course properly equipped and teaching such 
 subjects as are required for admission to college, 
 technical school, and normal school, including 
 reasonable instruction in the constitution of the 
 United States and in the constitution of New 
 Hampshire, such high school or academy to be 
 approved by the state superintendent of public 
 instruction as complying with the requirements of 
 this section. And said superintendent is author- 
 ized to approve a school maintaining any part of 
 such course, for the part so maintained. 
 
61 
 
 Sect. 5. Towns paying tuition of scholars in 
 higli schools or academies shall receive a propor- 
 tionate share of the literary fund for the attend- 
 ance of such pupils. All academies and private 
 schools shall be furnished with copies of the school 
 register, and shall make an annual statistical re- 
 port to the state superintendent. 
 
 Sect. 6. [_As amended hy Chapter 118, Session 
 LaiDs: of 1903.] Any school district ma}^ make 
 contracts with an academy located within its 
 limits for furnishing instruction to its scholars ; 
 and such school district may raise and appropriate 
 money to carry into effect any contracts in rela- 
 tion thereto, and in case such appropriation is not 
 less in amount that the average cost of instruc- 
 tion of each pupil in such academy during the 
 year preceding, for each pupil of said district 
 qualified to enter upon a high school course, then 
 said academy shall be deemed a high school uuxin- 
 tained by such district, if approved by the super- 
 intendent of public instruction in accordance with 
 section 4 of this act. 
 
 CHAPTER 11, SESSION LAWS OF 1899. 
 An Act relating to holidays. 
 
 Section 1. Thanksgiving day and Fast day, 
 whenever* appointed ; Labor day; the day on 
 which the biennial elections are held ; the twenty- 
 second day of February ; the thirtieth day of May ; 
 the fourth day of July, and Christnias day shall 
 be legal holidays, and when either of the last four 
 days mentioned occurs on Sunday, the following 
 day shall be observed as a holiday. 
 
62 
 
 CHAPTER 43, PUBLIC STATUTES. 
 
 An Act relating to the duties of townclerks. 
 
 Skct. 3. Every town clerk, within thirty days 
 after the annual meeting, shall report to state 
 oificers the names and postoffice addresses of town 
 officers as follows to the state superintend- 
 ent of public instruction, those of the local 
 school board. . . .Any town clerk who neglects to 
 make reports as required by this section shall be 
 subject to pay a fine of twenty dollars for each 
 failure, one half for the use of the department to 
 which he fails to report, and the other half for 
 the use of the town. 
 
63 
 INDEX. 
 
 Pase 
 
 Academies, contract with districts '. 11, 61 
 
 Age (see Legal age). 
 
 Alcoholic stimulants 28 
 
 Annual meetings, when holden 16 
 
 Appropriations from state 56 
 
 Auditors, district 18, 20 
 
 Board (school), compensation of 34 
 
 number of members 18 
 
 how chosen 19 
 
 term of otHce 19 
 
 penalty for neglect of duties 6, 29, 32 
 
 to make returns 
 to state super- 
 intendent 55 
 
 to file report with 
 
 selectmen 30 
 
 scholars dismissed by 35 
 
 text-books and supplies loaned by.. . . 29 
 
 sold by 29 
 
 introduced by, not to fa- 
 vor sect or party 30 
 
 to convey scholars 27 
 
 to dismiss teachers, when 27 
 
 to furnish registers 30 
 
 tQ hire teachers 27 
 
 to hold examination of teachers 28 
 
 to issue certificates 28 
 
 teachers allowed to attend institiites, 
 
 by 33 
 
 to make annual report 30, 31 
 
 regulations 28 
 
 repairs 27 
 
 to prescribe studies 28 
 
 to send notices to parents 38 
 
 to provide fuel 27 
 
 schools 27 
 
 supplies 29 
 
 text-books 29 
 
 to appoint truant officers 32 
 
 to visit schools 30 
 
 vacancies in, how filled 20 
 
 By-law, district 35 
 
64 
 
 Certificates forteacliers 29, 51, 52 
 
 of pupil's attendance in private schools. 39 
 
 Clieck-list 17 
 
 Children, certificates furnished to,,\vlien 37, 38 
 
 employment of, regulated 38 
 
 enumeration of, by truant officer, when. . . 52 
 
 to be sent to scliool 38 
 
 penalty for neglect 39 
 
 Cleric, district, how chosen 19 
 
 duty 19, 20 
 
 vacancy, how filled 20 
 
 town 62 
 
 Compulsorj' attendance 39 
 
 Concord, special district of, act of 1897 not applicable 
 
 to 54 
 
 Constitution of New Hampshire, when read 28 
 
 the United States, when read 28 
 
 District clerk, regulations recorded by 27 
 
 meetings, where held IG 
 
 annual 15 
 
 when held 15 
 
 special 16 
 
 how warned 16 
 
 officers 18 
 
 Districts, academies may contract with 11 
 
 by-laws concerning truants, adopted by 36 
 
 dissolution of 12, 47 
 
 high schools maintained in 11, 47 
 
 joint, how to share money 12 
 
 legally organized 9 
 
 money hired by, when payable 10 
 
 raised for purposes of 10 
 
 new invoice of property made in, Avhen 10 
 
 non-resident taxes assessed in 10 
 
 rights in property after dissolution 12 
 
 selectmen assess tax for payment of monej' 
 
 hired by 10 
 
 scholars admitted from other towns to 11 
 
 schools maintained jointly by 11 
 
 special, abolished how 47 
 
 powei'S of 9 
 
 property liable to taxation in 10 
 
 what constitutes 9 
 
 may appropriate money for superintend- 
 ents..., 21 
 
 Dog tax, when used for srhool purposes 8 
 
 Employment of children 37 
 
 Enumeration of children. 52 
 
65 
 
 Evening schools 57 
 
 Examinations of teachers hy school hoards 29 
 
 superintendent of puh- 
 
 „, lie instruction 51 
 
 1* Jags on every schoolhouse 29 
 
 Guardian and ward, where taxed 6 
 
 High schools 11, 47, 49 
 
 definition of '58 
 
 tuition shall he paid hy town, when 59 
 
 tuition shall be paid by state, when 60 
 
 Holidays, what are 61 
 
 Houses (school), ho-v located 22 
 
 district, bound by committee, how 
 
 far 22 
 
 school board to locate, when 22 
 
 county commissioners to locate, 
 
 when 23 
 
 county commissioners, notice of 
 
 hearing by 23 
 
 county commissioners, hearing 
 
 when, by 23 
 
 county commissioners, fees of 23 
 
 county commissioners, vacancies in, 
 
 how filled 23 
 
 appeal pending and effect of 24 
 
 location conclusive, how long 24 
 
 lots, how enlarged 24 
 
 selectmen to appraise land damages 24 
 
 to build and repair, when 25 
 appeal by landowner to supreme 
 
 court 24 
 
 schools shall be kept in 25 
 
 used for what other purposes 25 
 
 repairs, how made 25 
 
 land, school hoards of cities to select 53 
 
 transferred by city councils to board 53 
 of cities, constructed under joint 
 
 special committee 53 
 
 Industrial school, truants committed to 36 
 
 Institutes (teachers'), how organized 43 
 
 how paid for 43 
 
 teachers may attend 34 
 
 Keene, special district of, act of 1897 not applicable to 54 
 
 Legal school age 36 
 
 Literary fund, what termed 7 
 
 how distributed 7 
 
 how expended 7 
 
 unincorporated places not to receive.. 7 
 
66 
 
 Literary fund, misapplication of 8 
 
 districts when not to receive 56 
 
 IManufacturing- establishments, children employed 
 
 in, when 37 
 
 establishments, owner, agent of. em- 
 ploying children contrary to law, 
 
 penalty for 39 
 
 Mechanical (see Manufacturing). 
 Mercantile (see ISIanufacturing). 
 
 Meetings, annual 15 
 
 district 15 
 
 special, when and where holden 15, 16 
 
 warrants of 16, 17 
 
 Memorial Day, observance of 53 
 
 Minimum school year 56 
 
 Moderator, how chosen 19 
 
 power and duty 19 
 
 Money, assessment for school purposes 5 
 
 additional 6 
 
 appropriation of 6 
 
 assessment of, penalty for neglect 6 
 
 districts may hire 10 
 
 raise, for what purposes 10 
 
 hired, selectmen assess tax for payment of — 10 
 
 dog tax 8 
 
 literary fund 7,8 
 
 neglect to apply 7 
 
 Normal school, annual appropriation for 46 
 
 admission to and graduation from. . . 45 
 
 instruction in ; session 45 
 
 courses of study 45 
 
 principal, how appointed 45 
 
 powers and duties of 45 
 
 trustees, appointment of 45 
 
 organization of 45 
 
 expenses of 45 
 
 meetings of 45 
 
 tenure of office 45 
 
 admission to, in school registers 46 
 
 Notice to parents and guardians 40 
 
 Officers of school district, what 18 
 
 eligibility to office 18, 19 
 
 how chosen, and for how 
 
 long 19 
 
 tenure of office 18 
 
 auditors, duties of 20 
 
 clerk, duties of 19 
 
 moderator 19 
 
67 
 
 Officers of school districts, treasurer, duties of 20 
 
 special school districts 18 
 
 Parents and guardians, penalty for neglect to send 
 
 children to school 39 
 
 Parochial schools, scholars to be vaccinated . ..."'."'"' 35 
 
 Physiology and hygiene 28 
 
 Private schools, certificates of attendance upon, 
 
 when issued 41 
 
 „ , , , . scholars to be vaccinated 35 
 
 Records of dissolved districts 11 
 
 Registers (school) furnished by state ...'.'.".'. 42 
 
 to be distributed by school board. . . 30 
 
 properly kept by teachers 30 
 
 „ , . , used in private schools, when 41 
 
 Regulations, to be prescribed by school board 27 
 
 recorded by clerk 27 
 
 Scholars to attend where 35 
 
 dismissed, when 35 
 
 unless vaccinated, not to attend 35 
 
 how admitted from outside districts. ... ' " 11 
 
 attending without right ; penalty 35 
 
 Schoolhouses (see Houses). 
 School board (see Board). 
 School districts (see Districts). 
 
 disturbance of, how punished 36 
 
 day, established 34 
 
 week " " 3 j^ 
 
 month ''/'' 34 
 
 year, minimum .'.".' 57 
 
 School money (see Money). ' •••,-•• 
 
 Selectmen shall assess 5 
 
 debt .V... .... 10 
 
 may make invoice 10 
 
 district clerk to report to 19 
 
 may fill vacancies in school board 21 
 
 school board to file reports with 30 
 
 may act in severing and annexing parts of 
 
 towns for school purposes 47 49 
 
 Session Laws of 1791, chapter 64 12' 47 
 
 1893, chapter 72 '.'.'.".'.".'. "' 48 
 
 1895, chapters 35, 36 .* ." 42 
 
 1895, chapter 36 '" 44 
 
 1895, cliapter 46 ,[[ 52 
 
 1895, chapter 47 21 50 
 
 1895, chapter 48 '21 
 
 1895, chapter 49 ,[ 51 
 
 1895, chapter 50 " 28 
 
 1895, chapters 40, 50 .'. . 29 
 
68 
 
 Session laws of 1895, chapter 50 30 
 
 1895, chapter 51 27 
 
 1895, chapter 62 41 
 
 1895, chapter 75 49 
 
 1895, chapter 83 » 5 
 
 1895, chapter 97 17 
 
 1897, chapter 14 53 
 
 1897, chapter 44 54 
 
 1897, chapter 65 22, 53 
 
 1897, chapter 69 19 
 
 1899, chapter 11 61 
 
 1899, chapter 12 52 
 
 1899, chapter 70 32 
 
 1899, chapter 77 21, 54 
 
 1899, chapter 84 36 
 
 1901, chapter 18 35, 55 
 
 1901, chapter 51 44 
 
 1901, chapter 61 37, 38, 39, 40, 55 
 
 1901, chapter 81 57 
 
 1901, chapter 91 5 
 
 1901, chapter 96 58 
 
 1901, chapter 112 57 
 
 1903, chapter 3 45 
 
 1903, chapter 5 31 
 
 1903, chapter 13 39 
 
 1903, chapter 29 34 
 
 1903, chapter 31 v — 28 
 
 1903, chapter 33 42 
 
 1903, chapter 59 46 
 
 1903, chapter 86 52 
 
 1903, chapter 118 58, 61 
 
 Special districts, how dissolved 12, 47 
 
 hig'h school in 47 
 
 trust funds of 14 
 
 clieck-list 17 
 
 meetinyrs, when holden 16 
 
 State appropriation for school purposes, how appor- 
 tioned to towns 56 
 
 State treasurer to distribute literary fund 7 
 
 pay state appropriation 56 
 
 Superintendent of schools, district may reqiiire 
 
 school board to appoint 21 
 
 Superintendent of schools, duties 21 
 
 Superintendent of schools, towns may unite in em- 
 ploying 50 
 
 Superintendent of supervisory district, how ap- 
 pointed 55 
 
69 
 
 Superintendent of supervisory district must hold 
 
 state certiticate -k 
 
 Superintendent of supervisory district must'giVe en- 
 ^ tire time ^ ^_ 
 
 ^l,^.^?^^*^®"^^?^'^ ^^ supervisory distVict; state' to ' pay 
 
 nait the salary, vv lien nf. 
 
 Siiperintendent of supervisory district/appropriation 
 
 Superintendent of 'pubiicYiistruction'; ^^ 
 
 Appointment of .« 
 
 Term of office 42 
 
 Form of register prescri bed "by ! ! .' ." ! .' 42 
 
 Documents distributed by . 42 
 
 bchool boards' returns prescribe'd by'.-l 42 
 
 1 o make investigations 42 
 
 Appropriation for clerical expenses for .' ." 44 
 
 10 make biennial report .... 40 
 
 Biennial report of, to contain what .■.■.'." 43 
 
 10 lecture in towns, when 40 
 
 1 eachers' institutes organized by 4^ 
 
 lo appoint substitute, when 40 
 
 Institute fund paid by treasurer to " .' 44 
 
 Account audited jt 
 
 <i„^oi®"'"^^ J^P^?"*^ o^"' sent to schoolbbards! '.'.'.'. 44 
 
 Supervisory districts authorized. 56 
 
 Tax, amountof ^^^ber of teachers limited;:::: 57 
 
 assessment of ^ 
 
 1 ext-books and supplies f um'ished'f ree. :::::::::::"" 29 
 
 ^ . to be sold at cost. .....: 30 
 
 .„ , not sectarian ■■" oX 
 
 i eachers examined by school boards 27 
 
 notpaid after dismissal.... 27 
 
 to attend institutes, when q4 
 
 to hll registers as required : : : : : : : : : : : : : 30 
 
 PYc.nii„at,-^., I ^penalty for f^iVure 30 
 ^nnlnv^Vf^i ^^}^ certihcation by state 
 
 superintendent ci 
 
 certificates issued to, when'. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. ". : '. ', \ [ \ \ [ 51 
 by state, accepted by 
 
 . ^. , local board 52 
 
 ,w?^^^?^*^?"^ (state), expenses how paid. . . 52 
 
 institutes, how supported.. 4-? 
 
 1 own may raise money ^ 
 
 Town clerk to report to state superiiitende'iit : : 62 
 
 penalty tor neglect ho 
 
 Towns, parts of, may be annexed 48 
 
 annexed, restored when: ::::::::::::: 49 
 
70 
 
 Treasurer, district 18 
 
 how chosen 19 
 
 to give bond 20 
 
 his duties 20 
 
 vacancy, how filled 21 
 
 Trees, ornamental and shade, presented to town 54 
 
 Truants, how punished.. 36 
 
 tine remitted, when 36 
 
 Truant laws, to he sent to whom 40 
 
 officers, compensation of 32 
 
 duties of 32 
 
 school hoards to appoint 32 
 
 Trust funds of special districts 14 
 
 Unincorporated places to receive literary fund, 
 
 when 7 
 
 penalty for misapplying 8 
 
 Vacancies in school district officers 8, 21 
 
 Vaccination 35 
 
 Voters, who 17 
 
 check-list of 17 
 
 penalty illegal 18 
 
 Ward, where taxed 6 
 
 Warrants of meetings 8, 17 
 
JUL 16 1903