Glass i B^S '^i Book -1-2- PUBLIC SCHOOL LAWS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF 1907 ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLIC SCHOOL LAWS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF 1907 ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 96 f MONTGOMERY, ALA. BEOWN PRINTING CO., PRINTEBS A BINDERS 1907. p^\^ V DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HARRY C. GUNNELS, WM. F. FEAGIN, Superintendent of Education. Cliief Clerli. W. C. SWANSON and JAS. N. GUNNELS, Boolilie^pers. MISS MAGGIE PEARCE, Stenograplier. STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS. HARRY C. GUNNELS, Ex-Officio President. HENRY J. WILLINGHAM, Secretary. MISS SARA CLARK. MISS SUSIE OFFUTT, Stenographer. IN JSXCHANQE^ /\lC. D^CT 6t;A^.4U^St' 4lA>k Xk 4nnn No. 361.) AN ACT. (S. 221. To amend section 17 of an act to establish a uniform system for the examination and licensing" of teachers of public schools, approved February 10, 1899; amended February 8, 1901. Section 1. Be it enacted hy the Legislature of Ala- havia. That section IT of an act to establish a uniform system for the examination and licensing of teachers of public schools be amended so as to read as follows : Sec- tion 17. Be it further enacted, That whenever any teacher applying for a certificate shall make proof that he has been engaged for six years in teaching under first grade certificates, which proof the County Superintend- ent of Education shall transmit to the State Board of Examiners, and shall show a high degree of proficiency and professional attainment, such teacher may be granted a life certificate, signed as prescribed for other certifi- cates; provided, that any teacher holding a life certifi- cate shall forfeit the same by leaving off the business of teaching for five consecutive years. Approved July 17, 1907. No. 3^3.) AN ACT. ^ (S. 220. To repeal section sixteen of an act to establish a uniform system for the examination and licensing of teach- ers of public schools, approved February 10, 1899; amended February 8, 1901. Section 1. Be it enacted In/ the Lef/islatare of Ala- bama, That section sixteen of an act to establish a uni- form system for the examination and licensing of teach- ers of public schools, approved February 10, 1899; amended P^ebniarY 8, 1901, be and the same is hereby- re- pealed. Approved March 13, 1907. NOTE.— The repeal of section 16 and the amend- ment to section 17 are the only changes made in examination law. No. 201.) AN ACT. (H. 24. To make appropiiations for the support and maintenance of the public schools of the State. Section 1. Be it enacted hy the Legishiture of Ala- bama, That for the support and maintenance of the pub- lic schools of the State the following sums of money are hereby appropriated for the scholastic year 1906-1907 and for each scholastic year thereafter : 1. For interest on the Sixteenth Section fund, Valueless Sixteenth Sec- tion fund, Surplus Revenue fund and School Indemnity Land fund, one hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars. 2. The net amount of poll tax that may be collected in the State, the poll tax collected in eacja county to be ap- plied to the support and maintenance of the public schools therein. 3. The net proceeds of the annual tax of thirty cents ou each one hundred dollars of taxable property in the State, which tax is hereby levied, as pro- vided by section 260 of the constitution. Section 2. The further sum of three hundred thousand dollars is hereby appropriated from and out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the sup- port and maintenance of the public schools of the Sta^te for the scholastic year 1907-1908; and the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars is hereby appropri- ated from and cut of any money in the treasury not oth- erwise appropriated for the support and maintenance of the public schools of the State for the scholastic year 1908-1909 and for each scholastic 3^ear thereafter. Approved March 2, 1907. No. 312. ) AN ACT. ( S. 207. To amend an act approved Marcli 4th, 1903, entitled an act to create a Text Book Commission, and to pro- cnre for use in the public free schools in this State a uniform series of text books; to define the duties and powers of said commission and other officers, to make an appropriation for the carrying into effect of this act; to provide pu.nishment and penalty for the violation of the same. Section 1. Be if enacted by the Legislature of Ala- bama , That section 22 of said act, approved March 4, 1903, be amended so that it will read as follows: Sec- tion 22. Be it further enacted. That the. adoption made as provided for in this act shall continue for five years froni the date of such adoption, provided the provisions of this act shall not apply to those counties which have adopted a uniform system of text books for the public schools, and have contracted for a supply of such text books until September, 1908, unless they see fit sooner to accept the j)rovisions of this act, and provided, further, that no new contract shall be made after the passage of this act by any County Board of Education of any city or town in this State. Approved, July 11, 1907. No. 757. ) AN ACT. ( S. B. 384. To provide for the establishment of high schools in this State, and to make appropriations for said schools. Be it enacted by the Legislature of Alabama : Section 1. The Governor, Auditor and Superintendent of Education be and they are hereby- constituted a Com- mission to locate as hereinafter provided one high school in each of the counties of this State, provided that a high school shall not be established under the provisions of 6 this act in any county in Avhicli there are already estab- lished an aiiricultural school, normal school for white people, the Polytechnic Institute, the University of Ala- banui, the Industrial School for White Girls or a high school free to all the children of the county, until after a high school has been established in all the other coun- ties. Section 2. That any county, where the citizens there- of shall secure a suitable site which shall consist of not less than fiye acres of land, the title of the surface of which shall be in fee, but the land need not include min- eral rights, and erect thereon a good and substantial building with all tlie necessary equipments for a High School, the cost of said land, building and equipments to be not less than liye thousand dollars ,and upon making a deed to the State of Alabama of said land, building and equipments, there shall be appropriated cut of any mon- eys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of two thousand dollars for the payment of the teachers in said High School, or High Schools complying with tlie provisions of this act, and this appropriation is hereby made to continue annually, provided further that none of said two tliousand dollars shall be devoted to any other purpose whatever than the payment of teachers' salaries, and provided further that the same shall be paid quarterly upon warrants drawn by the County Board of Education in the county in which said High School is located, said warrant or warrants to be subject to the approval of the Commission hereinbefore created. Section 3. Said school or schools as hereinbefore estab- lished shall be under the direction and control of the said Commission as a Board of Trustees in connection with the Board of Education in the county in which said High School is located ; provided further that nothing in this act shall be so construed as to abolish any free school in any district, or the office of Trustees in any district in which said High School may be located. Section 4. Xo teacher will be eligible to teach in any High School established under the provisions of this act, unless holding a first grade or life certificate. Nor will any student be eligible to entrance into said High School unless said student can pass a satisfactory examinaton in the branches of free public instruction in the elemen- tary schools of his or her county. Section 5. The said High School or Schools shall be open to students of the white race regardless of age, who have complied with the provisions of section four of this act. Section 6. A course of study for such school or schools shall be provided and required by the Superintendent of Education ; provided, however, that said course of study shall consist of secondary branches of study. Section 7. — A matriculation fee of one dollar may be charged to each student to defray necessary expenses dur- ing each term. Section 8. — That this act shall not go into effect until the Governor shall decide that the condition of the treas- ury will admit of the appropriation herein made. Approved, August 7, 1907. 8 INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISH- MENT OF COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS. 1. Under an Act approved August 7, 1907, a High School is to be established in each county of the State by a Commission composed of the Governor, the Auditor and the Superintendent of Education. Under the terms of the Act the provisions of the same are to go into effect when the Governor shall decide that the condition of the Treasury will admit of the appropriation. The Governor has decided that the State will be able to bear the appro- priation for the year beginning Oct. 1, 1908, but that the Commission can and will begin at once on the task of lo- cating the High Schools in the various counties. 2. Under the provisions of the law a High School can- not be established in any county in which there is an Agricultural School, a Normal Scliool for white people, the University, the Polytechnic Institute, the Industrial School for White Girls or a High School free to all the children of a county, until after a High iSchool has been established in all the other counties. 3. The High School Commission will hold that the County High School must be separate and apart in every icay from the regular district or local school in which are taught the Primary and Inteimediate grades. 4. All applications by communities for the locating of County High Schools should be in writing (typewritten if convenient) and should set out in full the amount of money which will be given, the plans of the building to be erected, the nature of the equipment proposed and such other general matters as would be of aid to the High School Commission in selecting a location. 5. Under the terms of the law at least five acres of land must be secured as a site for the High School build- ing and the deed to the same must be made to the State. This deed, of course, need not be made until the school is located. 6. The High School Commission will consider the |5,000 mentioned in Section two of the law as a minimum requirement for the consideration of an application. They will in passing on applications take into considera- tion increased donations of land and increased funds for 9 buildings and for equipment, also the healthfulness of the localit}' and the school population accessible — the idea being to locate the school where it would be of the ''greatest good to the greatest number." 7. The State will appropriate |2,000 annually for the payment of teachers in the High School. As this amount with the matriculation fee of one dollar to defray neces- sary incidentals will not be sufficient to sustain a first class High School, it will be expected that communities will agree to supplement the fund so as to procure a teaching force creditable alike to the county and to the State. S. The High School Commission will consider only ai3pli cations in writing, and will notify parties interested when a hearing can be had, should one be desired. 9. No funds from the State will be allowed to any High School located by the Commission until the build- ing and equipment have been inspected by either the Com- mission itself or some one delegated by it and it has been found that the building and the equipment are such as are necessary for the sustaining of a first class High School. 10. All applications should be filed with Supt. Harry C. Gunnels, the Secretary of the Commission. /S. ^. Governor Auditor. Supt. of Education. 10 No. 771. ) AN ACT. ( S. B.314. To provide for the takiii"' of the census of the school chil- dren in the State of Alabama, and to provide a pen- alty for the making of a false enumeration thereof. Be it enacted by the Legislature of Alabama : Section 1. — That the district trustees of each public school district in this State, whether existing under the general law or created by special or local law, and the Boards of Education or School Trustees or other govern- ing board or body of any pul)lic school district lying in any incorporated town or city in this State, shall cause to be made during the month of July, 1908, and every even numbered year thereafter an enumeration of all the children within school age residing in each of said sev- eral school districts, and to that end said Trustees or Boards of Education or other governing board or body shall select and appoint a proper and competent person to make such enumeration, on blanks to be prepared and provided by the Superintendent of Education of the State, and such person sliall make a report of such enum- eration under oath to the County Superintendent of Education of his county by the 15th day of August next succeeding the time of the taking of said census. The County Superintendent of Education shall then make a written verified report by districts to the Superintend- ent of Education of the State. Section 2.- — That the Court of County Commissioners, or Board of Eevenue or other court of like jurisdiction for each county shall fix the compensation of each of said persons taking such school census in each district no part of which is situated in any incorporated town or city, and shall order the same paid to such persons out of the general funds in the county treasury of the county wherein such enumerations are made. And the mayor and city council or other governing body of any municipality wherein a public school district, as hereinabove in this act described is situated in whole or in part, shall fix the compensation of the person who shall take the school census in such district and shall order the same paid out of the treasurv of such town or city. 11 Section 3. — That any person appointed to make an enumeration of the children within school age of any pub- lic school district in this State as required by section 1 of this act who shall knowingly make a false or fraudu- lent enumeration or report of the number of children within school age residing in such district shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars and shall also .be sentenced to hard labor for the county for not less than six months nor more than twelve months. Approved, August 11, 1907. AN ACT. To provide for the redistricting of the public schools of the State and for the management and control of same. Approved September 30, 1903 ; as amended July 17, 1907. Section 1. — Be it enacted hy the Legislature of Ala- bama,, That township lines for school purposes, in the State of Alabama, are hereby abolished; provided noth- ing herein contained shall be so construed as to deprive the inhabitants of any township in this State of the six- teenth section or any fund arising therefrom. For the Dur- pose of selling and leasing the sixteenth section school lands of the several townships as provided by law there shall be three township trustees in each township to be appointed as now provided by law. The existing township trustees shall continue in office until the expiration of their terms of office for the purpose of selling and leasing such lands. Section 2. — One of the County Commissioners or a member of the County Board of Kevenue, the County Su- perintendent of Education, and one of the county sur- veyors to be named by the Court of County Commission- ers, or Board of Revenue, in each of the several counties of the State, are hereby created the County Redistricting Board, whose duties shall be as hereinafter provided. 12 Section 3. — That on the first Monday in March, 1904, tlie County Redistricting Boards provided for in section two of this act, shall meet at the courthouse in their res- pective counties and oruanize hy electing one of their number as chairman. The County Superintendent of Education shall he, by virtue of his office, secretary of such board ; a majority of the members of such board shall constitute a quorum. Section 4. — As scon as practicable after organization the said County Redistricting Board shall lay out and divide their respective counties into public school dis- tricts according to centers of population and natural barriers. Such districts shall be so arranged, if practi- cable, as to place a public school within two and one-half miles of each child within school age within such district; provided that no district shall be formed which contains less than fifteen children within the school age. Section 5. — The work of establishing such districts as provided in this act shall be completed not later than June 1st, 1904. Within ten days after said work shall have been completed, the said several County Redistricting Boards shall make, in Avriting, an accurate description of each district so established, which description they shall deposit ^\'ith the Judge of Prol)ate, whose duty it shall be to record the same in a sul)stantially bound book, to be kept by him for this puipose in his oiTice. Section 6. — (As amended.) — That on the first Satur- day in July, 1908, and each fourth year thereafter at an hou]' to 1)0 fixed and appointed by the County Superin- tendent of Education of each county and to be uniform throughout the county, after notice has been given there of by the County Superintendent of Education by publi- cation in a newspaper published in said county for three successive weeks, (the expenses to be paid out of the county treasury,) and if there be no newspaper published in the county, then by written notices sent to each of the chairmen of the Boards of District Trustees in such county, the qualified electors of each public school dis- trict shall meet at the district school house and elect from among the free holders and the house holders who can read and write, residing in such districts, a local 13 board of three District Trustees whose duty shall be ah hereinafter provided. The chairman, or in his absence, a member of the Board of District Trustees, shall preside over such meeting and shall certify to the County Super- intendent of Education the result of the election held thereat which certificate must show the names of the District Trustees elected at said meeting for the district and said certificate must be filed with the County Super- intendent of Education within five days after such meet- ing and election ; provided, however, that in the event the chairman or other member of such board of District Trustees should not be present at the time fixed for said meeting, or being present should wilfully fail or refustj to call said meeting to order or to preside over the same^ then the qualified electors of sucli district assembled may choose from among their number a person to preside over such meeting, and such person shall be fully authorized to so preside and to make the certificate of election of District Trustees had at such meeting and to file the same as hereinabove provided. Any qualified voter of such dis- trict may within ten days after the holding of such elec- tion, contest the election of any person or persons shown to be elected by said certificate, by filing a contest in writing with the County Superintendent of Education and addressed to the County Board of Education stating therein the grounds for such contest, and it shall be the duty of the County Board of Education upon notice to them by the County Superintendent of Education of the filing of such contest, to meet and hear and determine such contests within twenty days from the holding of the election. And it shall be the duty of the County Su- perintendent of Education upon the filing of all such con- tests to immediately notify in writing each person whose election is contested, of the filing of the same and of the date and place where such contest shall be heard. Such district trustees shall hold office for the term of four years from the time of their election and until their sue cessors are elected and qualified. Section 7. — The trustees provided for in the last pre ceding section shall within ten days after their election meet at the public school district school house, or sc>me 14 place more convenient to all concerned, and shall organ- ize, by electing one of their number chairman and an- other secretary. Section (S. — The district trustees shall, during the month of August, 1904, and in every even numbered year thereafter, make an enumeration of all the children with- in school age in their respective districts in accordance with- the reijuirements of section 3573 of ihe Code of 1806, and report the same as herein jDrovided to the County Superintendent of Education, who also shall, by the ] 5th day of said montli, make a written report of such enum- eration by numbered districts to the State Superintend- ent of Education, and it shall be the duty of the County Superintendent of Education to enumerate or cause to be enumerated, all the children of school age in any township or townships in his county in which the six- teenth section interest exceeds the amount of per capita apportionment from the general fund, and report the same to tbe office of the State Superintendent of Educa- tion. Section 9. — (As amended.) — It shall be the duty of said District Trustees to care for all school properly, nominate teachers for their school districts, such nomi- nation to be subject to the approval of the County Board of Education, the contract to teach to be made with said County Board of Education, to visit the schools within tbeir respective districts, observe the managenieni of the same, to make quarterly reports of the conditon of such school to tlie County Superintendent of Education, and I') pir-vform !-nch other duties as may be required !y t]ie County Board of Education, hereinafter provided for; provided that if said district trustees shall fail or refuse for a period of 30 days after required in writing by the County Board of Education, to nominate and submit for approval a teacher or teachers for their district, or for such period after so required in writing, shall fail or re- fuse to perform any of the duties required of tliem under this act, tlum and in such event, the County Board of Ed- ucation shall be autlio-i-ized to perform any such dutic (including nomination and employment of teachers in lieu of said distr-ict trustees) wherein they have failed to perform them. 15 Section 10. {As amended.) — The chairman of the sev- eral boards of district trustees shall meet at the court- house in their respective counties on the second Saturday in August after their election and shall elect four county trustees who shall hold office for a term of four years from the date of their election and until their successors are elected and qualified. Before entering upon the du- ties of office, they shall take the oath of office prescribed by the constitution of the State. The County Superin- tendent of Education and said four County Trustees shall constitute the County Board of Education within their respective counties. The County Superintendent of Ed- ucation shall be the chief executive officer of said County Board of Education, and shall see that all the rules, reg- ulation and orders of said County Boards are enforced; provided, however, that no District Trustee, during the term of office for which he was elected shall be eligible to election as a County Trustee nor shall more than 02ie teacher actively engaged in teaching in the public schools in this State be a member of said County Board of Edii- cation at one and the same time. The Court of County Commissioners or Board of Eevenue of each county shall provide at the expense of the county, all necessary blank books, stationery and postage for the use of the County Boards of Education of the county. Section 11. — The said County Board of Education shall have entire control of the public schools within their respective counties, unless otherwise provided by law. They shall make rules and regulations for the governmept of the schools, see that teachers perform their duties, and exercise such powers, consistent with the law, as in their judgment ^W\ best subserve the cause of education. The said board shall have the right to acquire, purchase, lease, receive, hold, transmit and convey the title to real and per- sonal property for school purposes. Said Board of Edu- cation shall by and in the name of the County Board of Education sue and be sued, contract and be contracted with ; all contracts to be made after resolution adopted by said board and spread on its minutes and signed by tlie 16 president and secretary, and all process shall be executed on tlie secretary of said board. Section 12. — Whenever there shall have been estab- lished in any school district a system of graded schools free to the children of school age, within such district for a period of not less than eight mouths in each year ,the electors of such district may increase the number of the district trustees to five and assume entire control of the public schools therein; provided, the trustees of such dis tricts shall make all reports re{. — Each member of the County Redistricting Board named in section two of this act shall receive two dollars a day for each day in which he is actually em- ployed in forming school districts under this act to be paid out of the county treasury upon the written requi- sition of the president and secretary of such board ; pro- vided, that no memlx'r of said board shall receive pay for nu^-e than fifteen days, and ])rovided, further, that the County Superintendent of Education shall receive no pay for serving on said board. Section 14. — Each of the four members of the County Bc;ard of Education, provim the public school funds o± the county to be disbursed by the County Suinn-intendent of Education two dollars a day for each' day's work devo- ted by him to the i)ublic schools; provided he shall not receive i')ay for mtae than ten days in any one year. The Coimty Superintendent of Education shall apportion among the several school districts the amount of compen- sation to be j)aid to the mendicrs of the County Board of Education an.'liall be used for any other purpose than the payment of the salary of the faculty, and for the actual expenses of the said Board of Trus- tees in going to and returning from their meeting. Section 2. — That the Board of Trustees of said school shall consist of six trustees, together with the/TOvernor, State Superintendent of Education and the president of the school, ex-officio. The trustees shall be appointed by the Governor as hereinafter provided. It shall be the duty of the Governor, upon the passage of the bill, to ap- point six trustees of said Normal School ; provided, that no two of said trustees shall reside in the same county, except in the county of Hale there may be two of said trustees. Two of said trustees shall be appointed for the term of six years ; two for the term of four years ; two for the term of two years; and every two years thereafter it shall be the duty of the Governor to appoint two trus- tees, whose term of office shall be for the term of six years. The members of said Board of Trustees shall re- ceive no compensation for their services except their actual expenses in going and returning from their meet- ings, which said expenses upon the certificate of the sec- retary of the board, approved by the president, shall be paid out of the fund annually appropriated and set apart for the support and maintenance of said school. Section 3. — That any vacancy in the Board of Trustees, caused by death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled by appointment by the Governor, the appointee holding for the unexpired term of his predecessor. Section 4. — That the Board of Trustees shall choose one of their number as president of their board, who shall not vote on any question except in case of a tie ; and they shall elect a secretary and treasurer, and they shall take such bond from such treasurer as they shall deem suffic- ient and adequate to secure the faithful performance of his duties, in at least double the amount that he may have in hand at any one time, bond to be approved by the County Superintendent of Education and the Judge of Probate of Hale county, and a certified copy thereof filed in the office of the Superintendent of Education. The secretary and treasurer shall be chosen annually, and shall hold their offices until their successors are elected and qualified. Section 6. — That the Board of Trustees shall, under the restrictions and limitations of law, direct the dispo- sal of any and all monies appropriated to the school and shall prescribe the duties of the secretary and treasurer thereof. Section 7. — That it shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees to organize such Noi;mal School upon the most approved plan ; to elect a president and a complete and sufficient corps of instructors, who shall constitute the facult^^ of such Normal School, and the board shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the organization and successful operation of such Normal School. Roction 8. — That it shall he the duty of the facnltv to establish a course of instruction with special reference to educating teachers in the theory and practice of teach- ing, and to pass all needful rules and regulations neces- sary for the discipline of such Normal School. Section 9. — That the president of the Board of Trus- tees shall make a full and complete annual report to the Superintendent of Education of the operation of the Normal School, specifying the number of professors or teachers, the amount of salary of each, the amount of money received and disbursed and such other information as may be required by h\w. Section lO.^That students shall be admitted from any portion of the State, and shall receive instruction free of charge for tuition, upon signing a written obligation to teacii at least two years in the public schools of this State ,and the obligation shall be filed in the office of the Superintendent of Education. Any student may be re- lieved from this obligation l)y paying such tuition as may be established by the Board of Trustees. Section 11. — That applicants for admission to the Nor- mal School shall stand a satisfactory examination in such studies as may be re(|uired by the faculty. Section 12. — That the money appropriated and due to the school shall be certified semi-annually by the Super- intendent of Education to the State Auditor, upon ap- plication of the president of the Board of Trustees, and the State Auditor shall thereup(>n di'aw his warrant on the State Treasurer in favor of the treasurer of the Nor- mal School for the amount thus certified ; the first half of the annual appropriation hereby made, shall be due and payable on the first day of October, 1907. Section 13. — That in connection with the Normal School hereby established, there may be established a pnblic or other school. Section 14. — That this appropriation shall be received upon condition that there shall be furnished free of charge a suitable building and grounds for said Normal School, and place said building and grounds under the complete control of the Board of Trustees established in this act. Approved, August 13, 1907. 29 No. 140.) AN ACT. (H. 225. To amend sections one and two of an act aj)proved Jan- uary 30, 1897, to regulate the appropriation and management of tlie several Agricultural and Exper- imental Stations in the State of Alabama. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of Alabama, That sections 1 and 2 of an act approved January 30, 1907, en- titled an act to regulate the appropriation and manage- ment of the several Agricultural Schools and Experi- mental Stations in the State of Alabama, be and the same are hereby amended so as to read as follows : That for the support of the nine branch Agricultural Schools and Experimental Stations located in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth Con- gressional Districts respectively in the State of Alabama, there shall be appropriated annually out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars to each of said schools, one-fourth of said sum to be paid quarterly, to-wit : Jan- uary 1st, April 1st, July 1st and October 1st of each year to the treasurer of the Board of Control of such schools. ■ 2. That not less than seven hundred and fifty dollars of the sum so appropriated to each of said schools shall be used in maintaining, cultivating and improving the farms respectively and making agricultural experiments thereon under and by direction of the respective Board of Control. Approved, March 2, 1907. No. 133. ) AN ACT. ( H. 205. To appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars for the completion of the school building of the Fifth Con- gressional District Agricultural School located at Wetumpka, the main school building being destroyed by fire January 5th, 1906 1 Be it enacted by the Lea'- islature of Alabama : Section 1. — That the sum of ten thousand (lolhirs is lierehy a})i)i'oi)riated for the completion of the school bnil(lin.i>' of tlie Fifth Coniii-essional District Agricul- tur-iil School IcH^ated at AVetumpka, th.e main school building- being destroyed by tire on January 5th, 190<). Section 2. — That the State Auditor is hereby author- ized and directed to draAv his warrant on the State Treas- ure]' in favor of the treasurer of the Board of Control of tlu' Fifth Congressional District Agricultural School, for the sum of ten thousand dollars, and the State Treas- urer is hereby authorized and directed to pay the amount of said Avarrant out of the funds in the State treasury not otherwise appropriated. Section 3. — That the said sum of ten thousand dollars shall be expended by the Board of Control of said Fifth Congressional District Agricultural School in the com- jdetion of the sdiool building of the said Fifth Congres- sional Disti-ict Agricultural School at Wetumpka. Approved, March 2, 1907. No. 152.) AN ACT. (S. S3. To a])pr(ii)r!ate the sum of six thousand dollars for the coni])letioH and im])]'ovement of the school buildings of the 8th Congressional District Agricultural School located at Athens. The main school build- ing having been destroyed by a stoi'm in November, Section 1. — Be if enacfrd hi/ flic Lcf/}>ilafiire of Ala- hama. That the sum of six thousand dollars be and th.e same is luM-eby appropriated for the completion and im- provenuMit of the school buildings of the Sth Congression- al District Agricultural School located at Athens. The main school building having been, destroyed by a storm m Novendier, lOOf). Secticui 2. — That the State Auditor is hereby author- ized and directed to draw his warrant on the State Treas- urer, in favor of the treasuriM' <^f the Board of Control '61 of the 8tli Congressioual District Agricultural School for the sum of six thousand dollars and the State Treasurer is authorized and directed to pay the amount of said warrant out of any funds in the State treasury not other- wise appiopriated. Section 3. — That the sum of six thousand dollars shall be expended by the Board of Control of the 8th Congres- sional District Agricultural School in the completion and improvement of the school buildings of the said 8th Con- gressional Agricultural School at Athens. Approved, February 28, 1907. ^N'o. 778.) AN ACT. (H. 949. To create a Text-Book Commission, and to procure ^^or use in the public schools of this State a uniform series of text-books, to define the duties and powers of said commission, to make an appropriation for the carrying into effect this act, and to j^rovide pun- ishment and penalties for the violation of the same. Section 1. — Be it enacted hij the Lec/islature of Ala- bama, That on or before March 1, 1908, the Governor shall select and appoint nine educators of known char- acter and ability, men well acquainted with arranging courses of study and engaged in public school work, one from, each Congressional District, who, together with himself, and the State Superintendent of Education, shall constitute the Text-Book Commission of Alabama. It shall be the duty of said commission to select ancl adopt a uniform series of text-books for use jn the pub- lic schools of the State for a period of five years, and it shall be unlawful for any school official, director, or teacher, to use any books upon the same branches other than those adopted by said State Text-Book Commission. Said uniform series shall include the following branches of study, to-wit : Orthography, Reading, Writing, Arith- metic, Geography, Grammar, Language Lessons, Historv of Alabama, containing the Constitution of the State, History of the United States, Elemeutary PliYsioloi'v and Hygiene, Elementary Principles of Agricnltnre, and such other branches of study as properly belong in a com- mon school course, provided that none of said text-books shall contain anything of a partisan or sectarian char- acter. Before transacting any business pertaining to the duties of this commission, they shall each take an oath, before some person authorized to administer oaths, to faithfully discharge all the duties imposed upon them as members of said Text-Book Commission and that tlie> have no interest directly or indirectly, in any contract that may be made under this act, and receive no personal benefit therefrom. Pr-ovided, further, that said Text- Book Commission shall have the power by three- fourths vote to drop an unsatisfactory book at the end of any school year during the continuance of this contract, and to make another adoption. Section 2. — That said Text-Book Commission shall consider the merits of each book, taking into considei'a- tion their subject matter, the printing, binding, material and meclianical qualities and their general suitability and desirability for the pur])ose intended, as well as the price ((f said l)Ooks, provided that, no text-book, the sub- ject matter of which is of inferior quality shall be adopt- ed by the Text-Book Commission. Said commission sha^ll select and adopt such books as will, in their l)est jurlg. ment, accom])]ish the ends desired, and they are bereby authorized and directed in case any book or books are deemed by them suitable for adoption, and more desir- able than other books of the same class submitted, and they furthei' consider the price at which the books are offered to be unreasonably high, and that they should be offered at a smaller ])rice, to immediately notify the publisher or author of such book or books, of their decis- sion and i'e(|uest such r(Mluction in price as they deem reasoiialde and just, and if they and such publishers shall agree on a price they may adopt his book or books, but if not, they shall use their own sound judgment and discretion Avhether they will adopt that or the books wlii<]i arc decmei] by tiM'm next best in the list ])ubl'Kli"i'!. 88 Section 8. — That said Text-Book Commission shall ira- mediatel}^ after their appointment meet and organize, the Governor being president of the commission and tJie Superintendent of Education secretary of said commis- sion. As soon as practicable, not later than thirty days after its organization the commission shall advertise in such manner and for such length of time and at such places as may be deemed advisable, that at a time and place fixed definiteh^ in said advertisement, sealed bids or proposals will be received from the publishers of school text-books for furnishing books to the public schools in the State of Alabama, through such agencies in the sev- eral counties, and places in the several counties in the State, as may be provided for in such regulations as said commission may adopt and prescribe. The bids or proposals to be for furnishing the books for a period of five years and no longer, and that no bid for a longer period will be considered. Said bids shall state specif- ically and definitely the price at which the books will be furnished, and shall be accompanied by one or more specimen copies of each and every book proposed to be furnished, and it shall be required of each bidder to de- posit with the treasurer of the State a sum of money such as the commission may require, not less than five hundred dollars nor more than twenty-five hundred dollars, ac- cording to the number of books each bidder ma}^ propose to supply, and notice shall further be given in such ad- vertisement that such deposit shall be forfeited abso- lutely to the State if the bidder making the deposit shall fail or refuse to make and execute such contract and bond as is hereinafter required, within such time as the com- mission may require which time shall also be stated in said advertisement. All bids shall be sealed and deposit- ed Avith the Secretary of State, to be by him delivered to the commissiuu Avlieu they are in executive session, for the purpose of considering the same when they shall be opened in the presence of the commission. Section 4. — That it shall be the duty of the said Text- Book Commission to meet at the time and place desig- nated in such notice or advertisement, and take out rhe 34 sample or specimen copies submitted upon which the nids are based. When tlie members have examined all books submitted until thoroughly satisfied, it shall be the duty of said Text-Book Commission to meet in executive ses- sion to open and examine all sealed proposals submitted and received in pursuance of the notice or advertise- ment, provided for in Sec. three of this act. It shall then be the duty of said commission to examine and consider carefully such bids or proposals and determine in the manner provided in section one of this act, what book or books shall be selected for adoptit it shall be their duty to take the manuscript and to ad- vertise for sealed bids or proposals for publishing the same in book form, in like manner as herein provided for, and under the same restriction and condition and the contract may be let for the publication of all such books or for any one or more separately ; and provided further that the State itself shall not under any circumstances enter into any contract binding it to pay for the publica- tion of any book or books, but in the contract with the owner of the manuscript it shall be provided that he shall pay the compensation to the publisher for the publica- tion and putting in book form the manuscript togethei' with the cost and expense of copyrighting the same; and provided, further, that in all cases, bids or proposals shall be accompanied with the cash deposit of from live hundred to twenty-five hundred dollars as the commis- sion may direct, and as previously provided in this act. And it is furthei' expressly provided that any person, firm or C(!rporation now doing business, or proposing to do business in the State of Alabama shall have the right to bid for the contract to be awarded under this act in the manner as follows : In response to the advertisement when made as hereinbefore provided, said person, firm or corporation may submit in writing bid or bids to edit rr have edited, publish and supply for use in the public schools in this State, any book or books herein provided for, provided that instead of filing with said bid or pro- posal a sample or specimen copy of each book proposed to be furnished, he may exhibit to the commission a man- uscript or printed form the matter proposed to be incor- porated in the book, together with such a description and illustration of the form and style thereof, as would be fully intelligible and satisfactory to said commission, 01' they may submit a book or books, the equal of which in every way they propose to furnish, and they shall ac- 89 company their bid or proposal witli the cash deposit and execute contract and bond as hereinbefore provided. Section 8. — That as soon as said commission shall have entered into a contract or contracts for the furnishing or supplying of books for use in the public schools in this State, it shall be the duty of the Governor to issue his ])roclamation announcing such facts to the people of the State. Section 9. — That the party or parties, with whom the contract shall be made shall place their books on sale at not less than three places in each county of the State for the distribution of the books to the patrons and the con- tractor shall be permitted to make arrangements A^ith a merchant or other person for the handling and dist] i- bution of the books. All books shall be sold to the con- sumer at the retail contract price and in each book shall be j)rinted the following: (The price fixed herein, is fixed tiy State Contract and any deviation therefrom shall be reported to your County Superintendent of Ed- ucation or the State Superintendent at Montgomery). And it is expressly provided that should any party con- tracting to furnish books as provided for in this act, fail to furnish them, or otherwise breach his contract, in ad- dition to the right of the State to sue on the bond here- inabove required, the County Superintendent of any county may sue in the name of the State of Alabama in any court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which he resides for the use and benefit of the school fund of the county, provided, that the right of action of tlie County Superintendent shall be limited to breaches of the contract committed in the county of his residence. and provided further, that in all cases under this act ser- vice of process may be had and deemed sufficient on any agent of the contractor in this State. Section 10. — That said commission shall from time to time make any necessary regulations to secure the prompt distribution of the books herein provided for, and the prompt and faithful execution of all contracts and it is expressly now provided that said commission shall main- tain its organization for five years, and at the end of said period of five years, the Governor shall name a sim- 40 ilar ('ommission with like powers and a like term as the first named commission. Section 11. — That as soon as practicable after the adop- tion provided for in this act, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a circular letter to each County Superintendent of Education and each teacher in the State, and to others as he may desire to send it, which letter shall contain the list of books adopted, the prices, location of agencies, the manner of distribution, and such other information as he may deem necessary. Section 12. — That as soon as the existing contract for books expires the books adopted as a uniform system of text books for the next five years shall be introduced and used as text books to the exclusion of all others in all the public free schools in this State, provided that noth- ing herein shall be construed to prevent the use of sup- plementary books, but such books shall not be used to the exclusion of the books prescribed or adopted un be paid out of the funds appropriated by section seventeiMi of this act and they shall each make and swear to a state- ment of tlie number of miles traveled and the numlier of days actually engaged. Section 19. — That the said commission is authorized to appoint a clerk who shall have three dollars per diem during the time he is actually engaged and the same mile- age as is allowed the members of the commission. Section 20. — That the adoption made as provided for in this act shall continue for five years from the expira- tion of the existing contract, unless changed earlier as provided for in section fourteen of this act. Section 21.— That in case of the failure of any con- tractor to furnish the books as provided in this contract, then his bond shall be declared forfeited, and the State School Book Commission is authorized and empowei'ed to make such other contract for the unexpired term with any person to provide such books as they may deem ad- visable for the best interests of the State. 42 Section 22. — That all laws and parts of laws in con- flict with this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. ApproA'ed, August 15, 1907. SECTIONS OF MUNICIPAL CODE LAAV PERTAIN- ING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CITIES AND TOWNS. Section 1G8. — Cities and tow^ns shall have power to es- tablish, maintain and regulate public schools, in which children from seven to twenty-one years of age, bona tide residents of and living within the corporate limits of such city or town, shall be entitled to admission ; and non-r'^s- idents shall be admitted on such terms as the board of education may prescribe, and separate schools shall be provided for children of African descent. Section 169. — In cities having a population of six thousand or more, the management and control of the public scliools therein shall be vested in a board of edu- cation, which shall l)e composed of five members, who shall serve without compensation, and shall be qualified electors and residents of the respective cities and wlio shall not be members of the city council. At the first regular meeting of the council in April, or as soon there- after as may be practicable, at any regular meeting, the council shall elect the members of the Board of Educa- tion, whose terms of office respectively shall be one, two, three, four and five years. Annually thereafter at the first regular meeting in April, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, at a regular meeting, the council shall elect a member, whose term of office shall be ii\e years, to succeed the member of the Board of Education wliose term expires that year. In the event of a vacancy in the membership of the board, by resignation or other- wise, the fact shall be reported to the city council by the board, and the council shall elect a person to fill such vacancy for the unexpired term. Section 170. — At its first regular meeting in May, af- ter the election of said board, or as soon thereafter as 43 practicable, and annually thereafter, the board shall elect from its membership a president and vice-president. It shall also elect a clerk, Avho need not be a member of the board, and may fix his compensation. The vice-pres- ident shall perform the duties of the president only \vhen the president may be absent from the city or unable to perform his duties. The board may fill any vacancy oc- curring, from any cause, in any of the offices mentioned in this section. Section 171. — All property, real and personal, and mixed, now held or hereafter acquired for school pur- poses, shall be held in trust for the use of the public schools of the city or town, and no sale or purchase of real estate shall be made by any officer other than the city council, of such city or town. The Board of Edu- cation shall have full and exclusive power, within the limits of the revenue appropriated for such purposes or accruing to the use of the public schools to purchase fix- tures, furniture, apparatus, libraries, fuel and supplies for the use of the schools, and to sell the same, and to make expenditures for the maintenance and repair of the school ground , buildings and other property, to es- tablish and build new schools, when sites have been pro- vided by the city council, and to superintend the erection thereof, to make additions, alterations, and repairs to the buildings and other property devoted to school uses, and to make necessary and proper regulations, contrat ts and agreements in relation to such matters. All such contracts shall inure to the benefit of the public schools, and any suit at law or in equity, brought upon them, and for the recovery and protection of money and property belonging to and used by the public schools, or for dam- ages, shall be brought by and in the name of the city. Section 172. — Each year the Board of Education shall make an estimate in detail of the amount of money re- quired for the proper support and maintenance of the public schools during the next ensuing scholastic year, which shall be submitted to the city council, and it shall be the duty of the city council to make annual appropria- tions for the support and maintenance of the schools that it may deem rfecessary and proper in view of all other 44 needs of the government of the city and of the expected revenues from taxes and otherwise. Money so aj^pro- I>riated and all money received from the school fund of the State, poll taxes, the sale of school property, the sale of bonds for school purjjoses and from any other source whatever for school purposes shall be held by the treas- urer of the city as a special fund or funds for school pur- poses, and it shall be paid out by him on warrants drawn by the clerk of the board and countersigned by the pres- ident, or vice-president when acting as president of the Board of Education, and by the clerk of the city, and not otherwise, and no warrant shall be drawn unless in pur- suance of a resolution of the Board of Education ent<:M-ed upon its minutes. Section 173. — The Board of Education shall have full control of the public schools of the city or town. It shall have power to establish schools, to discontinue any school, to consolidate schools, to prescribe courses of study and books to be used, not in conflict with the general law in reference to text books, to divide the city into school div- isions as circumstances may require, to employ teachers and a Superintendent of Schools and necessary employes and to fix their salaries and wages, to establish and main- tain high schools and prescribe rules for the expulsion of pupils, to expel any pupil guilty of gross disol)edi*'nce or Avillful misconduct, to dismiss any Superintendent, teacher or employe, when, in its opinion, the interests of the school require it, and generally to have and exeicise all rights, powers and authority required for the manage- ment of a system of public schools. It shall be the duty of the Board of Education to examine, or cause to be ex- amined, all persons, at times and places fixed by it, offer- ing as candidates for teacher's places, and when found qualified to give them certificates of qualification gra- tuitously, to grant diplomas, without charge to graduntes of the high schools, to visit all schools as often as once a month, to establish and uniformly enforce proper rules and regulations, to inquire into the performance of their duties by the teachers and Superintendent, and into the progress of the pupils, and to i)i'epare and submit to the city council an annual report showing the operation of 45 the schools for the past scholastic year, and suggesting their needs for the future. Section 174. — It shall be the duty of the Board of Ed- ucation to elect a Superintendent of Schools, fix his term of office and salary, and prescribe his powers and duties. The Superintendent shall be required to give bond for the faithful performance of his duties, which shall be payable to said city, in a sum to be fixed by the board, not less than three thousand dollars, with surety or sure- ties to be approved by the president of the board, the bond to be filed with the clerk of the city or town. The Super- intendent may be elected clerk of the Board of Educa- tion, and if so elected his bond shall stand as security for the faithful performance of his duties as clerk of the Board of Education, as well as Superintendent, however conditioned. It shall be the duty of the clerk of the Board of Education to keep full and correct detail account of all money received and expended. The Superintendent shall attend to the taking of the school census, which shall be taken in the months of April of each odd year, and it shall be his duty to make complete and accurate reports of the same to the Superintendent of Education of the State. Section 175. — Towns having a population of more than one thousand and cities having a xDopulation of less than six thousand shall- have a Board of Education to consist of five members, which shall be elected by the council at its first meeting in April, 1909, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, and every two years thereafter. The members of said board shall be qualified electors aud shall serve without compensation. As soon after the election as practicable, said board shall organize by elect- ing one of their number president, and shall also elect one of their number secretary of said board. And said board shall have all the powers and be vested with all the authority in relation to public schools as Boards of Ed- ucation in cities of six thousand or more population. In towns of one thousand population or less the manage- ment and control of the public schools therein shall be vested in a Board of Education to consist of five mem- bers, who shall have all the powers and be vested vvith 46 all the authority in relation to such public schools a'=: Boards of Education in cites. Said Board of Education shall be elected by the qualified electors of the town at the first regular municipal election held under the pro- visions of this act, and bi-ennially thereafter. Section 176. — Each incorporated city or town, as a special school district, or embraced therein, shall receive its proportionate share of the public school revenue to be paid over by the State Superintendent of Education direct to the City Superintendent of Schools and by him paid over to the treasurer. Section 177. — The provisions of this act, relative to public school systems, shall not apply to cities and towns in counties, now having by law, a combined city and county school system operated under a single Board of Education, or where the members of the board hoir? office for life. That where, by any provision of law, any certain or definite percentage of the revenue of any city or town from licenses or taxes, either or both, is required to be used for the maintenance of its public schools, then such provisions shall be unaffected by this act and shall be and remain in full force and effect. Section 178. — Cities and towns shall have the right to establish and maintain or aid in establishing and main- taining public libraries, either separately or in connec- tion with the public schools. '09