[Acts 1919, p. 801. Law without the signature of the Governor.] 6477. School trustees in cities or towns, election, terms.-1. The common council of each city and the board of trustees of each incorporated town of this state shall at a regular meeting of such common council or board of trustees, after the incorporation of such city or town elect three (3) school trustees one of whom may be a woman, who shall hold their offices one (1), two (2) and three (3) years, respectively, from and after the first day of the next succeeding August, and not more than two (2) of whom shall be adherents of the same political party. The term of each of said trustees shall be determined by lot at the time of such election by such common council or board of trustees, and annually thereafter the common councils of each city and the board of trustees of each incorporated town, at their regular meetings in the month of June, shall elect one (1) school trustee, who shall hold his office for three (3) years from the first day of the next succeeding August. Such trustees shall constitute the school board of the city or town, and before entering upon the duties of their offices they shall take an oath faithfully to discharge the duties of the same. They shall meet within five (5) days after the first day of August of each year and organize by electing one (1) of

their number president, one (1) secretary and one (1) treasurer. The treasurer before entering upon the duties of his office shall execute a bond to the acceptance of the county auditor in a sum equal to the amount of money which may come into his hands at any one time during the year by virtue of his office. Provided, That in case of a newly incorporated city or town such trustees shall meet within five (5) days of their election and organize by electing the officers and giving the bonds as herein provided, which officers and bonds shall be continued until the first day of August next succeeding such organization. All vacancies that may occur in said board of school trustees shall be filled by the common council or board of trustees of the town, but such election to fill a vacancy shall only be for the unexpired term. The board of school trustees shall within five (5) days after the first day of August of each year reorganize their boards and the treasurer thereof shall execute a bond for the ensuing year. Said trustees shall receive for their services such compensation as the common council of the city or the board of trustees of the town may deem just, which compensation shall be paid from the special school revenue of the city or town.

This section amends section 6477 Supplement of 1918, being section 1, Acts 1915, p. 73.

[Acts 1921, p. 868. In force May 31, 1921.]

6478. Cities over 58,000 excepted.-2. The provisions of this act shall not apply to cities of over fifty-eight thousand inhabitants, according to the last preceding United States census.

This section amends section 6478 Revision of 1914.

[Acts 1919, p. 818. In force May 15, 1919.]

6479a. Abandonment of schools in towns.-1. Any incorporated town in the state, that has a school indebtedness, the population of which town does not exceed two thousand as shown by the last preceding general census, may, through its town board of trustees, abandon and discontinue its management and control of public schools within such incorporated town, and abolish the board of school trustees therein, upon an agreement with the township trustee of the township in which such town is located to take over the school property of such town, in terms as in this act provided.

6479b. Township may purchase building and equipment.-2. Whenever any school town in any township desiring to abandon and discontinue its management and control of public schools within such incorporated town is indebted in any amount when such abandonment and discontinuance is proposed, or whenever the corresponding civil town or whenever both such corporations are so indebted for school purposes it shall be lawful for the township to purchase the school

building, buildings and equipment at a valuation which shall be fixed by the county superintendent, auditor and assessor, at an amount not exceeding such indebtedness; Provided, Such indebtedness does not exceed one per cent of the combined assessed valuation of the township and town, and in case of such purchase such township shall assume such indebtedness of such school and civil town and such school trustees of said town shall make out and deliver to such township trustee a record of such indebtedness, and the page of the record where recorded, the date of the bonds or other evidence of indebtedness assumed, the denominations thereof, the rate of interest they bear, when the same become due and where payable and when and where the interest thereon is payable, and transfer such building, buildings and equipment to the township, by making and causing to be made a good and sufficient deed, conveying all real estate belonging to such school town to the township in which such incorporated town is located, and shall transfer all the personal property and fixtures belonging to such school town to such township, all of which shall be accepted and held by such township trustee for the use and purpose of the school township wherein such property is located.

6479c. Control of township trustee.-3. After the requirements set forth in the preceding section are complied with, the township trustee shall have the full and complete control of all the schools within such town, and shall conduct the same as provided by law for the other schools of such township.

[Acts 1915, p. 199. In force April 26, 1915.]

6480. Towns abandoning schools.-1. That any incorporated town in the state, that has no school indebtedness, the inhabitants of which do not exceed two thousand (2000) as shown by the last preceding general census, may, through its town board of trustees, abandon and discontinue its management and control of public schools within such incorporated town, and abolish the board of school trustees therein. Whenever a town so discontinuing its board of school trustees shall desire to again take control of its school affairs the town board may on petition signed by a majority of the resident freeholders, pass an ordinance to that effect and appoint a board of school trustees: Provided, That whenever a town passes such ordinance to again take control of its school affairs as herein above provided, it shall be the duty of the county assessor, county auditor and county superintendent of schools, to act as an appraising board to determine what if any equitable right the township has in the school property thus taken over and to determine the extent to which such town is indebted to the township, and the board of town trustees shall pay

over to the township such amount as has been so determined; before said town shall be permitted to take over the schools: Provided, further, That such school property shall not be appraised and taken over by the town as above provided unless a majority of the resident freeholders in the township residing outside of said town, consent to such transfer: Provided, further, That no town board shall dissolve the school corporation except by consent of a majority of the freeholders therein.

This act amends section 6480 of the Revised Statutes of 1914.

[Acts 1917, p. 61. Law without signature of Governor.] 6482a. Consolidation of town and township schools.—1. That whenever the board of school trustees having charge of the schools of any town or towns, and the township trustee of the township in which such town or towns is located, shall agree by joint resolution to consolidate the schools of such town or towns and the schools of the township, or a part of the schools of such township, such schools shall be consolidated if at an election called as provided in this act a majority of the voters of the town or towns and the township shall favor such consolidation. When there are two (2) towns in a township each convenient to a part of the township, but neither of which is convenient to the whole township, a part of the territory of the township may be joined to each. The division shall be determined by the township trustee if the people approve the same at the election as herein provided.

6482b. Joint resolution, special election, expenses.-2. Whenever the school board and township trustee as aforesaid shall determine by joint resolution to consolidate the schools of the town or towns and the township, they shall provide for an election and shall give notice of the time and place of such an election which shall be not less than thirty (30) days from the time of such notice; the board or boards and trustee acting jointly shall designate the voting places and appoint the necessary officials in charge of such election; each elector of the town or towns or township shall be entitled to vote at such election; the results of the ballots shall be certified by the officers in charge of the election to the board or boards and to the township trustee; the expense of such election shall be borne equally from the funds of the town or towns and the township, and the same shall be paid as other expenses of the town or towns or townships are paid.

6482c. Majority required, management.-3. If a majority of the voters in the township and a majority of the voters in the town or towns favor such consolidation then the schools shall be consolidated, and shall be managed by a board consisting of the trustee of the

township and the secretary of the school board of the town or towns. In case of a tie vote concerning any matter of management of such consolidated school district by this board the county superintendent of schools shall arbitrate the question and his vote shall be final. The township trustee as a member of the board of trustees of such consolidated school shall be the secretary and the treasurer of the board and shall keep the records of the office, and disburse the funds upon order of such board.

6482d. Cost apportioned, transportation of pupils, new building.— 4. The cost of maintaining the consolidated school shall be apportioned between the town or towns and the township in proportion to the number of pupils of school age enumerated in each corporation. Taxes to meet such cost shall be levied and collected in the town or towns and the township in the same manner as other taxes are levied and collected. The township trustee may arrange for the transportation of pupils living more than one (1) mile from the school. Whenever any new building or buildings shall be necessary for such consolidated school, the board shall build such building or buildings or make such repairs on old ones as they may deem necessary, and purchase the necessary site, and the cost thereof shall be apportioned between the town or towns and the township on an equal basis, each corporation paying one-half (12) the cost thereof.

Whenever any

6482e. Payment of previous indebtedness.-5. school town in any township is indebted in any amount when such consolidation is proposed, it shall be lawful for the township to purchase the school building, buildings or equipment or such part thereof as shall upon approval by the county superintendent, auditor and assessor, be equivalent to a value not exceeding the indebtedness thereof and the school town shall pay off such indebtedness from the amount paid by the township and transfer such building, buildings, equipment or part thereof to the township.

[Acts 1919, p. 828. Law without the signature of the Governor.] 6482f. Towns not over 2,000 may assume debts of school town.1. The trustees of any incorporated town, the inhabitants of which do not exceed two thousand (2,000), as shown by the last preceding United States census, may assume on behalf of such town any indebtedness of its corresponding school town, not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), for the purpose of placing the school property of such school town in a status to be transferred to the school township of the township in which such school town is located, as provided by law: Provided, Such assumption will relieve the school town of all indebtedness; and Provided, further, That the school township