stitute a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding $100 for the first offense and not exceeding $500 for a second or further offense. All fines collected are to be paid into the treasury of the park board. Such employees as the board may designate may exercise all the powers of police officers within and adjacent to the lands under the jurisdiction and control of the board. Before exercising such powers such employees must take oath, and give bond to the State, in such sum as the board prescribes, for the proper performance of their duties (ibid.).

Tax levy; bonds.-The board may in any year submit to the electors of the district the question of levying taxes for the use of the district. The resolution must declare the necessity of the tax levy, specify the purpose for which it is to be used, the annual rate proposed, and the number of consecutive years it is to be levied. A majority of the votes cast upon the question at the election is necessary to authorize. The rate submitted to the electors at any one time may not exceed one-tenth of 1 mill annually upon each dollar of valuation. When a tax levy has been authorized, the board may issue bonds in anticipation of the collection. Bonds may be issued only for the purpose of acquiring and improving lands. The amount of bonds outstanding at any one time may not exceed 1 percent of the total tax valuation in the district. (ibid.).

Revenue bonds.—The board may issue bonds for the purpose of acquiring and improving lands, and secure the payment of the bonds by pledge or deed of trust of all or any of its revenues and receipts resulting from rentals, concessions, licenses, and permits. The board may not pledge the credit or taxing power of the district for the payment of any such bonds, nor are any of such bonds to be an indebtedness of the district. The board may, in providing for the issuance of bonds, stipulate that if there be any default in the payment of principal or interest, any court having jurisdiction may appoint a receiver to administer the park district (ibid.).

TOWNSHIPS

PARKS; PARK DISTRICTS; BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS

Authority. The trustees of any township may purchase, appropriate, construct, enlarge, improve, rebuild, furnish, and equip a township park (pt. first, title XI, division II, ch. 2).

Petition. When any number of electors in a township, including all municipal corporations therein, equal to or exceeding one-tenth of the total vote cast in the township at the general or township election next preceding, file a petition with the township trustees for proceedings to organize a park district and to establish a free public park, they must certify that fact to the county court of common pleas, which court, or a judge thereof, must appoint a board of park commissioners for the township (ibid., division III, ch. 4).

Board of park commissioners.-The board of park commissioners is to consist of three suitable resident freeholders of the township, to serve for terms of 3 years (rotated). Vacancies are to be filled by the court by appointment for the unexpired term. Members are required to serve without compensation (ibid.).

Report as to site and cost.-The board must call to its assistance one or more skilled landscape architects, and, if desired, other expert advice, as to suitable places for the location of the park, and must make a report to the township trustees of its findings and recommendations, with an estimate of the cost of the land recommended for park purposes. Before filing its report it may take options and receive bids from owners of land for park purposes. Upon filing the report, the township trustees must give notice by posting and by newspaper publication that an election will be held at the next general or township election to determine whether a free public park be established and the estimated cost of the land recommended for that purpose. If a majority of the votes cast is against the proposition, the board of park commissioners must be abolished, and the township trustees must provide and pay all proper expenses by it so incurred (ibid.).

Powers and duties of park board.-When the majority of votes east is in favor of the proposition, the board may locate, establish, improve, and maintain a park within and without the township; and may accept a conveyance or purchase or appropriate suitable lands and materials for that purpose, within and without the township; must have careful surveys and plats made of the lands acquired, and establish permanent monuments on their boundaries. Such plats, when properly executed, must be admitted to and recorded in the office of the county recorder, and are admissible in evidence for the purpose of locating and ascertaining the true boundaries of the park (ibid.). Improvement; employees; regulations.-The board must devise plans for the improvement of the park and award all contracts therefor; may appoint a park guardian and all other necessary officers and employees, fix their compensation, and prescribe their duties; prohibit selling, giving away, or using as a beverage any intoxicating liquors therein; pass bylaws, rules, and regulations for the government thereof and to protect it from injury, and provide for their enforcement by fines and penalties (ibid.).

Condemnation. When the commissioners cannot procure lands or materials desired for park purposes by deed or gift, or purchase upon terms they regard reasonable, they may appropriate the same. Additional lands for enlarging and improving the park may be acquired by gift, purchase, or appropriation. When gravel or other material is desired for the construction, improvement, or repair of the roadway or other authorized improvement, they may appropriate and take it, and for this purpose may go outside the township limits (ibid.).

Sale of park lands. Whenever in its opinion the interests of the taxpayers in the park district so require, the board may submit the question of selling the whole or any part of any lands held by it. When any number of electors in a township, including all municipal corporations therein, equal to or exceeding one-tenth of the total vote cast at the last general election, file a petition with the board asking for a sale of the whole or any part of any lands, the board must submit the question to the electors of the township and municipal corporations therein at any general election, or at a special election called by the board for the purpose. Notice of the election must be given by posting and by publication. If a majority of the electors voting favor the sale, the board must sell and convey the land for the best price obtainable, and file with the township or municipal clerk an affidavit showing the same was sold, to whom, stating the amount received, and that it was sold for the best

price obtainable. Money derived from the sale may be expended by the park commissioners at their discretion for the purchase of other land for park purposes, or may be applied to the payment of any outstanding bonds provided for; and if not so expended, must be deposited in the fund by which the property was acquired, or in the general fund of the township, if still existent; otherwise it must be deposited with the treasurer of the municipality, to become a portion of its park fund (ibid.).

Tax levy; bonds. To defray the expenses of purchasing, appropriating, and improving lands for park purposes and maintaining them as a free public park, the park commissioners may annually levy a sufficient tax, not to exceed 1 mill on each dollar of valuation on all real and personal property, including property within any municipal corporation within the township limits. The question of increasing such limit may be submitted to and approved by a majority vote of the electors. For the purpose of raising money to pay for and improve the park, the commissioners may issue the bonds of the park district in any sum not in excess of the taxes authorized to be levied, to be denominated township park district bonds (ibid.).

Annual report.-The commissioners must make an annual report for the public, showing in detail all financial transactions of the board, which report must be audited by a committee of two competent accountants appointed by the court of common pleas. The auditing committee must report a summary of its findings to the court for its approval. When approved, the summary must be entered upon the records of the court. The auditing committee and the costs of records in the court must be paid by the park board (ibid.).

Trustees may improve parks.-The trustees of any township, having within its limits a public park, public square, or grounds devoted to public uses for park purposes, and which are not under the control of park commissioners, may control, care for, grade, and improve the same; plant or place therein and care for trees, shrubbery, and plants, and maintain lawns in good condition; construct and maintain fountains; lay out, construct, reconstruct, repair, and maintain suitable driveways and walks; provide and maintain suitable and sufficient lights; construct, reconstruct, repair, and maintain all necessary sewers, drains, and ditches; protect and preserve to public uses for park purposes all such property and improvements; and, to that end, adopt bylaws, rules, and regulations for the government and control of any such park, square, or grounds and the driveways and walks therein; protect them and the trees, shrubbery, plants, and improvements from misuse, injury, or destruction; and provide for the due enforcement of the rules and regulations by fines and penalties (ibid.).

Appropriations; tax levy.-In paying any expenses of park management and improvements, the township trustees may appropriate and use for such purposes any unappropriated funds in the township treasury. Should no such funds be available, or insufficient in amount to pay for the desired park management and improvements in any year, the trustees may levy a tax to pay for the same. Before any tax for such purposes may be levied which will amount to more than $2,000, the question of levying the additional tax must be submitted to and approved by a majority vote of the electors (ibid.).

Care and maintenance; tax.-In townships composed of islands, in one of which lands have been conveyed in trust for park purposes, and

a board of trustees provided for the control of the park, the township trustees may create a tax district of the island for the purpose of raising funds by taxation for the care and maintenance of the park, and annually levy a tax in the district of not to exceed 1 mill (ibid.).

Hunting, etc., near park. Whoever hunts, shoots, or kills game, or sells or gives away intoxicating liquors within one-half mile of a township park shall be fined not more than $100, or imprisoned at hard labor, or otherwise, not more than 60 days, or both. The board of township park commissioners may grant permission to kill game not desired within such limits (pt. fourth, title I, ch. 7).

CONSERVANCY DISTRICTS

PARKS, PARKWAYS, PLAYGROUNDS, ETC.

Construction; tax levy; fees.-The board of directors of a conservancy district may construct, improve, operate, maintain, and protect parks, parkways, forest preserves, bathing beaches, playgrounds and other recreational facilities upon the lands owned or controlled by the district, and may acquire property by purchase or appropriation, additional to that required for the purposes for which the district was incorporated, in order to provide for the protection, more adequate development, and fuller public use and enjoyment of the improvements and facilities. The board may impose and collect charges for the use of the properties, improvements, and facilities of the district for recreational purposes. In case the revenues derived are insufficient for the purposes herein described, the board, with court approval, may provide for the payment of obligations incurred by either or both of the following methods, as determined by the court: (1) the levy of taxes upon all the taxable property of the district, or (2) the levy of special assessments upon public corporations having lands within the district. If the first method is approved by the court, the board may levy in any year a tax not to exceed one-tenth of 1 mill on the taxable real and personal property of the district, and in anticipation of its collection may issue bonds and notes for the acquisition and construction of the authorized properties and improvements. In case the second method is approved by the court, the board of appraisers must appraise the benefits accruing to persons and public corporations containing lands within the district by reason of the acquisition and construction of the authorized properties and improvements, and appraise the damages and benefits to be conferred on each public corporation therefrom. After the appraisal of benefits has been approved by the court, and within the amount of benefits so determined, the board of directors may levy assessments on the public corporations benefited to pay the cost of the properties and improvements acquired and constructed. Bonds and notes may be issued in anticipation of the collection of the assessments. The board may also annually levy a maintenance assessment on such public corporations upon the basis of total appraisal benefits. Improvement, bond retirement, and maintenance funds must be established for recreational purposes which must be separate from the other funds of the district, and no transfers may be made thereto from such other funds (pt. second, title III, ch. 11).

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Use of school property as social centers. Upon the application of any responsible organization, or of a group of at least seven citizens, all school grounds and houses (as well as all other buildings under the supervision and control of the State, or buildings maintained by taxation under State laws) must be available for use as social centers for the entertainment and education of the people, including the adult and youthful population. Such occupation, however, should not seriously infringe upon the original and necessary uses of such properties. The public officials in charge of such buildings must prescribe such rules and regulations for their occupancy and use as will secure a fair, reasonable, and impartial use of the same. The organization or group of citizens applying for the use of the properties is responsible for any damage done over and above the ordinary wear, and must, if required, pay the expense incurred for janitor service, light, and heat. The board of education of any school district must, upon request and the payment of janitor fees, subject to such regulations as the board may adopt, permit the use of any schoolhouse and the grounds and other property under its control, when not in actual use for school purposes, for holding educational, civic, social, or recreational meetings and entertainments, and for such other purposes as may make for the welfare of the community (pt. second, title V, ch. 2).

Supervision of recreation.-Upon the nomination of the superintendent of any school district, the board of education may employ persons to supervise, organize, direct, and conduct social and recreational work in the school district. In cities employing a person to direct and supervise social and recreational work, such person may use the school buildings, grounds, and other public buildings and grounds for purposes indicated in the preceding paragraph (ibid.). Cooperation.-Boards of education may cooperate with officials having the custody and management of public parks, libraries, museums, and public buildings and grounds of whatever kind in providing for education, social, civic, and recreational activities in buildings and upon grounds in the custody and management of the latter (ibid.).

Tax levy for social center fund. The board of education of any school district or a municipality may levy annually upon the taxable property of the school district or municipality not to exceed two-tenths of a mill for a social center fund, to be used for social and recreational purposes (ibid.).

PRIVATE CORPORATIONS

PARK AND MEMORIAL ASSOCIATIONS

Acquisition of property.-Any incorporated association having for its purpose the preservation of public parks and memorial sites may acquire and hold in perpetuity for memorial purposes, for the free use and benefit of the public, any real estate which has been, or may be, the site or scene of any battle or active engagement in behalf of or in defense of the Government of the United States or of the State, or which has been used or set apart for the burial of American soldiers. The association may improve real estate held by it and prescribe reasonable regulations for its use by the public. Real estate may be