§ ar W I 37812 ^ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS BULLETIN OF THE BOARD, OF EDUCATION 1918, NUMBER 7 WHOLE NUMBER. 98 Educational Legislation ENACTED IN 1915, 1916. 1917. 1918 BOSTON WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS 32 DERNE STREET 191S Pc Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031801701 THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS BULLETIN OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 1918, NUMBER 7 WHOLE NUMBER, 98 Educational Legislation ENACTED IN 1915, 1916. 1917, 1918 BOSTON WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO.. STATE PRINTERS 32 DERNE STREET 1918 :9e Publication op this Dogitment appboved by the SuPEBvisoE or Administbation. EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION Enacted in 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918. Contents. This pamphlet contains legislation relating to public educa- tion enacted by the General Court during the sessions of 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918. Resolves appropriating money for specific purposes or to meet annual expenditures, and special acts re- lating to specific communities or institutions are omitted. The legislation is grouped as follows: — Faxt I. — Legislation relating to Powers and Duties of the Board of Education. 1915. PAGE 1. An Act to establish a department of university extension and to provide for correspondence courses of education (G. A., chapter 294), 8 1916. 2. Resolve directing the Board of Education to investigate the subject of special training for injured persons (Res., chapter 75), . . 9 3. Resolve providing for the maintenance and exhibition, by the Board of Education, of the educational exhibit shown at the Panama- Pacific International Exposition (Res., chapter 156), . . 10 4. Resolve establishing a special commission for the purpose of investi- gating the subject of agricultural education as conducted at the Massachusetts Agricultural College and the development of the agricultural resources of the Commonwealth (Res., chapter 106), 10 5. An Act to authorize the towns of Salisbury and Newbury to establish and maintain a union high school, with standards specified and approved by the Board of Education (S. A., chapter 265), 11 1917. 6. Resolve providing for an investigation by the Board of Education rela- tive to a State normal school in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth (Res., chapter 118), . . . . .12 7. Resolve directing the Board of Education and the director of the Massa- chusetts Bureau of Prisons to investigate the matter of estab- lishing schools in county jails and houses of correction (Res., chapter 59), ... 12 8. Resolve authorizing the Board of Education to maintain and display the educational exhibit shown at the Panama-Pacific Inter- national Exposition (Res., chapter 12), . . 12 PAGE 9. Resolve authorizing the Board of Education to convey to Tillie Fried- man certain land in the Brighton district of the city of Boston (Res., chapter 110), . . .... 13 1918. 10. An Act to provide for the training and instruction of disabled soldiers and sailors by the Commonwealth and the Federal government (G. A., chapter 230), . ■ . / ^^ 11. An Act to establish a division in the department of the Industrial Acci- dent Board for the training of cripples (G. A., chapter 231), 14 Part II. —Legislation (A) of General Import to the Public Schools, (B) relating to Vocational Education, and (C) to the Retirement of Teachers. A. Legislation op General Import to the Public Schools : — 1915. 1. Powers of cities and towns in respect to playgrounds and physical education (G. A., chapter 25), 16 2. Records of local boards of health on diseases declared by the State Department of Health to be dangerous to the public health (G. A., chapter 52), . . 17 3. Penalty for altering employment certificates (G. A., chapter 70), . 18 4. School attendance of minors (G. A., chapter 78), . 18 5. School attendance and the employment of minors (G. A., chapter 81), . . . . 19 6. Annual returns of school statistics (G. A., chapter 90), 20 7. Transfer cards for public school pupils changing their residences (G. A., chapter 94), ... . . 21 8. County of Hampden to erect buildings for a county training school (G. A., chapter 122), . 21 9. Admission to the bar of attorneys-at-law (G. A., chapter 249), 22 1916. 10. Authorizing certain military organizations of students to drill and parade with firearms (G. A., chapter 8), . 23 11. Relative to the misuse of the flag (G. A., chapter 36), . . .24 12. Employment of certain minors in summer season (G. A., chapter 66), 24 13. Exemption of certain illiterate married women from compulsory at- tendance at evening schools (G. A., chapter 82), . 25 14. Continuous registration of minors by attendance oflicers, on form of card prescribed by Board of Education (G. A., chapter 102), 25 15. Providing for the instruction of the adult blind at their homes (G. A., chapter 201), ... ... .28 1917. 16. Prohibiting inquiries as to the religious or political belief of appli- cants for positions in the public schools (G. A., chapter 84), 29 17. Establishing Arbor and Bird Day (G. A., chapter 74), . . 29 18. Training in the duties of citizenship (G. A., chapter 169), . 30 19. Degrees that may be granted by the Lowell Textile School (S. A., chapter 244) , ........ 30 A. Legislation op General Impobt to the Public Schools — concluded. 1918. PAGE 20. Reimbursement of small towns for salaries paid to superintendents of schools (G. A., chapter 109), 31 21. Uniform physicians' certificates of exemption from vaccination (G. A., chapter 117), . . 31 22. Powers of cities and towns in respect to playgrounds, physical edu- cation and social welfare (G. A., chapter 124), 32 23. Designating the mayflower as the floral emblem of the Common- wealth (G. A., chapter 181), . 33 24. Distribution of the Massachusetts School Fund (G. A., chapter 186), 33 25. Minimum salary for certain public school teachers (G. A., chapter 197), . . . . .34 26. High school education in towns of less than five hundred families and State aid therefor (G. A., chapter 198), . .35 27. Instruction in Spanish in the public high schools (G. A., chapter 200), 37 28. Transfer of the property of the New Bedford Textile School to the Commonwealth (G. A., chapter 246), ... .37 29. Transfer of the property of the Bradford Durfee Textile School of Fall River to the Commonwealth (G. A., chapter 248), 38 30. Transfer of the property of the Lowell Textile School to the Com- monwealth (G. A., chapter 274), 39 31. An Act to make certain substantive corrections in existing laws (G. A., chapter 257, to take effect Feb. 1, 1919), Section 168. Relative to the Board of Education, 40 Section 169. State aid to normal school pupils, 40 Section 170. Model and practice schools, 40 Section 171. Education of deaf pupils, . . 41 Section 172. Teachers' institutes and associations, 41 Section 173. Massachusetts School Fund, . . 41 Section 174. Public schools ; length of school year, subjects of study, . . ... 42 Section 175. High schools, . . . 42 Section 176. Location of schoolhouses, . . .43 Section 177. Schoolhouses, . . 43 Section 178. Union high schools, . . 43 Section 179. Evening schools, , 43 Section 180. Powers of school committees, . 44 Section 181. Filing of certificates issued by school committee to teachers, . 44 Section 182. Superintendency unions or districts, . 44 Section 183. Schools of agriculture and horticulture, 44 B. Legislation relating to Vocational Education: — 1915. 1. New buildings for the Independent Agricultural School of the county of Essex (G. A., chapter 247) .44 2. Establishment and maintenance of an independent agricultural school in the county of Norfolk (G. A., chapter 189), . . . 45 3. Independent vocational school in the county of Hampshire (G. A., chapter 225), . . . . .48 4. Establishment and maintenance of day and evening classes in prac- tical arts for women (G. A., chapter 266), .... 51 B. Legislation eeiating to Vocational Education — concluded. 1916. PAGE 5. Co-operative courses in public schools, and the employment of pupils in co-operating agencies (G. A., chapter 95), . . .52 6. Independent industrial shoemaking school in the city of Lynn (S. A., chapter 174), . 53 7. Cities authorized to maintain schools of agriculture and horticulture (G. A., chapter 185), .54 1917. 8. Acceptance of provisions of an act of Congress relative to the promo- tion of vocational education and providing for co-operation with the Federal government (G. A., chapter 215), . . 55 9. Relative to the independent agricultural school of Bristol County (G. A., chapter 247), .... 56 10. Reimbursement of cities and towns maintaining agricultural schools or furnishing agricultural instruction (G. A., chapter 61), . 67 11. Relative to the independent agricultural school in the county of Essex (G. A., chapter 176), .58 1918. 12. Extending State-aided vocational education during the period of the war (G. A., chapter 206), . . . .58 13. Establishing Smith's Agricultural School (3. A., chapter 151), . 59 14. Dissolving the corporation of the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- lege and to provide for the maintenance of the college by the Commonwealth (G. A., chapter 262), . 59 15. Providing for the appointment in certain counties of trustees for county aid to agriculture (G. A., chapter 273), . . 61 C. Legislation kelating to the Retirement of Teachers in the Public Schools and in the Training Schools under the Board op Education: — 1915. 1. Providing that members of the State retirement system who enter the service of the public schools shall have the full amount of their contributions, plus interest, transferred to the Teachers' Retire- ment Association (G. A., chapter 197), . . g2 2. Providing that members of the Teachers' Retirement Association who enter the service of the Commonwealth shall have the full amount of their contributions, plus interest, transferred to the State retirement system (G. A., chapter 198) 63 1916. 3. Retirement of teachers and other employees in training schools maintained under the direction of the Board of Education (G. A. chapter 54), . . 4. Refunds to members of the Teachers' Retirement Association who withdraw from the service of the public schools (G. A. chapter «°) 65 Legislation kelating to the Retirement of Teachers, etc. — concluded. page 5. Prohibiting the pledge, mortgage, sale, assignment or transfer of pensions granted by the Commonwealth or by any county, city ' or town (G. A., chapter 75), . . 66 6. Relative to services rendered by pensioners or annuitants to munici- palities and counties (G. A., chapter 88), 66 7. Relative to certain payments under the retirement system for public school teachers (G. A., chapter 238), . .66 8. Defining the words " regular interest " and determining the rate of interest (G. A., chapter 257), ... . . 67 9. Providing for an investigation by the Teachers' Retirement Board of the subject of a disability retirement allowance for public school teachers (Res., chapter 152), ..... 68 1917. 10. Providing for retirement by reason of physical or mental disability (G. A., chapter 233) 68 PART I. — LEGISLATION RELATING TO POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. 1915. Genebal Acts, Chapter 294. An Act to establish a Department of University Extension and to provide for Correspondence Courses of Education. Section 1. There is hereby established a department of university extension to be under the direction and control of the board of education. The head of said department shall be appointed by the board of education, with the approval of the governor and council, and his salary shall be fixed by the board with the approval of the governor and council. He may be removed at any time by the said board of education. Section 2. The said department of university extension is hereby authorized to co-operate with existing institutions of learning in the estab- lishment and conduct of university extension and correspondence courses; to supervise the administration of all extension and correspondence courses which are supported in whole or in part by state revenues; and also, where that is deemed advisable, to establish and conduct university extension and correspondence courses for the benefit of residents of Massachusetts: provided, that nothing in this act shall be construed as giving to the said department or to the board of education the control or direction of exten- sion and correspondence courses in agriculture or in subjects directly related thereto when these are administered under the direction of the Massachu- setts Agricultural College. The said department, subject to the approval of the board of education, may employ such agents, lecturers, instructors, assistants and clerks, for whole or part time, as may be necessary for proper compliance with the provisions of this act. With the approval of the governor and council and of the board of education, it may rent suitable offices for the conduct of its work. Section 3. The said department for the purposes of such university extension or correspondence courses, may, with the consent of the proper city or town officials or school committees, use the school buildings or other public buildings and grounds of any city or town within the com- monwealth, and may also use normal school buildings and grounds and with the consent of the boards or commission in charge of the same such other school buildings as are owned or controlled by the commonwealth. City and town officials and committees are hereby authorized to allow the use of buildings and grounds under their charge by the department of university extension for the purposes of university extension or corre- spondence courses, subject to the rules and regulations which such officials or committees may establish: jyrcwided, however, that such use shall not interfere or be inconsistent with the use of said buildings and grounds by the public schools of the city or town. The said department may also ar- range for the use of such other buildings, grounds, and facilities as may prove to be necessary for the conduct of its work, and may expend in rent therefor such sums as may from time to time be necessary. Section 4. The department of university extension is empowered to appoint a state advisory council and also local advisory councils on uni- versity extension and correspondence courses, the functions of which shall be defined by the rules and regulations of the board of education. Section 5. The board of education shall sftbmit to the general court, on or before the third Wednesday of January of each year, a detailed re- port of the doings and expenditures of the said department for the year closing on the first day of the previous July. Section 6. The said department is authorized to grant to students completing courses of instruction provided for under this act suitable cer- tificates as evidence of proficiency, in accordance with rules and regula- tions to be established by the board of education. Section 7. The department of university extension, for the purposes of complying with the prCSvisions of this act, may be allowed for the salary of its head, agents, lecturers, instructors, assistants, clerks and other serv- ice, and for travel and other necessary expenses of these officers, incurred in the performance of their official duties under this act, such sums as shall be appropriated annually by the general court, payable out of the treasury of the commonwealth. . Section 8. There may be expended under the direction of the board of education in carrying out the provisions of this act for the year nineteen hundred and fifteen, a sum not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars. Section 9. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 28, 1916. 1916. Resolves, Chaptek 75. Resolve directing the Board of Education to investigate the Subject of Special Training for Injured Persons. Resolved, That the board of education is hereby directed to ascertain, and to report to the next general court, on or before the second Tuesday of January, what facilities exist in this commonwealth and what provisions have been made to give special training and instruction to persons who have suffered the loss of sight, or loss of or injury to a limb, or other severe injury, and whose earning capacity has been destroyed or impaired thereby, for the purpose of re-establishing or increasing the ability of such persons to earn a livelihood, and also to investigate and report what provision has been made or opportunity furnished for the objects aforesaid in other 10 states and in foreign countries. The board shall include in its report a statement of its opinion as to the advisability of action on the part of the commonwealth to establish or extend means for training and instruction as aforesaid, and shall submit drafts of such legislation, if any, as the board may deem expedient in the premises. [Approved May 1, 1916. Resolves, Chapter 156. Resolve providrng: for the Maintenance and Exhibition by the Board of Education of the Educational Exhibit shown at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Resolved, That the educational exhibit shown by the conmionwealth at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition shall be delivered to the board of education, and the said board is hereby authorized to exhibit the same for educational purposes, at any place within the commonwealth, and may expend for the purpose of maintaining and showing the said exhibit diu-ing the present fiscal year a sum not exceeding six hundred dollars. [Approved June 1, 1916. Resolves, Chapter 106. Resolve providing for an Investigation by a Special Commission of Agri- culttiral Education at the Massachusetts Agricultural College and the Development of the Agricultural Resources of the Commonwealth. Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established, to be com- posed of the commission on economy and efficiency, the commissioner of education, and three persons to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, for .the purpose of investigating the subject of agricultural education as conducted at the Massachusetts Agri- cultural College and the development of the agricultural resources of the commonwealth. The commission shall investigate and report as to the advisability of further expenditures for new buildings, additional equipment, the purchase of land and other improvements at the Massachusetts Agricultural College- as to the present policy of the college, with a view to ascertaining whether the college is meeting in the fullest degree the needs of the commonwealth in respect to agricultural training; as to the use of state and federal ap- propriations and grants; as to the operation of the farm department- as to the educational and academic instruction, and as to the extension work. The commission shall ascertain to what extent teachers are engaged in activities other than college instruction; to what extent students are taught practical farming; to what extent the college, independently of other agencies, contributes toward farming and agricultural development - to what extent the lands, buildings and equipment may economically be utilized; and the relative cost per capita for the education of state and out-of-state students in the various courses of instruction, including com- parisons with other agricultural institutions. The commission shall dis- 11 tinguish the educational from the other activities of the college; shall estimate the cost of possible future development of the college, both for initial appropriations and for maintenance; shall consider the elimination of certain activities, and a revision of the courses of study in respect to the character of the studies, the amount of time devoted to them, and otherwise. The commission shall ascertain what retiu-n, if any, in respect to the agricultural activities of the people of the commonwealth, is made by graduate state-educated students, and what benefits, if any, might accrue to the welfare or development of agriculture in the commonwealth by a co-ordination of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, the state board of agriculture, the forestry department and the department of animal industry, or any of them, in order that certain obvious existing duplications and overlappings of activity may be eliminated and that the work of the said departments may be done more effectively and economically. The commission shall report what operations connected with agriculture, the expenses of which are paid by the state, can best be carried on at the college rather than under the direction of the board of agriculture, and what operations now carried on at the college can better be performed under the direction of the board of agriculture. The commission shall further report whether for the advancement of agriculture in Massachusetts it is advisable that the college be continued as at present organized. The commission shall give public hearings, and shall be allowed for necessary expenses such sums, not exceeding seventy-five hundred dollars, as may be approved by the governor and council. The commission shall report in print on or before the tenth day of January, nineteen hundred and seventeen, and shall include in its report drafts of any bills necessary to carry out its recommendations. [Approved May 19, 1916. Special Acts, Chapter 265. An Act to authorize the Towns of Salisbury and Newbury to establish and maintain a Union High School. Section 1. The towns of Salisbury and Newbury are hereby author- ' ized to establish and maintain at their joint expense a union high school, and to expend therefor such sums of money as may be necessary to equip and maintain the same. The control of such high school shall be vested in a joint committee consisting of the school committees of both towns, which shall determine the location of such school. Section 2. For the support of such high school each town shall re- ceive annually from the treasury of the commonwealth such sums as each would be entitled to receive under the provisions of section three of chapter forty-two of the Revised Laws, and chapter two hundred of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and acts in amendment thereof or in addi- tion thereto : provided, that the school shall be maintained in accordance with the standards specified and approved by the board of education. 12 Section 3. The annual cost of operation of such high school shall be determined by the joint school committees of the two towns. Section 4. This act shall take full effect upon its acceptance by the towns of Salisbury and Newbury at any town meeting called for the pur- pose. [Approved April 20, 1916. 1917. Resolves, Chapter 118. Resolve providing for an Investigation by the Board of Education relative to a State Normal School in the Southeastern Part of the Common- wealth. Resolved, That the board of education shall make an investigation as to the need of a state normal school in the southeastern district of Massa- chusetts, and if the board deems it advisable to establish the same, it shall cause to be prepared an estimate of the cost of construction, which shall be submitted to the nejct general court not later than the second Wednes- day in January. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this resolve, the said board is authorized to expend a sum not exceeding five hundred doUars. [Approved May 84, 1917. Resolves, Chapter 59. Resolve directing the Board of Education and the Director of the Massa- chusetts Bureau of Prisons to investigate the Matter of establishing Schools in County Jails and Houses of Correction. Resolved, That the board of education and the director of the Massa- chusetts bureau of priso&s, acting jointly, are hereby directed to investi- gate and determine what need there is and what facilities there are for giving mental, manual, physical, military and other instruction to all prisoners in the jails and houses of correction in the several counties. The board shall report its conclusions and recommendations to the general court, on or before January twenty-third, nineteen hundred and eighteen together with drafts of such legislation, if any, as it may deem expedient. For the purpose aforesaid, the board may expend a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars. [Approved April 23, 1917. Resolves, Chapter 12. Resolve authorizing the Board of Education to maintain and display the Educational Exhibit shown at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Resolved, That the board of education is hereby authorized to maintain and display the educational exhibit shown by the conunonwealth at the Panama-Pacific international exposition, at any place within the com- monwealth, and may expend for the purpose a sum not exceeding six hundred dollars. [Approved February 20, 1917. 13 Resolves, Chapter 110. Resolve authorizing the Board of Education to convey to Tillie Friedman Certain Land in the Brighton District of the City of Boston. liesolved, That the board of education, or a majority thereof, in. behalf of the conunonwealth, is hereby authorized to convey in fee to Tillie Fried- man so much of the land belonging to the commonwealth lying between Warren and Washington streets and Commonwealth avenue in that part of the city of Boston known as Brighton, and adjoining land of said Tillie Friedman, not exceeding ten thousand square feet, as the board may deem necessary to straighten and readjust the line of ownership between the commonwealth and the said Tillie Friedman. The conveyance shall be made upon consideration of a similar conveyance from the said TiUie Friedman to the commonwealth of an area equal to that conveyed by the commonwealth under authority of this resolve and upon such other terms and conditions, not involving any expense or obligation on the part of the commonwealth, as said board may determine. [Approved May 23, 1917. 1918. General Acts, Chapter 230. An Act to provide for the Training and Instruction of Disabled Soldiers and Sailors by the Commonwealth and the Federal Government. Section 1. For the purpose of fitting for employment in the industries of the commonwealth, and of making self-supporting and independent of charitable aid soldiers and sailors who have been or may become disabled or diseased in the present war service of the United States or of its allies, and who are residents of the commonwealth at the time of their discharge, or within one year thereafter, and continue to be residents while receiving the benefits of this act, the board of education is hereby directed to establish a division for their training and instruction. Section 2. Said division shall consist of a qualified executive head, appointed by the board of education, and an advisory board. The ad- visory board shall consist of the commissioner of education, who shall be chairman, the surgeon general, the commissioner of health, the director of the bureau of statistics, the director of mental diseases, the chairman of the industrial accident board, and the supervisor of administration, ex officiis, and nine other persons who shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, and shall serve without com- pensation. The director of the bureau of statistics shall be the executive secretary of the board. Section 3. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, is hereby authorized to transfer, either wholly or in part, to the board of education, for the use of said division, the use and custody of any state hospital, school or workshop, including its equipment and employees, or~ 14 any other suitable resources of the commonwealth, for a period not exceed- ing the duration of the present war and two years after its termination as defined by federal authority. Section 4. The board of education, acting through said division, is hereby empowered to make reasonable agreements for the use of available facilities for the purposes of this act, to provide such facilities where they are needed and to employ qualified persons to teach or supervise the soldiers and sailors seeking re-education or training under the provisions of this act. Section 5. The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, may lease to, or permit to be used by, the United States or any department, bureau or agency thereof, any state hospital, school, workshop and its premises and equipment, or any other suitable resources belonging to the commonwealth for the purpose of enabling the United States to carry on the re-education and rehabilitation in industry of any soldiers and sailors in the service of the United States or of its allies, and may assign to the United States or its agents any agreement or contract entered into by the board of education or by said division for carrying out the purposes of this act, upon such terms and conditions as will fully protect the common- wealth against expense. Section 6. To carry out the provisions of this act, there may be ex- pended from the treasury of the commonwealth such amounts as shall annually be appropriated by the general court, but, during the present fiscal year, not more than ten thousand dollars. Section 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Apprmed May 28, 1918. Genehal Acts, Chapter 231. An Act to establish a Division in the Department of the Industrial Acci- dent Board for the Training of Cripples. Section 1. There is hereby established, under the direction and con- trol of the industrial accident board, a division for the training and in- struction of persons whose capacity to earn a living has in any way been destroyed or impaired through industrial accident: provided, that at the time of the accident which incapacitated them they were residents of the commonwealth. The said board shall in its annual report to the general court describe in detail the work of the division, and may from time to time issue bulletins containing information relative thereto. Section 2. The head of the said division shall be appointed and his salary determined by the industrial accident board, subject to the approval of the governor and council, and he may be removed by the said board. The division shall be furnished with suitable quarters in the state house and may expend for salaries and other necessary expenses such amount as shall annually be appropriated therefor by the general court. Section 3. The said division shall aid persons who are incapacitated as described in section one in obtaining such education, training and em- 15 ployment as will tend to restore their capacity to earn a livelihood. The division may co-operate with the United States government, and in co- operation with the board of education may establish or maintain, or assist in establishing or maintaining, in schools or institutions supported wholly or in part by the commonwealth such courses as it may deem expedient, and otherwise may act ia such manner as it may deem necessary to ac- complish the purposes of this act. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 28, 1918. 16 PART II. -LEGISLATION (A) OF GENERAL IMPORT TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, (B) RELATING TO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, AND (C) TO THE RE- TIREMENT OF TEACHERS. A. Legislation of General Import to the Public Schools. 1915. General Acts, Chapter 25. An Act relative to the Powers of Cities and Towns in Respect to Play- grounds and Physical Education. Section 1. Section nineteen of chapter twenty-eight of the Revised Laws, as amended by section one of chapter five hundred and eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "city", in the sixth line, the words: — or town, — by inserting after the word "education", in the eighth line, the words: — and may construct and maintain buUdings therefor on any public play- ground owned by the city or town in fee or on any other land suitable for the purpose owned by the city or town in fee, and such a building may also be used for town meetings, and, subject to the conditions and terms pre- scribed by the board controlling the building, may be used for such other public or social or educational purposes as the board may deem wise: provided, however, that such other public, social or educational uses shall not interfere with its regular use as a gymnasimn, by striking out the words "this purpose", in. the said eighth line, and by inserting in place thereof the words: — these purposes, and by inserting after the word "them", in the seventeenth line, the words: ■ — or any one or more mem- bers of all or any two of these boards, — so as to read as follows: — Sec- tion 19. Any city or town may acquire land within the municipal limits, in fee or otherwise, by gift, purchase, or by the right of eminent domain, or may lease the same, and prepare, equip and maintain it, or any other land belonging to the city or town and suitable for the purpose, as a public playground; and may conduct and promote thereon play, sport and phys- ical education, and may construct and maintain buildings therefor on any public playground owned by the city or town in fee or on any other land suitable for the purpose owned by the city or town in fee, and such a build- ing may also be used for town meetings, and, subject to the conditions 17 and terms prescribed by the boaxd controlling the buUdiag, may be used for such other public or social or educational purposes as the board may deem wise: provided, however, that such other pubhc, social or educa- tional uses shall not interfere with its regular use as a gymnasium; and for these purposes may appropriate money and may employ such teachers, supervisors and other officials as it deems best, and may determine their compensation. Except ia the city of Boston and except as to making ap- propriations, the above powers shall be exercised by the board of park commissioners, or by the school committee or by a playground corranission appointed by the mayor or the selectmen, or may be distributed between the board of park commissioners, the school committee and such play- ground commission or any of them or any one or more members of all or any two of these boards accordingly as the city council or the town may decide. Until the city council or the town determines which of the above bodies shall exercise said powers they shall remain in the body now exer- cising them. Within sixty days after the taking of land, under the pro- visions of this section, the body taking the land shall file and cause to be recorded in the registry of deeds for the county or district in which the land lies a description thereof sufficiently accurate for identification and a statement of the purpose for which it was taken. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved February S5, 1916. General Acts, Chapteb 52. An Act relative to tha Records of Local Boards of Health on Diseases de- clared by the State Department of Health to be Dangerous to the Public Health. Section 1. Section fifty-one of chapter seventy-five of the Revised Laws is hereby amended by striking out the words "in blank books to be provided by the secretary of the commonwealth", in the first and second lines, and by inserting after the word "report ", in the sixth line, the words : — or other data required by the state department of health. Such record shall be kept in such manner or upon such forms as shall be prescribed by the said department, — so as to read as follows: — Section 61. The board of health shall keep a record of all reports received pursuant to the two preceding sections, which shall contain the name and location of all persons who are sick, their disease, the name of the person who reports the case and the date of such report or other data required by the state department of health. Such record shall be kept in such manner or upon such forms as shall be prescribed by the said department. Said board shall give immediate information to the school committee of all contagious diseases so reported to them. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved March 12, 1916. 18 General Acts, Chapter 70. An Act to provide a Penalty for altering Employment Certificates. Section sixty-one of chapter five hundred and foiirteen of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and nine, as amended by chapter two hundred and forty-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten and by section nineteen of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by adding at the end thereof the words : — Whoever, without authority, alters an employment certificate after the same is issued shall be punished by a fine of ten dollars, — so as to read as follows: — Sedion 61. Whoever employs a person under the age of sixteen years, and whoever procures or, having under his control a person under sixteen years of age, permits such person to be employed in violation of the provisions of sections fifty-six or fifty-seven of this act, shall for each offence be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than fifty dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days; and whoever continues to employ a person under sixteen years of age in violation of the provisions of either of said sections, after being notified thereof by a school attendance ofiicer or by an inspector appointed by the state board of labor and industries, shall for every day thereafter while such employment continues be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than two hundred dollars, or by im- prisonment for not more than sixty days; and whoever forges, or procures to be forged, or assists in forging a certificate of birth or other evidence of the age of such person, and whoever presents or assists in presenting a forged certificate or evidence of birth to the superintendent of schools or to a person authorized by law to issue certificates, for the purpose of fraudu- lently obtaining the employment certificate required by this act, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Whoever, being authorized to sign an employment certifi- cate, knowingly certifies to any materially false statement therein shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than two hundred dollars. Whoever, without authority, alters an employment certificate after the same is issued shall be punished by a fine of ten dollars. [Apprmed March 17, 1915. General Acts, Chapter 78. An Act relative to the School Attendance of Minors. Section four of chapter forty-four of the Revised Lavra, as amended by chapter three hundred and seventy-five of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, and by section two of chapter two hundred and sixty- eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and by section four of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by striking out the word "fifty", in the forty-second line and inserting in place thereof 19 the word: — seventy-five, and by striking out, after the word "schools," in the forty-fourth line the words "or, if the school committee of said city or town so desires, an amount equal to the average expense for each pupil of such school during the preceding year, for a period equal to the time during which the child so attends", — so that the third paragraph of the section will read as follows: — For the tuition in the public schools in any city or town of any child between the ages of five and fifteen years who shall be placed elsewhere than in his own home by the state board of charity, or by the trustees of the Massachusetts training schools, or kept under the control of either of said boards in such city or town, the commonwealth shall pay to said city or town, and for such tuition of any such child so placed by the trustees for children of the city of Boston, or so kept imder control of said trustees, the city of Boston from its appropriation for school purposes, shall pay to said city or town seventy-five cents for each week of five days, or major part thereof, of attendance of every such child in the public schools. [Ap- proved March 18, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 81. An Act relative to School Attendance and to the EmploTment of Minors. Section 1. Section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, by chapter three hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and by section one of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by striking out, in the thirtieth line, the word "five", and inserting in place thereof the word: — seven, — and by striking out the word "ten", in the 'same line, and inserting in place thereof the word: — fourteen, — so as to read as_ follows: — Section 1 . Every child between seven and fourteen years of age, every child under sixteen years of age who does not possess such ability to read, write and spell in the English language as is required for the completion of the fourth grade of the public schools of the city or town in which he resides, and every child under sixteen years of age who has not received an employ- ment certificate as provided in this act and is not engaged in some regular employment or business for at least six hours per day or has not the written permission of the superintendent of schools of the city or town in which he resides to engage in profitable employment at home, shall attend a public day school in said city or town or some other day school approved by the school committee, during the entire time the public schools are in session, subject to such exceptions as are provided for in sections four, five and six of this chapter and in section three of chapter forty-two of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter four hundred and thirty-three of the acts of the year nineteen himdred and two, and by chapter five hundred and thirty-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and 20 eleven; but such attendance shall not be required of a child whose physical or mental condition is such as to render attendance inexpedient or imprac- ticable, or who is being otherwise instructed in a manner approved m advance by the superintendent of schools or the school committee. The superintendent of schools, or teachers in so far as authorized by said superintendent or by the school committee, may excuse cases of necessary absence for other causes not exceeding seven day sessions or fourteen half-day sessions in any period of six months. For the purposes of this section, school committees shall approve a private school only when the instruction in all the studies required by law is in the English language, and when they are satisfied that such instruction equals in thoroughness and efficiency, and in the progress made therein, the instruction in the public schools in the same city or town; but they shall not refuse to ap- prove a private school on account of the religious teaching therein. Section 2. Said chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by section two of said chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by striking out the word "five", in the fourth line, and inserting in place thereof the word: — seven, — and by striking out the word "ten", in the same line, and inserting in place thereof the word: — fourteen, — so as to read as follows: — Section g. Every i)erson having under his control a child as described in section one shall cause him to attend school as therein • required, and, if he fails for seven day sessions or fourteen half-day sessions within any period of six months while such control obtains, to cause such child so to attend school, he shall, upon complaint by an attendance officer and conviction thereof, be punished by a fime of not more than twenty dollars, and no physical or mental condition which is capable of correction, or which renders the child a fit subject for special instruction at public charge in institutions other than public day schools, shall avail as defence under the provisions of this or the preceding section, unless it shall be made to appear that the defendant has employed all reasonable measures for the correction of the condition and the suitable instruction of the child. Whoever induces or attempts to induce a child to absent himself unlaw- fully from school, or employs or harbors a child while school is in session, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten nor more than fifty dollars. [Approved March 18, 1915. General Acts, Chaptek 90. An Act relative to Annual Returns of School Statistics. Section 1. Clause Third of section four of chapter forty-three of the Revised Laws, as amended by section three of chapter three hundred and sixty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve and by section one of chapter three hundred and fifty-six of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "year", in the last line of said clause, the words: — and in 21 Boston during the fiscal year instead of the school year, • — so that the said clause will read as follows: — Third. The amount of money raised by taxation by the town (or city), and expended during the fiscal year last preceding the date of the certificate for the support of the public schools, including the wages of teachers, the transportation of school children, fuel, the care of fires, schoolrooms and school premises, repairs, supervision, text-books and supplies, and school sundries or incidentals, but excluding alterations of school buildings, other than repairs, and con- struction of schoolhouses and contributions for the support of public schools which may be received from the commonwealth or from other sources than local taxation, and also the total expenditures, classified, for the public schools during the school year, and in Boston during the fiscal year instead of the school year, last preceding the date of this certificate. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [A'p'proiued March 22, 1915. Geneeal Acts, Chapter 94. An Act relative to Transfer Cards for Public School Pupils changing their Residences. Section 1. When any child required by section one of chapter forty- four of the Revised Laws, as amended by section one of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, to attend school is being educated in any public or private school or in any institution in any city or town, and leaves such school or institu- tion because of change of residence to another city or town in the com- monwealth, the superintendent of schools, if the child attends a public school, and the person in charge, if the child attends a private school or is being educated in any institution, shall furnish to such child a transfer card giving the name of the child, his age, his grade in school, and in every case possible, the street and number of his new residence, and shall send without delay a similar transfer card to the superintendent of schools of the city or town in which the child is to reside. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved March 22, 1915. General Acts, Chapter 122. An Act to direct the County of Hampden to erect Buildings for a County Training School. Section 1. The county commissioners of the county of Hampden are hereby authorized and directed to erect in the coimty of Hampden suitable buildings for a Hampden county training school, and to equip and furnish the buildings suitably for the instruction and training of children com- mitted thereto as habitual truants or school offenders. Section 2. In order to meet the expense incurred under this act the county commissioners of the county of Hampden are hereby authorized to borrow from time to time upon the credit of the county a sum not ex- 22 ceeding one hundred thousand dollars, and to issue the bonds or notes of the county therefor. The bonds or notes shall be payable in such annual payments, beginning not more than one year after the date of each loan, as will extinguish each loan within twenty years from its date, and the amount of such annual payment of any loan in any year shall not be less than the amount of the principal of the loan payable in any subsequent year. Each authorized issue of bonds or notes shaU constitute a separate loan. The said bonds or notes shaU bear interest at a rate not exceeding five per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, and shall be signed by the treasurer of the county and countersigned by a majority of the county commissioners. The county may sell the said securities at public or pri- vate sale, upon such terms and conditions as the county commissioners may deem proper, but they shall not be sold for less than their par value, and the proceeds shall be used only for the purposes herein specified. Section 3. The county commissioners, at the time of authorizing the said loan, shaU provide for the payment thereof in accordance with the provisions of this act; and a sum sufficient to pay the interest as it accrues on the bonds or notes issued as aforesaid, and to pay the principal when it becomes due, shall be levied as a part of the county tax of the county of Hampden annually thereafter, in the same manner in which other county taxes are levied, imtil the debt incurred by said loan is extinguished. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved- March 30, 1915. Geneeal Acts, Chapter 249. An Act relative to Admission to the Bar of Attomeys-at-Law. Section 1. Section forty of chapter one hundred and sixty-five of the Revised Laws, as amended by section one of chapter three hundred and fifty-five of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and four and by section one of chapter six hundred and seventy of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by striking out the words "an applicant for admission to the bar shaU not be required to be a graduate of any high school, college or university", in the sixth, seventh and eighth lines, and inserting in place thereof the words : — any appK- cant for admission to the bar who is a graduate of a college or who has complied with the entrance requirements of a college, or who has fulfilled for two years the requirements of a day or evening high school or of a school of equal grade, shall not be required to take any examination as to his general education, — so as to read as follows: — Section 40. Said board' may, subject to the approval of the supreme judicial court, make rules with reference to examinations for admission to the bar and the qualifications of applicants therefor, and determine the time and place of aU such examinations, and conduct the same: provided, however that any applicant for admission to the bar who is a graduate of a college or who has complied with the entrance requirements of a college, or who has 1 Board of Bar Examiners. 23 fulfilled for two years the requirements of a day or evening high school or of a school of equal grade, shall not be required to take any examination as to his general education. From the fees received under the provisions of the following section the expenses of said board, as certified by its chairman and approved by a justice of the supreme judicial court, shall be paid, and from the remainder of said fees the members shall receive such compensation as the justices of the supreme judicial court or a ma- jority of them may allow. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 11, 1915. 1916. General Acts, Chapter 8. An Act to authorize Certain Military Organizations of Students to drill and parade with Firearms. Section 1. Chapter six hundred and four of the acts of the year nine- teen hundred and eight is hereby amended by striking out section one hundred and seventy and inserting in place thereof the following: — Sec- tion 170. No body of men, except the volunteer militia, the troops of the United States and the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston shall maintain an armory or associate together at any time as a company or organization, for drill or parade with firearms ; ' nor so drill or parade, nor shall any city or town raise or appropriate money toward arming, equipping, uniforming, supporting, or providing drill rooms qr armories for any such body of men: provided, that associations wholly composed of soldiers honorably discharged from the service of the United States may parade in public with arms, upon the reception of any regiments or companies of soldiers returning from said service, and for escort duty at the burial of deceased soldiers, with the written permission of the mayor and aldermen of the city or selectmen of the town in which they desire to parade; that students in educational institutions where military science is a prescribed part of the course of instruction, and, also students who are enrolled in a military organization approved by the secretary of war or navy of the United States and over which an officer of the United States army or navy or the Massachusetts volunteer militia has supervision, may, with the approval of the governor and under such conditions as he may prescribe, drill and parade with firearms in public, under the superintend- ence of their instructors; that foreign troops who have been admitted into the United States with the consent of the United States government may, with the approval of the governor, drill and parade with firearms in public, and that any body of men may, with the approval of the governor, drill and parade in public with any harmless imitation of firearms which has been approved by the adjutant general; that regularly organized posts of the grand army of the republic, and regularly organized camps of the legion of Spanish war veterans, or of the united Spanish war veterans. 24 may at any time parade in public their color guards of not more than twelve men, armed with firearms; that regularly organized camps of the sons of veterans may at any time parade in public their color guards of ten men with firearms; and that any organization heretofore authorized thereto by law may parade with sidearms; and that any veteran associa- tion composed wholly of past members of the militia of this commonwealth may maintain an armory for the use of the organizations of the militia to which its members belonged. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved February 18, 1916. General Acts, Chaptek 36. An Act relative to the Misuse of the Flag. The provisions of chapter five hundred and seventy of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, shall not apply to publications issued solely for the purpose of giving information in relation to the flag, or to publications issued solely for the purpose of promoting patriotism or en- couraging the study of American history; but no words, figures, designs or other marks of any kind shall be placed upon the flag or any representa- tion thereof. [Approved March 14, 1916. The following list of references to other legislation relating to the display, use or misuse of the national or State flags is given for the convenience of school authorities: — The flag of the Commonwealth, chapter 229, Acts of 1908, as amended by chapter 37, Acts of 1915. The observance of Flag Day, chapter 5, Resolves of 1911. The display of National and State flags on State buildings, chapter 60, Acts of 1909. The display of the United States flag on schoolhouses, chapter 232, Acts of 1911. Misuse of National or State flags, chapter 570, Acts of 1914. Misuse of foreign flags, chapter 197, Acts of 1912. Display of foreign flags or emblems on public buildings, chapter 206, Revised Laws, section 6. (A leaflet giving the full teit of the laws referred to above can be had on application to the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, State House, Boston.) General Acts, Chapter 66. An Act relative to the Employment of Certain Minors in the Summer Season. The second paragraph of section seventeen of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following: — provided 25 however, that children who are over fourteen but under sixteen years of age and who do not possess such ability to read, write and spell in the English language as is required for the completion of the fourth grade of the public schools of the city or town in which they reside, may be granted an employment certificate good for the summer vacation, subject to all other provisions relating to the employment of children between fourteen and sixteen years of age, — so that said second paragraph will read as follows : — No such school record shall be issued or accepted and no em- ployment certificate shall be granted unless the child possesses the educa- tional qualifications enumerated in section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws as amended by section one of this act: provided, however, that children who are over fourteen but under sixteen years of age and who do not possess such ability to read, write and spell in the English language as is required for the completion of the fourth grade of the public schools of the city or town in which they reside, may be granted an employment certificate good fpr the summer vacation, subject to aU other provisions relating to the employment of children between fourteen and sixteen years of age. [Approved March 22, 1916. Genebal Acts, Chapter 82. An Act to exempt Certain Illiterate ' Married Women from Compulsory Attendance at Evening Schools. Section 1. Section one of chapter four hundred and sixty-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by inserting after the word "age", in the second line, the words: — except married women, — so as to read as follows: — Section 1. Every illiterate minor between sixteen and twenty-one years of age, except married women, shall attend some public evening school in the city or town in which he resides for the whole time during which the public evening schools are in session: provided, that such city or town maintains a public evening school. Attendance at a public day school, or at a private school approved for the purpose by the school committee, shall exempt such minor from at- tending a public evening school. This act shall not affect any existing laws regarding the compulsory school attendance of illiterate minors or their emplojrment, but shall be in addition to such laws. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. {The foregoing was laid before the governor on the twenty -third day of March, 1916, and after jive days it had "the force of a law", as prescribed by the constitution, as it was not returned by him with his objections thereto within that time.) General Acts, Chapter' 102. An Act relative to Registration of Minors. Section 1. Section three of chapter forty-three of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter four hundred and forty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by striking 26 out the word "annually", in the second line, by striking out the words "on the first day of September, and such record shall be completed on or before the fifteenth day of November", in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth lines, and by adding at the end thereof, the words: — Attendance officers or the attendance department, under the direction of the school committee and superintendent of schools, shall have charge of the records required by this section, and shall be responsible for their completeness and accu- racy. A card, as prescribed by the board of education, shall be kept for every child whose name is recorded under the provisions of this section. Principals, teachers and supervisory officers shall co-operate with attend- ance officers in the discharge of their duties under this act. Attendance officers shall compare the names of persons enrolled in the public and private schools of each city or town with the names of persons recorded as required by this act, and examine carefully into all cases where persons of school age are not enrolled in, and attending some school, as required by section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, by chapter three hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and by section one of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen. The annual school committee report of each city and town shall contain a statement of the number of persons recorded as required by this act, classified by ages, together with a statement of the number attending public or private schools, and the number not attending school in any given year, as required by section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, by chapter three hundred and eighty- three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and by section one of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen. The supervisory officers of all private schools in the commonwealth shall, within thirty days after the enrollment or registration of any pupil of compulsory school age, report the name, age and residence of the pupil to the superintendent of schools of the city or town in which the pupil resides; and whenever the pupil withdraws from a private school, the supervisory officer thereof, shall, within ten days, notify the superintendent of schools of the city or town in which the pupil resides, — so as to read as follows: — Section 3. The school committee of each city and town shall ascertain and record the names, ages and such other information as may be required by the board of education, of all children between five and seven years of age, of all children between seven and fourteen years of age, of all children between fourteen and sixteen years of age, and of all minors over sixteen years of age who cannot read at sight and write legibly simple sentences in the English language, residing in its city or town. Whoever, having under his control a minor^over five years of age 27 withholds information sought by a school committee or its agents under the provisions of this section or makes a false statement relative thereto shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars. Attendance officers or the attendance department, under the direction of the school committee and superintendent of schools, shall have charge of the records required by this section, and shall be responsible for their completeness and accuracy. A card, as prescribed by the board of education, shall be kept for every child whose name is recorded under the provisions of this section. Principals, teachers and supervisory officers shall co-operate with attendance officers in the discharge of their duties under this act. Attendance officers shall compare the names of persons enrolled in the public and private schools of each city or town with the names of-persons recorded as required by this act, and examine carefully into all cases where persons of school age are not enrolled in, and attending some school, as required by section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, by chapter three hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and by section one of chapter seven hundred and ^eventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen. The annual school committee report of each city and town shall con- tain a statement of the number of persons recorded as required by this act, classified by ages, together with a statement of the number attending public or private schools, and the number not attending school in any given year, as required by section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and five, by chapter three hundred and eighty- three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and six, and by section one of chapter seven hundred and seventy-nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen. The supervisory officers of all private schools in the commonwealth shall, within thirty days after the enrollment or registration of any pupil of compulsory school age, report the name, age and residence of the pupil to the superintendent of schools of the city or town in which the pupil resides; and whenever the pupil withdraws from a private school, the supervisory officer thereof, shall, within ten days, notify the superintendent of schools of the city or towp in which the pupil resides. Section 2. Section four of chapter forty-three of the Revised Laws, as amended by section three of chapter three hundred and sixty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve, by chapter three hun- dred and fifty-six of the acts of the year nineteen himdred and thirteen, and by section two of chapter four hundred and forty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by striking out the words ''according to the school census taken", in the tenth line, and by striking out the word "September", in the eleventh line, and inserting in place thereof, the word : — April, — so as to read as 28 follows : — Section 4. The chairman of each school committee shall amiu- ally on or before the thirty-first day of July transmit to the commissioner of education a certificate filled out, signed and sworn to by him, contam- ing the following statements : — First. The number of persons between the ages of five and seven years, the number of persons between the ages of seven and fourteen years, and the number of persons between the ages of fourteen and sixteen years, residing in the town (or city), on the first day of April, last preceding the date of this certificate. Second. The number of persons in the average membership of the public schools of the town (or city), for the school year last preceding the date of the certificate, as determined by the rules of the state school register. Third. The amount of money raised by taxation by the town (or city), and expended during the fiscal year last preceding the date of the certifi- cate for the support of the public schools, including the wages of teachers, the transportation of school children, fuel, the care of fires, schoolrooms and school premises, repairs, supervision, text-books and supplies, and school sundries or incidentals, but excluding alterations of school build- ings, other than repairs, and construction of schoolhouses and contribu- tions for the support of public schools which may be received from the commonwealth or from other sources than local taxation, and also the total expenditures, classified, for the public schools during the school year last preceding the date of this certificate. Fourth. That the town (or city) has maintained during the school year last preceding the date of this certificate each of the schools, as required by section one of chapter forty-two of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter one hundred and eighty-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eight, and by chapter five hundred and twenty-four of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten, for a period of not less than thirty-two weeks, or twenty-eight weeks, if such reduction has been allowed under the provisions of the aforesaid section. Fifth. That the town (or city) has maintained, during the school year last preceding the date of this certificate, a high school, as required by section two of said chapter forty-two, for a period of months, days, as stated. The board of education is authorized and directed to prepare and fur- nish to school committees suitable forms of the certificate required by this section. [Approved April 4, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 201. An Act to provide for the Instruction of the Adult Blind at their Homes. Section 1. The Massachusetts commission for the blind may provide for the instruction of the adult blind at their homes. The commission may expend annually for this purpose not more than six thousand dollars 29 and shall include with, its other estimates of needed appropriations a de- tailed estimate of the proposed expenditures. Section 2. Chapter two hundred and ninety-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and two is hereby repealed. Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May IS, 1916. 1917. General Acts, Chapter 84. An Act to prohibit Inquiries as to the Religious or Political Belief of Applicants for Positions in the Public Schools. Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any public school committee or official to inquire concerning, or to require or solicit from an applicant for a position in the public schools any information as to, the religious belief, creed or practice, or as to the political opinions or affiliations of the appli- cant; and no appointment to such a position shall be made, withheld or in any manner affected by the said considerations. Section 2. Violation of the provisions of this act shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars for each offence. [Approved March 17, 1917. General Acts, Chapter 74. An Act to establish Arbor and Bird Day. Section 1. Chapter fifty-three of the Revised Laws is hereby amended by striking out section sixteen and inserting in place thereof the follow- ing: — Section 16. The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the last Saturday in April as Arbor and Bird Day, recom- mending its observance by the public in the planting of trees, shrubs and vines, particularly those attractive to birds, in the promoting of forest grounds, places and ways, and in such other efforts and undertakings as will harmonize with the general character of the day. He shall further recommend that the Friday preceding be observed in the rural and sub- urban schools of the commonwealth by exercises appropriate to Arbor and Bird Day. Section 2. The state board of agriculture may publish annually a leaflet relative to trees and birds which shall be approved by the com- missioner of education, and may distribute the same to the superintendents and teachers of the rural and suburban public schools of the commonwealth prior to Arbor and Bird Day. The expenses of such publication and dis- tribution shall be paid out of the annual appropriation for disseminating useful information in agriculture. Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved March 16, 1917. 30 General Acts, Chaptee 169. An Act to provide for Training in the Duties of Citizenship in the Public Schools. Section 1. Chapter forty-two of the Kevised Laws, as amended in section one by chapter one hundred and eighty-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eight, and by chapter five hundred and twenty-four of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten, is hereby further amended by striking out said section one and inserting in place thereof the follow- ing: — Section 1 . Every city and town shall maintain, for at least thirty- two weeks in each year, a sufficient number of schools for the instruction of all the children who may legally attend a public school thereia, except that in towns whose assessed valuation is less than two hundred thousand dollars, the required period may, with the consent of the board of education, be reduced to twenty-eight weeks. Such schools shall be taught by teach- ers of competent ability and good morals, and shall give instruction in orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geog- raphy, arithmetic, drawing, the history of the United States, training in the duties of citizenship, physiology and hygiene, and good behavior. In each of the subjects of physiology and hygiene,' special instruction as to the effects of alcoholic drinks and of stimulants and narcotics on the human system, and as to tuberculosis and its prevention, shall be taught as a regular branch of study to all pupils in all schools which are supported wholly or partly by public money, except schools which are maintained solely for instruction in particular branches. Bookkeepiag, algebra, ge- ometry, one or more foreign languages, the elements of the natural sciences, kindergarten training, manual training, agriculture, sewing, cooking, vocal music, physical training, civil government, ethics, thrift and such other subjects as the school committee consider expedient may be taught in the public schools. Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first day of August, nine- teen hundred and seventeen. [Approved April 11, 1917. Special Acts, Chapter 244. An Act relative to the Degrees that may be granted by the Lowell Textile School. Chapter sixty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve is hereby amended by striking out the word "Dyeing", in the third line, and inserting in place thereof the word: — Chemistry, — so as to read as follows: — The trustees of the Lowell textile school are hereby authorized to grant the degree of Bachelor of Textile Engineering and Bachelor of Textile Chemistry to pupils who have taken the four-year day course of the Lowell textile school in said departments and have passed the exami- nations required for graduation. [Approved April 3 1917. 31 1918. General Acts, Chapter 109. An Act relative to the Reimbursement of Small Towns for Salaries paid to Superintendents of Schools. Section 1. Chapter forty-two of the Revised Laws is hereby amended by striking out section forty-five and substituting the following: — Sec- tion 45. When the chairman and secretary of such joint committee certify to the auditor of the commonwealth under oath, that the towns unitedly have employed a superintendent of schools and have expended for his salary a sum not less than eighteen hundred dollars for the school year ending on the thirtieth day of June, a warrant shall, upon the approval of the board of education, be drawn upon the treasurer and receiver general for the payment of twelve hundred and fifty dollars, which shall be appor- tioned and distributed to the towns forming such union in proportion to the amounts appropriated and expended by them for the salary of the superintendent, and shall be expended for the support of the public schools. Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first day of July, nineteen hundred and eighteen, but payments by the commonwealth for the year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eighteen, shall be made in accordance with provisions of the law in effect at the time of the passage of this act. [Approved March 27, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 117. An Act to make Uniform Physicians' Certificates of Exemption from Vaccination. Section six of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and seventy-one of the acts of nineteen hundred and six, and by chapter two hundred and fifteen of the acts of nineteen hundred and seven, is hereby further amended by striking out the words "granted for cause stated therein, signed by a regular practising physician that he is not a fit subject for vaccination", in the fourth and fifth lines, and sub- stituting the following: — the same as the physician's certificate required by the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-nine of chapter seventy- five of the Revised Laws, as amended by section two of chapter one hun- dred and ninety and by section ten of chapter five hundred and forty- four of the acts of nineteen hundred and two, — so as to read as follows : — Section 6. A child who has not been vaccinated shall not be admitted to a public school except upon presentation of a certificate the same as the physician's certificate required by the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-nine of chapter seventy-five of the Revised Laws, as amended by section two of chapter one hundred and ninety and by section ten of chapter five hundred and forty-four of the acts of nineteen hundred and two. A child who is a member of a household in which a person is ill 32 with smallpox, diphtlieria, scarlet fever, measles, or any other infectious or contagious disease, or of a household exposed to such contagion from another household as aforesaid, shall not attend any public school durmg such illness until the teacher of the school has been furnished with a certificate from the board of health of the city or town or from the attend- ing physician of such person, stating that danger of conveying such disease by such child has passed. [Approved March S7, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 124. An Act relative to the Powers of Cities and Towns in Respect to Play- grounds, Physical Education and Social Welfare. Section 1. Section nineteen of chapter twenty-eight of the Revised Laws, as amended by section one of chapter five hundred and eight of the acts of nineteen hundred and ten and by section one of chapter twenty- five of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and fifteen, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "to", in the fifth line, the words: — or leased by, — by inserting after the word "thereon", in the seventh line, the words: — and in any building standing thereon, — by inserting after the word "building", in the thirteenth line, the words: — such build- ing or any building standing on land leased by the city or town, — and by inserting after the word "used" in the same line, the words: — by said board or any person or organization duly authorized by the board, — so as to read as follows: — Section 19. Any city or town may acquire land within the municipal limits, in fee or otherwise, by gift, purchase, or by the right of eminent domain, or may lease the same, and prepare, equip and maintain it, or any other land belonging to or leased by the city or town and suitable for the purpose, as a public playground; and may con- duct and promote thereon, and in any building standing thereon, play, sport and physical education, and may construct and maintain buildings therefor on any public playground owned by the city or town in fee or on any other land suitable for the purpose owned by the city or town in fee, and such a building may also be used for town meetings, and, subject to the conditions and terms prescribed by the board controlling the build- ing, such building or any building standing on land leased by the city or town may be used by said board or any person or organization duly authorized by the board for such other public or social or educational purposes as the board may deem wise : provided, however, that such other public, social or educational uses shall not interfere with its regular use as a gymnasium; and for these purposes may appropriate money and may employ such teachers, supervisors and other officials as it deems best, and may determine their compensation. Except in the city of Boston and except as to making appropriations, the above powers shall be exercised by the board of park commissioners, or by the school committee or by a playground commission appointed by the mayor or the selectmen, or may be distributed between the board of park commissioners, the school com- 33 mittee and such playground commission or any of them or any one or more members of all or any two of these boards accordingly as the city council or the town may decide. Until the city council or the town determines which of the above bodies shall exercise said powers they shall remain in the body now exercising them. Within sixty days after the taking of land, under the provisions of this section, the body taking the land shall file and cause to be recorded in the registry of deeds for the county or district in which the land lies a description thereof sufficiently accurate for identification and a statement of the purpose for which it was taken. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April S, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 181. An Act designating the Mayflower as the Floral Emblem of the Com- monwealth. Section 1. The mayflower (epegsea repens) is hereby designated the state flower or floral emblem of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 1, 1918. Gbneeal Acts, Chapter 186. An Act relative to the Distribution of the Massachusetts School Fund. Section 1. Chapter four hundred and fifty-six of the acts of nineteen hundred and three is hereby amended by striking out section one and substituting the following: — Section 1. The annual income of the Mas- sachusetts School Fund shall, without specific appropriation, be appor- tioned and distributed for the support of the public schools in the following manner: — Every town which complies with all laws relative to the dis- tribution of said income and whose valuation of real and personal prop- erty, as shown by the last preceding assessors' valuation thereof, exclusive of omitted assessments, as provided by section eighty-five of Part I of chapter four hundred and ninety of the acts of nineteen hundred and nine, as amended by chapter eighty-nine of the acts of nineteen hundred and eleven, does not exceed one half million dollars, shall annually receive five hundred dollars; but if its rate of taxation for any year shall be eighteen dollars or more on a thousand dollars it shall receive seventy-five dollars additional; every such town whose valuation is more than one half million dollars and does not exceed one million dollars shall receive three hundred dollars; and every such town whose valuation is more than one million dollars and does not exceed two million dollars shall receive one hundred and fifty dollars; and every town whose valuation is more than two million dollars and does not exceed two and one half million dollars shall receive seventy-five dollars. The remainder of said income shall be distributed to towns whose valuation does not exceed two and one half million dollars and whose annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for the support of public schools is not less than one sixth of their annual expendi- 34 ture from the proceeds of local taxation for all town purposes, as follows: — Every town whose annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxa- tion for the support of public schools is not less than one third of its annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for all town purposes shall receive a proportion of said remainder expressed by one third; every town whose annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for the sup- port of public schools is not less than one fourth of its annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for all town purposes shall receive a proportion expressed by one fourth; every town whose annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for the support of public schools is not less than one fifth of its annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for all town purposes shall receive a proportion expressed by one fifth; and every town whose annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for the support of public schools is not less than one sixth of its annual expenditure from the proceeds of local taxation for all town purposes shall receive a proportion expressed by one sixth. All money appropriated for other educational piirposes, unless otherwise provided for, shall be paid from the treasury of the commonwealth. An annual report setting forth the information required for the distribution provided for in this section shall be filed by the school committee with the board of educa- tion on or before the first day of February, and any town failing to file such report by the fifteenth day of February shall forfeit its right to par- ticipate in the distribution of the income which has accrued during the last preceding year. Section 2. Section two of said chapter four hundred and fifty-six is hereby amended by striking out the words "twenty-fifth day of January", in the sixth line, and substituting the words: — tenth day of March, — so as to read as follows : — Section 2. The income of said fund which has accrued on the thirty-first day of December in each year shall be appor- tioned by the commissioners of the Massachusetts School Fund in the manner provided for by section one of this act, and shall be paid to the several towns on the tenth day of March thereafter. [Approved May 2, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 197. An Act to establish » Minimum Salary for Certain Public School Teachers. On and after the first day of January, nineteen hundred and nineteen, the compensation of every teacher employed in any public day school in the commonwealth, except persons in training and those employed as temporary substitutes, shall be at the rate of not less than five hundred and fifty dollars for the school year in that school: provided, however, that this act shall not apply to any town whose taxable valuation does not exceed one million dollars. [Approved May 10, 1918. 35 General Acts, Chapter 198. An Act relatiye to High School Education in Towns of less than Five Hundred Families and to State Aid therefor. Section 1. For the purposes of this act a "high school" is defined as that part of the school system which furnishes instruction in addition to that offered in the first eight grades and other than vocational instruction which is directly aided by the commonwealth. Section 2. If a town of less than five hundred families, according to the latest census, state or national, maintains a public high school, it shall, subject to the provisions of section six hereof, be reimbursed annually from the treasury of the commonwealth a sum, not exceeding one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, determined as follows: for a principal and for each teacher devoting full time to the high school, two hundred and fifty dollars; for a principal and for each teacher devoting part time to the high school, a part of two hundred and fifty dollars proportional to the amount of time devoted to the high school. But no town shall receive money from the commonwealth under the provisions of this section unless its high school is approved by the board of education. Section 3. If a town of less than five hundred families, according to the latest census, state or national, does not maintain a public high school offering four years of instruction, it shall pay the tuition of any pupil who resides in that town and obtains from the school committee of the town a certificate to attend a high school of another city or town included in the list of high schools approved for this purpose by the board of education. Such a town shall also, through its school committee, provide, when it is necessary, for the transportation of such a pupil, but the town is not hereby required to, but may, expend more than one dollar and fiifty cents per week for transportation during the time of actual attendance of the pupil. The board of education shall approve the high schools which may be attended by such pupils, and it may, for this purpose, approve a public high school in an adjoining state. Whenever, in the judgment of the board of educa- tion, it is expedient that such a pupil shall board in the town in which he attends high school, the town may, through the school committee, pay toward the board of that pupil, in lieu of transportation, such sum as the school committee may determine. If the school committee refuses to issue a certificate as aforesaid, appli- cation may be made to the board of education, which, if it finds that the educational needs of the pupil in question are not reasonably provided for, may issue a certificate having the same force and effect as though issued by the school committee. The application shall be filed with the superin- tendent of schools of the town, and by him transmitted forthwith to the board of education with a report of the facts relative thereto. Section 4. If the expenditure per thousand dollars valuation from the proceeds of local taxation for the support of public schools, made by any town of less than five hundred families, for the three town fiscal years pre- 36 ceding any school year, averaged more than four and not more than five dollars, the town shall be reimbursed from the treasury of the common- wealth one half of the amount that it paid for tha,t school year, in accord- ance with section three, for the transportation of pupils to high schools of other cities or towns, or for board in lieu thereof; if said average was more than five and not more than six dollars the town shall be reimbursed three fourths of the amount that it paid in accordance with section three for transportation, or for board in lieu thereof; and if said average was more than six dollars, the town shall be reimbursed the whole amount that it paid in accordance with section three for transportation, or for board in lieu thereof; but reimbursement by the state for expenditures for trans- portation, or for board in lieu thereof, shall not be based on any amounts in excess of one dollar and fifty cents per week of actual attendance of any pupil, and all expenditures for transportation upon which state reimburse- ment is to be based shall be subject to approval by the board of education. Section 5. If the valuation of a town of less than five hundred families for the town fiscal year preceding any school year does not exceed five hun- dred thousand dollars, the town shall be reimbursed from the treasury of .the commonwealth, subject to the provisions of section six hereof, for the whole amount that it paid for that school year in accordance with section three hereof for the tuition of pupils attending high schools in other cities or towns; if said valuation exceeds five hundred thousand doUars but does not exceed one million dollars, the town shall be reimbursed three fourths of the amount that it paid for such tuition; and if said valuation exceeds one million dollars, it shall be reimbursed one half the amount that it paid for such tuition. Section 6. No town shall receive any reimbursement from the treas- ury of the commonwealth under the provisions of sections two and five of this act if the valuation of the town for the town fiscal year preceding the school year for which such reimbursement is to be made, divided by the average membership of its public schools for the school year preceding the school year for which such reimbursement is to be made, exceeds the corre- sponding quotient for the commonwealth. Section 7. If the school committee of a town of less than five hundred families, not maintaining a public high school offering four years of in- struction, provides for the instruction of a pupil who by reason of physical disability is unable to attend a high school in another city or town, and if the arrangement is approved by the board of education, the town shall be reimbursed from the treasury of the commonwealth for such expenditure under the same conditions and to the same amount that it would have re- ceived reimbursement for the tuition of such a pupil in the high school of another city or town, and for his transportation thereto. But such reim- bursement shall not be based on any amounts in excess of one hundred dollars per year in lieu of tuition, and one dollar and fifty cents per week of actual instruction in lieu of transportation. Section 8. Section three of chapter forty-two of the Revised Laws, as 37 amended by chapter four hundred and thirty-three of the acts of nineteen hundred and two, by chapter five hundred and thirty-seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and eleven, and by chapter three hundred and ninety- six of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen, and chapters two hundred of the acts of nineteen hundred and six, and four hundred and twenty- seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and eight, are hereby repealed. Section 9. This act shall take effect on the first day of January, nine- teen hundred and nineteen, and shall apply to expenses for high school education incurred on and after September first, nineteen hundred and eighteen. [Approved May 10, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 200. An Act to provide for Instruction in Spanish in the Public High Schools. Section 1. In every public high school having not less than one hun- dred and fifty pupils and offering a commercial course of study, there shall be provided a course in commercial Spanish upon the written request of the parents or guardians of not less than twenty pupils, and upon the enrol- ment of not less than twenty properly qualified pupils in such course, pro- vided that the said request is made, and the said enrolment is completed, before the first day of August of each year. Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first day of July, nineteen hundred and eighteen. [Approved May 10, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 246. An Act to provide for the Transfer of the Property of the New Bedford Textile School to the Commonwealth. Section 1. The trustees of the New Bedford Textile School, incor- porated under chapter four hundred and seventy-five of the acts of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, are hereby authorized to transfer and convey to the commonwealth as of the first day of July in the current year, all the property, both real and personal, of the said school by instrument duly recorded in the registry of deeds of the county of Bristol, southern district; and the commonwealth shall thereafter, in accordance with the conditions of section three of this act, maintain the said school for the purpose stated in the said act of incorporation and in any amendments thereof or additions thereto. Section 2. Upon the completion of such transfer and conveyance, there shall be established a board of seventeen trustees, which shall be composed of the mayor and the superintendent of schools of the city of New Bedford, ex officiis, and fifteen others, who shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, five for terms of one year, five for terms of two years, and five for terms of three years, and thereafter, as the term of each trustee expires, or in case of a vacancy, the governor shall in like manner appoint a successor for a term of three years, 38 or for the unexpired term. Upon their qualification, said trustees shall be vested with all the powers, rights and privileges and shall be subject to all the duties, of the existing trustees of the New Bedford Textile School, except that the title to all the property of said school shall be vested in the commonwealth. Section 3. In case the transfer authorized by section one is made, there may be expended out of the treasury of the commonwealth, during the present fiscal year, a sum not exceeding thirty thousand doUars, to be paid on properly approved vouchers submitted to the auditor of the com- monwealth: provided, however, that the said amount shall not be available until an additional sum of ten thousand dollars has been paid into the treasury of the commonwealth by the city of New Bedford towards the support of said school during the year. The city of New Bedford is hereby authorized to raise by taxation, and pay the same into the treasury of the commonwealth, such sum, not less than ten thousand dollars, as may be necessary to secure the amount authorized by this act. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 29, 1918. Genehai. Acts, Chapteb 248. An Act to provide for the Transfer of the Property of the Bradford Durfee Textile School of Fall Biver to the Commonwealth. Section 1. The trustees of The Bradford Durfee Textile School of Fall River, incorporated under chapter two hundred and ninety-nine of the acts of eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, are hereby authorized to transfer and convey to the commonwealth, as of the first day of July in the current year, all the property, both real and personal, of the said school by instrument duly recorded in the registry of deeds of the county of Bristol, Fall River district; and the commonwealth shall hereafter in accordance with the conditions of section three of this act, maintain the said school for the purposes stated in the said act of incorporation and in any amendments thereof or additions thereto. Section 2. Upon the completion of such transfer and conveyance, there shall be established a board of seventeen trustees which shall be' composed of the mayor and the superintendent of schools of the city of Fall River, ex officiis, and fifteen others, who shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, five for terms of one year, five for terms of two years, and five for terms of three years, and thereafter, as the term of each trustee expires, or in case of a vacancy, the governor shall in like manner appoint a successor for a term of three years or for the unexpired term. Upon their qualification, said trustees shall be' vested with all the powers, rights and privileges and shall be subject to all the duties, of the existing trustees of The Bradford Durfee Textile School of Fall River, except that the title to all the property of said school shall be vested in the commonwealth. Section 3. In case the transfer autho'rized^by section one is made 39 there may be expended out of the treasury of the commonwealth, during the present fiscal year, a sum not exceeding thirty thousand dollars, to be paid on properly approved vouchers submitted to the auditor of the com- monwealth: jyroDided, however, that the said amoimt shall not be available until an additional sum of ten thousand dollars has been paid into the treasury of the commonwealth by the city of Fall River towards the sup- port of said school during the year. The city of Fall River is hereby authorized to raise by taxation, and pay the same into the treasury of the commonwealth, such sum, not less than ten thousand dollars, as may be necessary to secure the amount authorized by this act. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 29, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 274. An Act to provide for the Transfer of the Property of the Lowell Textile School to the Commonwealth. Section 1. The trustees of the Lowell Textile School, incorporated under chapter four hundred and seventy-five of the acts of eighteen hun- dred and ninety-five, are hereby authorized to transfer and convey to the commonwealth, as of the first day of July in the current year, all the prop- erty, both real and personal, of the said school by instrument duly recorded in the registry of deeds of the county of Middlesex, northern district; and the commonwealth shall thereafter, in accordance with the conditions of section three of this act, maintain the said school for the purposes stated in the said act of incorporation and in any amendments thereof or additions thereto. Section 2. Upon the completion of such transfer and conveyance, there shall be established a board of seventeen trustees, which shall be composed of the mayor of the city of Lowell and the commissioner of education ex ofliciis, and fifteen others, who shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, five for terms of one year, five for terms of two years, and five for terms of three years, and thereafter, as the term of each trustee expires, or in case of a vacancy, the governor shall in like manner appoint a successor for a term of three years, or for the unexpired term. Upon their qualification said trustees shall be vested with all the powers, rights and privileges and shall be sub- ject to all the duties of the existing trustees of the Lowell textile school, except that the title to all the property of said school shall be vested in the commonwealth. Section 3. In case the transfer authorized by section one is made, there may be expended out of the treasury of the commonwealth, during the present fiscal year, a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, to be paid on properly approved vouchers submitted to the auditor of the com- monwealth: provided, however, that the said amount shall not be available until an additional sum of ten thousand dollars has been paid into the treasury of the commonwealth by the city of Lowell towards the support 40 of said school during the year. The city of Lowell is hereby authorized to raise by taxation, and pay the same into the treasury of the common- wealth, such sum, not less than ten thousand dollars, as may be necessary to secure the amount authorized by this act. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May SI, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 257. An Act to make Certain Substantive Corrections in Existing Laws. BoABD OF Education. [Revised Laws, Chapter 39.] Section 168. Chapter four hundred and fifty-seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and nine, as amended by chapter two hundred and eighty-two of the acts of nineteen hundred and ten, by chapter four hun- dred and sixty-six of the acts of nineteen hundred and eleven, by chapter eighty of the acts of nineteen hundred and twelve and by chapter four hundred and twenty-one of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hei'eby further amended by striking out section three and substituting the following : — Section 3. The board shall appoint as its executive officer for a term of five years a commissioner of education, and may fix his salary at such sum as the governor and council may approve; also two deputy commissioners, one of whom shall be specially qualified to deal with in- dustrial education, and may from time to time establish their powers, duties, salaries and terms of office. The board, by a vote of six members, may at any time remove the commissioner or either deputy. For the compensation of such agents, clerks and other assistants as it may employ, none of whom shall have any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the publication or sale of any text or school book, or article of school supply used in the public schools of the commonwealth, for conferences and con- ventions of teachers held under the direction of the board, and for travelling and other necessary expenses incurred by the members and subordinates, the board may be allowed such sums as may annually be appropriated. Section 169. Chapter thirty-nine of the Revised Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section ten the following: — Section 10a. For the purpose of aiding pupils in the state normal schools, the board may expend in semi-annual payments a sum not exceeding four thousand dollars a year. Section 170. Said chapter thirty-nine is hereby amended by striking out section eleven and substituting the following: — Section 11. The cities of North Adams, Fitchburg and Lowell and the town of Barnstable shall each agree in writing with the board to provide suitable and sufficient school buildings and model and practice schools in connection with the training departments of the state normal schools therein. The board may, at the request of a city or town in the vicinity of any state normal school' agree in writing with such city or town for the maintenance of practice schools therein in connection with such normal schools, and may provide for the payment of a portion of the compensation of the supervising teach- 41 ers employed in such practice schools. The treasurer and receiver general shall receive all money payable imder said agreements and shall expend it when appropriated therefor by the general court under the direction of the board for the purposes above specified. This section shall not be con- strued to prevent the board from establishing and maintaining model, practice or training schools, with or without the co-operation of the local school authorities in connection with any state normal school. Section 171. Said chapter thirty-nine is hereby amended by striking out section nineteen and substituting the following: — Section 19. The board may, upon the request of the parents or guardians and with the approval of the governor, send such deaf persons as it considers proper subjects for education, for a term not exceeding ten years, to the American School, at Hartford, for the Deaf, in the state of Connecticut, to the Clarke School for the Deaf at Northampton, to the Horace Mann School at Boston, or to any other school for the deaf in the commonwealth, as the parents or guardians may prefer; and, upon like request and with like approval, it may continue for a longer term the instruction of meritorious pupils recommended by the principal or other chief officer of the school of which they are members. With the approval of the governor the board may, at the expense of the commonwealth, make such provision for the care and education of children who are both deaf and blind as it may deem expedient. No such pupil shall be withdrawn from such institutions or schools except with the consent of the authorities thereof or of the board; and the expenses of the instruction and support of such pupils in such institutions or schools, including their necessary travelling expenses, whether daily or otherwise, shall be paid by the commonwealth; but the parents or guardians of such children, who are able wholly or in part to provide for their support and care, shall, to the extent of their ability, reimburse the commonwealth therefor. Teachers' Institutes and Associations. [Revised Laws, Chapter 40.] Section 172. Chapter forty of the Revised Laws, and all acts in amendment thereof, are hereby repealed. School Funds. [Revised Laws, Chapter 41.] Section 173. Chapter forty-one of the Revised Laws, as amended by chapter three hundred and forty of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by striking out section six and substi- tuting the following: — Section 6. No such apportionment and distri- bution shall be made to a town which has not raised by taxation for the support of public schools, including the wages of teachers, the transporta- tion of school children, fuel, the care of fires, school rooms and school premises, supervision, text books and supplies, and school sundries or incidentals, but excluding alterations of school buildings other than re- 42 pairs and construction of school houses during the school year embraced in the last annual returns, an amount not less than three dollars for each person between the ages of five and fifteen years resident in such town on the first day of September of said school year. Public Schools. [Eevisbd Laws, Chaptee 42.] Section 174. Section one of chapter forty-two of the Eevised Laws, as amended by chapters one hundred and eighty-one of the acts of nine- teen hundred and eight, five hundred and twenty-four of the acts of nine- teen hundred and ten, and by section one of chapter one hundred and sixty-nine of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and seventeen, is hereby amended by striking out the words "thirty-two weeks in each year" in line two and substituting the words "one huqdred and sixty days in each year unless specifically exempted as to any one year by the board of education", — and by striking out in lines five to eight, inclusive, the words "except that in towns whose assessed valuation is less than two hundred thousand dollars, the required period may, with the consent of the board of education, be reduced to twenty-eight weeks", — so as to read as follows: — Section 1. Every city and town shall maintain, for at least one hundred and sixty days in each year unless specifically exempted as to any one year by the board of education, a sufficient number of schools for the instruction of all the children who may legally attend a public school therein. Such schools shall be taught by teachers of competent ability and good morals, and shall give instruction in orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geography, arithmetic, draw- ing, the history of the United States, training in the duties of citizenship, physiology and hygiene, and good behavior. In each of the subjects of physiology and hygiene, special instruction as to the effects of alcoholic drinks and of stimulants and narcotics on the human system, and as to tuberculosis and its prevention, shall be taught as a regular branch of study to all pupils in all schools which are supported wholly or partly by public money, except schools which are maintained solely for instruction in particular branches. Bookkeeping, algebra, geometry, one or more foreign languages, the elements of the natural sciences, kindergarten train- ing, manual training, agriculture, sewing, cooking, vocal music, physical training, civil government, ethics, thrift and such other subjects as the school committee consider expedient may be taught in the public schools. Section 175. Said chapter forty-two, as amended by chapter five hundred and fifty-six of the acts of nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by striking out section two and substituting the following: — Section 8. Every city and every town containing, according to the latest census, state or national, five hundred families or house- holders, shall, unless specifically exempted by the board of education and under conditions to be defined by it, maintain a high school, adequately equipped, which shall be kept by a principal and such assistants as may 43 be needed, of competent ability and good morals, who shall give instruc- tion in such subjects designated in the preceding section as the school committee consider expedient to be taught in the high school. One or more courses of study, at least four years in length, shall be maintained in each such high school and it shall be kept open for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the city or town for at least one hundred and eighty days, exclusive of vacations, in each school year. Any high school maintained by a town required to belong to a superintendency union shall be main- tained in accordance with standards of organization, equipment and in- struction approved from time to time by the board of education. Section 176. Said chapter forty-two is hereby amended by striking out section six and substituting the following: — Section 6. Such com- mittee shall, with the approval of the board of education, determine the location of the schoolhouse. Section 177. Said chapter forty-two is hereby amended by striking out section seven and substituting the following: — Section 7. The pro- portion to be paid by each town for the erection of a permanent school- house for such school, for its support and maintenance, and for all inci- dental expenses, including the transportation of pupils to such school when necessary, shall be according to its proportion of the county tax. Section 178. Said chapter forty-two is hereby amended by inserting after section seven the following new sections, to be numbered 7o and 76: — Section 7a. The town in such a union in which the high school is situ- ated shall be reimbursed from the treasury of the commonwealth for the funds which it has contributed for the support of such union high school to the same amount and under the same conditions that it would have been reimbursed if the money had been expended to maintain a high school of its own. Section 7b. Each town in such a union in which the high school is not situated shall be reimbursed from the treasury of the common- wealth for the funds which it has contributed for the support of such union high school to the same amount and under the same conditions that it would have been reimbursed if the money had been expended for the tuition of pupils to attend a high school in another town or city. Section 179. Section eleven of said chapter forty-two, as amended by chapter five hundred and ninety of the acts of nineteen hundred and four- teen, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "maintain" in the seventh line the words "for forty evenings", — so as to read as fol- lows : — Section 11. Any town may, and every city or town in which there are issued during the year from September first to August thirty-first certificates authorizing the employment of twenty or more persons who do not possess the educational qualifications enumerated in section one of chapter forty-four of the Revised Laws, as amended, shall maintain for forty evenings during the following school year an evening school or schools for the instruction of persons over fourteen years of age in orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geography, arith- metic, industrial drawing, both free hand and mechanical, the history of 44 the United States, physiology and hygiene and good behavior. Such other ■subjects may be taught in such schools as the school committee considers ■expedient. Section 180. Said chapter forty-two is hereby amended by striking out section twenty-seven and substituting the following: — Section 87. It shall have general charge and superintendence of all the public schools, including the evening schools and evening high schools. It may deter- mine, subject to section eleven and acts in amendment thereof, the number 'Of weeks and the hours during which such evening schools shall be kept, and may make regulations as to attendance therein. Section 181. Section twenty-nine of said chapter forty-two is hereby repealed. Section 182. Section seven of chapter seven hundred and fourteen of the acts of nineteen hundred and fourteen is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the words "or districts", — so as to read as follows: — Section 7. This act shall not apply to superii^tendents of superintendency xmions or districts. Vocational Education. Section 183. Section one of chapter one hundred and eighty-five of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and siJcteen is hereby amended by ■striking out the words "which accepts the pro'visions of this act", in the first and second lines, — so as to read as follows: — Section 1. Any city may establish and maintain schools for instructing families and individuals by means of day, part-time or evening classes in gardening, fruit gro^wing, floriculture, poultry keeping, animal husbandry, and other branches of agriculture and horticulture. The location and organization of the said schools, and the instruction given therein shall be subject to the approval 'Of the board of education. Note. — TUs act takes effect Feb. 1, 1919. B. Legislation relating to Vocational Education. 1916. General Acts, Chapter 247. An Act to provide for New Buildings lor the Independent Agricultural School of the County of Essex. Section 1. The trustees of the Independent Agricultural School of the county of Essex are hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the board of education, to expend a sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars to be pro-vdded by the county of Essex for the purpose of erecting and equipping a school building or buildings for the said school. Section 2. For the purposes aforesaid the county commissioners of the county of Essex are hereby authorized to borrow from time to time 45 upon the credit of the county a sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate and to issue the bonds or notes of the county there- for. Said bonds or notes shall be payable in such annual payments, be- ginning not more than one year after the date of each loan, as will extin- guish each loan within twenty years from its date, and the amount of such annual payment of any loan in any year shall not be less than the amount of the principal of the loan payable in any subsequent year. Each author- ized issue of bonds or notes shall constitute a separate loan. The said bonds or notes shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding five per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, and shall be signed by the treasurer of the county and countersigned by a majority of the county commissioners. The county may sell the said securities at public or private sale, on such terms and conditions as the county commissioners may deem proper, but they shall not be sold for less than their par value, and the proceeds shall be used only for the purposes herein specified and shall be paid to the trustees of the said school by the treasurer of the county upon their requisitions. Section 3. The county commissioners, at the time of authorizing the said loan, shall provide for the payment thereof in accordance with section> two of this act; and a sum sufficient to pay the interest as it accrues on the bonds or notes issued as aforesaid by the county, and to make sucb payments on the principal as may be required under the provisions of this act, shall be levied as a part of the county tax of the county of Essex annually thereafter, in the same manner in which other taxes are levied,, until the debt incurred by said loan or loans is extinguished. [Approved'. May 11, 1915. General Acts, Chaptek 189. An Act to provide for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Inde- pendent Agricultural School in the County of Norfolk. Section 1. At the next state election there shall be placed upon the official ballots for the county of Norfolk the following question: — "Shall • the county of Norfolk authorize the county commissioners to issue bonds of said county to an amount not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars- for the purpose of establishing an independent agricultural school?" Section 2. If a majority of the voters voting on the above question vote in the affirmative, then the establishment and maintenance of said school shall be provided for as follows: — The name of the school shall be "Norfolk County Agricultural School." The governor, with the advice and consent of the council, shall appoint four persons, one for the term of one year, one for the term of two years, one for the term of three years and one for the term of four years, residents of the county, who, together with the county commissioners for the county, shall be known as the trustees of said school; and it shall be their duty to provide vocational education of the kinds authorized by section three of this act. Said trustees shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their necessary expenses,, the same to be charged and paid on account of maintenance as hereafter 46 proAdded. The said trustees are hereby authorized to determine the loca- tion of the said school, subject to its approval by the board of education, and, subject to approval by the said board, to expend an amount not ex- ceeding seventy-five thousand dollars in the purchase of real estate, altera- tion or construction of buildings and provision of live stock, furnishings and equipment therefor. Section 3. To meet the cost of establishing the said school, the county commissioners are hereby authorized to issue bonds of the county to an amount not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars, said amount to be paid over to the trustees upon their requisition by the treasurer of the county. Said bonds shall be issued for a term not exceeding twenty years, and shall bear interest at a rate not exceeding four per cent per annum, payable semi-annually. Each authorized issue of bonds or notes shall con- ■stitute a separate loan. The county commissioners shall by vote, provide for the payment of each loan by such annual payments, beginning not more than one year after its date, as will extinguish each loan within twenty years from its date, and in such manner that the amount of prin- cipal and interest payable in any year, shall not be less than the amount of principal payable in any subsequent year. When such a vote has been passed, the annual amount required shall, without further vote, be assessed according to the provisions of law relating to the assessment of county taxes. Section 4. The said school shall be maintained by the trustees as a state-aided vocational school, subject to the approval of the board of edu- cation, in accordance with the provisions of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and of any acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto not inconsistent with this act. Section 5. The said school shall provide instruction in agriculture, and at such time as may be approved by the board of education, in household arts or home-making. Short unit courses of instruction may be given both at the school and elsewhere in the county. Members of the school staff shall investigate farm and market conditions for the purpose of advising individuals and organizations with reference to better business methods among fanners and more satisfactory methods of marketing farm products, shall give instruction in the formation of co-operative enterprises, and shall perform any other work calculated to promote the agricultural or rural ■development of the county. It shall be the duty of members of the staff to keep in touch with, and to bring to their assistance, all agencies in the commonwealth or elsewhere that will enable them to utilize the latest and best knowledge in the furtherance of their work. Section 6. Said school may receive and utilize gifts considered by said trustees and the board of education to be not inconsistent with its pur- poses, but principally it shall be supported as follows: — The treasurer of the county shall pay to said trustees upon their requisition such sums, not •exceeding in the aggregate sixteen thousand dollars, as may be required by 47 them for the maintenance of said school during the first fiscal year, and the amount so paid shall be raised by taxation in the same manner in which the other expenses of the county are provided for. Said trustees shall annually, after the first year, in consultation with and with the approval of the board of education, prepare on or before the fifteenth day of De- cember, an estimate of the amount required to establish, equip and main- tain the said school for the ensuing year; and the said amount shall be included by the county commissioners of the county in the estimate re- quired by section twenty-seven of chapter twenty-one of the Revised Laws, as amended, and if the amount so estimated, or any part thereof, shall be authorized by the general court as part of the county tax, the county of Norfolk shall raise by taxation the sum so authorized, and it shall be paid by the county treasurer to said trustees upon their requisition, and shall be expended by them for the purposes for which it was authorized. Section 7. In order to reduce the net cost to county and state of the said school, the trustees shall apply toward the expense of maintenance such miscellaneous income as receipts from tuition collected on account of non-resident pupils in places outside of the county of Norfolk, and receipts from the sale of products and from the work of pupils. Section 8. Said county shall be reimbursed by the commonwealth for the expenditures made for the maintenance of said school in the manner and proportion provided for the reimbursement of certain counties, cities and towns by chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven and acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto. Section 9. Said school, to the extent of the capacity of the various courses provided for in accordance with section five of this act, shall be free for attendance to residents of said county over fourteen and under twenty- five years of age; and, to persons residents of the commonwealth over seventeen years of age in such numbers and for such instruction as shall be approved by the board of education. Any resident over fourteen years of age of a city or town in Massachusetts outside of said county which does not maintain a state-aided vocational school offering the type of education desired, may be admitted to this school in accordance with the provisions governing admission of non-resident pupils and tuition fees contained in said chapter four hundred and seventy-one. Section 10. The provisions of chapter five hundred and thirty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eight, as amended by chapter five hundred and sixty-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten, for half rate fare upon street railways shall apply to pupils of the said school. Section 11. Section one of this act shall take effect upon its passage. The remainder of the act shall take effect upon its acceptance by the voters of the county, as provided in section two. [Apprmed April 21, 1915. 48 General Acts, Chapter 225. An Act to provide for an Independent Vocational School in the County of Hampshire. Section 1. At the next state election there shall be placed upon the official ballots for the county of Hampshire the following question: "Shall the County of Hampshire maintain an Independent Vocational School? " Section 2. If (A) a majority of the voters voting on the above question vote in the affirmative; and if (B) the city of Northampton causes to be tendered to the county for the maintenance of the said school the use, free of charge to the county, of the land, buildings and equipment, and any improvements thereon or additions thereto which may hereafter be made, of the present state-aided vocational school, known as Smith's agricultural school and Northampton school of industries, and notifies the board of education in writing to that effect, then (C) the county of Hamp- shire shall maintain an independent vocational school in accordance with the following provisions, to wit: — • 1. The name of the. school shall be Smith's Agricultural School. 2. The school shall be mfl,intained as a state-aided vocational school, subject to the approval of the board of education, in accordance with the provisions of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven and of any acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto not inconsistent with this act. 3. The local board of trustees for said school shall consist of five mem- bers, one appointed by the governor for a term of four years, the chairman of the county commissioners of the county of Hampshire, ex officio, and the three trustees elected by the city of Northampton in accordance with the terms of the will of Oliver Smith, ex officiis; and it shall be their duty to maintain vocational education of the kinds authorized by section three of this act. 4. The said local board of trustees, for and on behalf of the said county, shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their neces- sary expenses, which shall be charged and paid on account of maintenance as hereinafter provided. 5. The three ex officiis trustees elected by the city of Northampton, for and on behalf of the city of Northampton, shall make the written re- ports upon their "care and management of the income" received under the will of Oliver Smith for Smith's Agricultural School, and upon "the state of the funds, the expenditures, the improvements made on the prem- ises, and the state of the school and institution generally; and also the state and condition of the proceeds and income of the establishment", required by said will; and for their services of "control and superintend- ence" the said three trustees shall receive from the income received under the will of Oliver Smith the "meet recompense" for which provision is made in the said will. '6. The three ex officiis trustees elected by the city of Northampton 49 shall use so much as may be necessary of the annual income received by the city of Northampton under the will of Oliver Smith for (A) land, build- ing and equipment purposes, including repayment of building and equip- ment loans now in process of liquidation; and may use the remainder of said income at their discretion for (B) other purposes, not inconsistent with the said will, which shall proniote the welfare and progress of the said county school. 7. The city of Northampton may withdraw or cause to be withdrawn from the county of Hampshire the privilege of maintaining an independent vocational school on the said premises by giving written notice to the board of education not less than two years prior to the date upon which the said privilege is to be withdrawn. 8. In any event the title to the land, buildings and equipment, with all additions thereto or improvements thereon, with the exception of any equipment not purchasable under the terms of the will of Oliver Smith from the income received under said will, shall remain permanently in the possession of the city of Northampton. 9. The board of education, for and on behalf of the county, may termi- nate the maintenance of an independent vocational school upon the said premises by giving written notice to the city of Northampton two years prior to the date on which said maintenance is to terminate. 10. In the event that maintenance of said school by the county termi- nates, any equipment purchased at the expense of the county shall be dis- posed of by said trustees in such manner as shall be approved by the board of education, and the proceeds shall be paid by the said trustees to the treasurer of the said county. COUHSBS AND METHODS OF INSTRUCTION. Section 3. The school authorized by this act shall maintain such kinds of vocational training permitted by chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and of any acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto as are not inconsist- ent with this act. Short unit courses of instruction may be given both at the school and elsewhere in the county. Members of the school staff shall investigate farm and market conditions for the purpose of advising individuals and organizations with reference to better business methods among farmers and more satisfactory methods of marketing farm products; shall give instruction in the formation of co-operative enterprises; and shall perform any other work adapted to promote the agricultural or rural development of the county. It shall be the duty of members of the staff to keep in touch with, and to bring to their assistance, all agencies in the commonwealth or elsewhere that will enable them to utilize the latest and best knowledge in the furtherance of their work. 50 COUNTY AND STATE SUPPORT. Section 4. The said school may receive gifts considered by said trus- tees and the board of education to be not inconsistent with its purpose, but principally it shall be supported as follows: — 1. The said local board of trustees shall prepare annually, in consulta- tion with and with the approval of the board of education, on or before the fifteenth day of December, an estimate of the amount required to maintain the said school for the ensuing year and to provide such equip- ment as may not be purchasable under the terms of the will of Oliver Smith from the income received under that will; and said amount shall be in- cluded by the county commissioners of the county of Hampshire in the estimate required by section twenty-seven of chapter twenty-one of the Revised Laws, as amended. 2. If the amount so estimated, or any part thereof, shall be authorized by the general court as part of the county tax, the county of Hampshire shall raise by taxation the sum authorized, and the sum so raised shall be paid by the treasurer of the county to said trustees upon their requisition. 3. Said trustees, subject to the provisions of said chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and of section three of this act, shall expend the sum appropriated for the pur- poses designated, together with such miscellaneous income as receipts from tuition collected on account of non-resident pupils from outside the county of Hampshire, and receipts from the sale of products and from the work of pupils. 4. The county shall be reimbursed for the expenditures made for the maintenance of the said school in the manner and proportion provided for the reimbursement of certain counties, cities and towns by chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven and acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto. 5. Upon the passage of this act, (A) said county shall raise by taxation for the maintenance of said school during the next fiscal year of the com- monwealth, a sum not less than the amount expended for maintenance by Smith's agricultural school and Northampton school of industries during the fiscal year of the commonwealth then current; (B) said sum shall be included in the estimate prepared by the county commissioners of the county of Hampshire in accordance with section twenty-seven of chapter twenty-one of the Revised Laws as amended; and (C) the instruction offered by said school, to the extent of its capacity, shall be free to residents of said county, beginning with the fiscal year for which the first county appropriation is made. Section 5. Said school, to the extent of the capacity of the various courses provided for in section three of this act, shall be free for attendance to residents of said county over fourteen and under twenty-five years of age; and to persons over seventeen years of age in such numbers and for 51 such instruction as shall be approved by the board of education. Any- resident over fourteen years of age of a city or town in Massachusetts out- side said county which does not maintain a state-aided vocational school offering the tjrpe of education desired, may be admitted to this school in accordance with the provisions governing the admission of non-resident pupils and tuition fees contained in said chapter four hundred and seventy- one. Section 6. Any town in said county may, however, establish, equip and maintain, with the approval of the board of education, a school for state-aided vocational education; and nothing in this act shall interfere with the rights and obligations under said chapter four hundred and seventy-one and acts in amendment thereof or in addition thereto, not in- consistent with this act, of any town which may have established such a school, or may hereafter desire to do so. Section 7. The provisions of chapter five hundred and thirty of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eight, as amended by chapter five hundred and sixty-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and ten, relative to half-rate fare upon street railways for school children shall apply to pupils of the said school. [Approved May 5, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 266. An Act to provide for the Establishment and Maintenance of Day and Eveninef Classes in Practical Arts for Women. Section 1. Chapter one hundred and six of the acts of the year nine- teen hundred and twelve is hereby amended by inserting after the word "separate", in the third line, the words: — day and, — by striking out the words "shall be open to all", in the fifth line, and inserting in place thereof the words: — If day classes only, or evening classes only, are es- tablished, they shall be open to all women over sixteen years of age; if both day and evening classes are established the day classes shall be open only to women over sixteen years of age, and the evening classes shall be open only to, — and by striking out the word "and", in the sixth line, and inserting in place thereof the words : — Such classes, — so as to read as follows : — Any city or town may, through its school committee, or other board of trustees for vocational education, establish and maintain separate day and evening classes in household and other practical arts. Such classes shall be known as practical art classes. If day classes only, or evening classes only, are established, they shall be open to all women over six- teen years of age; if both day and evening classes are established the day classes shall be open only to women over sixteen years of age, and the evening classes shall be open only to women over seventeen years of age who are employed in any capacity during the day. Such classes may be established and maintained as approved state-aided practical art classes under the provisions of, and subject to all the conditions, not inconsistent 52 with this act, of chapt&r four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 20, 1915. 1916. General Acts, Chapter 95. An Act relative to Co-operative Courses in Public Schools and to Employ- ment of Pupils in Co-operating Agencies. Section 1. Section seventeen of chapter five hundred and fourteen of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and nine, as amended by chapter two hundred and forty-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and by chapter one hundred and ninety-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve, is hereby further amended by adding at the end thereof the following: — "Co-operative courses" shall mean courses approved as such by the board of education and conducted in public schools in which technical or related instruction is given in conjunction with prac- tical experience by employment in a co-operating factory, manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment or workshop. Section 2. Section fifty-seven of said chapter five hundred and four- teen, as amended by section fifteen of chapter seven hundred and seventy- nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "certificate", in the eighteenth line, the words : — and, provided, further, that pupils in co-operative courses in public schools, as defined in section seventeen of this act, may be employed by any co-operating factory, manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment or workshop upon securing from the superintendent of schools a special certificate covering this type of employment, ■ — so as to read as follows: — Section 57. No child between fourteen and sixteen years of age shall be employed or be permitted to work in, about or in connection with any factory, workshop, manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment unless the person, firm or corporation employ- ing such child procures and keeps on file accessible to the attendance oSicers of the city or town, to agents of the board of education, and to the state board of labor and industries or its authorized agents or inspectors, the employment certificate as hereinafter provided issued to such child, and keeps a complete list of the names and ages of aU such children employed therein conspicuously posted near the principal entrance of the building in which such children are employed : provided, however, that children who are over fourteen but under sixteen years of age shall be permitted to work in mercantile establishments on Saturdays between the hours of seven in the morning and six in the evening, without such certificate; and, pro- vided, further, that pupils in co-operative courses in public schools, as defined in section seventeen of this act, may be employed by any co-operat- ing factory, manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment or workshop upon securing from the superintendent of schools a special cer- 53 tificate covering this type of employment. On termination of the employ- ment of a child whose employment certificate is on file, said certificate shall be returned by the employer within two days after said termination to the office of the superintendent of schools from which it was issued. Section 3. Section sixty-six of said chapter five hundred and fourteen, as amended by section twenty-three of chapter seven hundred and seventy- nine of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word "establishment", in the fourth line of the first paragraph, the words : — except as provided for pupils in co- operative courses, approved as such by the board of education and con- ducted in public schools, — so that the first paragraph shall read as fol- lows : — Section 66. No child who is over sixteen and under twenty-one years of age shall be employed in a factory, workshop, manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment, except as provided for pupils in co-operative courses, approved as such by the board of education and conducted in public schools, unless his employer procures and keeps on file an educational certificate showing the age of the child and his ability or inability to read and write as hereinafter provided. Such certificates shall be issued by the person authorized by this act to issue employment certificates. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Apfrmed April 3, 1916. Special Acts, Chapter 174. An Act to provide for the Establishment of an Independent Industrial Shoemaking School in the City of Lynn. Section 1. At the next state election there shall be placed upon the official ballot for the city of Lynn the following question: — "Shall the city of Lynn establish an Independent Industrial Shoemaking School?" Section 2. If a majority of the voters voting upon the question afore- said vote in the affirmative, the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, shall appoint eight persons, residents of the city of Lynn, two of whom shall be representatives of the laboring class, to serve as follows: — two for one year, two for two years, two for three years, and two for four years; and thereafter two persons shall be appointed annually for the term of four years, but every appointee under this act shall serve until his successor has qualified. The said persons together with the mayor of Lynn shall be known as Trustees of the Independent Industrial Shoe- making School of the City of Lynn. They shall serve without compensa- tion, but shall be reimbursed for their necessary expenses, and the sums so paid shall be charged as a part of the maintenance expense of the school. Section 3. The said trustees are hereby authorized to determine the situation of the said school, subject to the approval of the board of educa- tion, and to expend annually for rent of suitable floor space for the school a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars until such time as it is deemed expedient to purchase, construct or alter a building for the use of the 54 school. After the said school is established and equipped, the city of Lynn shall annually raise by taxation such sums as may be needed for its main- tenance and operation. Section 4. The cost of establishing and equipping the said school shall be paid by the city of Lynn, and for this purpose the municipal council is hereby authorized to issue bonds of the city to an amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, for terms not exceeding ten years, and at a rate of interest not exceeding four per cent per annum payable semi- annually. The bonds shall be issued and shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of chapter seven hundred and nineteen of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen. Each authorized issue of bonds hereunder shall constitute a separate loan. Section 5. The school established under this act shall be established and maintained as an approved school, subject to the provisions of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and of any amendments thereof, and the city of Lynn shall be reimbursed for the expenditures incurred in its maintenance in the manner and to the extent provided for the reimbursement of cities and towns by the said chapter and any amendments thereof. [Approved March IS, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 185. An Act to authorize Cities to maintain Schools of Agriculture and Horti- culture. Section L Any city which accepts the provisions of this act may establish and maintain schools for instructing families and individuals by- means of day, part-time or evening classes in gardening, fruit growing, floriculture, poultry keepihg, animal husbandry, and other branches of agriculture and horticulture. The location and organization of the said schools, and the instruction given therein shall be subject to the approval of the board of education. Section 2. After the acceptance of this act by any city and before further action hereunder is taken, the school committee shall cause to be circulated a description of the purposes and scope of the instruction to be given hereunder with a request for applications from those desiring such instruction. Section 3. The city council or other board or offieer haying power to take land for school purposes in any city which accepts the provisions of this act may, in conformity with the provisions of general law relative to the taking of land by municipalities, take in fee any land in said city not already appropriated to public uses for the purpose of maintaining a school hereunder, or may lease or purchase in fee any land, either within or with- out the city limits, for the said purpose. The school committee of the city may erect suitable buildings upon the land so acquired, and may make provision, on terms that will not involve loss to the city, for the use of plots of ground and for the temporary housing of those attending the TES. NO. 55 school, and complying with its regulations, who have not access to other land suitable for giving proper effect to the instruction of the school. Section 4. This act shall be submitted to the voters in the several cities of the commonwealth at the next annual state election for their acceptance or rejection, and shall take effect in any city if a majority of the voters of that city voting thereon shall vote in the affirmative. The act shall be submitted in the form of the following question to be placed upon the official ballot: "Shall an act, passed by the general court in the year nineteen hundred and sixteen, to authorize cities to maintain schools of agriculture and horticulture and to make provision, in certain instances, for the temporary housing of persons attending the school, be accepted?" [Approved May 9, 1916. 1917. General Acts, Chapter 215. An Act accepting the Provisions of an Act o{ Congress relative to the Promotion of Vocational Education and providing for Co-operation with the Federal Government. Section 1. The commonwealth of Massachusetts hereby accepts the provisions of the act of congress approved February twenty-third, nine- teen hundred and seventeen, and entitled "An Act to provide for the promotion of vocational education; to provide for co-operation with the states in the promotion of such education in agriculture and the trades and industries; to provide for co-operation with the states in the prepa- ration of teachers of vocational subjects; and to appropriate money and regulate its expenditure." Section 2. The board of education is hereby directed to co-operate with the federal board for vocational education in the administration of the provisions of the act of congress aforesaid, and to do all things neces- sary to entitle the commonwealth to receive all the benefits thereof. Section 3. The treasurer and receiver general is hereby designated as the custodian of all the fuhds allotted to the commonwealth from the appropriations made by said act of congress, and he shall receive and provide for the proper custody and disbursement of the same in accordance with the said act. Section 4. The federal funds so received shall be paid out in accord- ance with the provisions of section fourteen of said act of congress upon the requisition of the board of education as reimbursement for expendi- tures already incurred. The pajonent of said funds shall be made to such ' schools and classes as are approved by the said board and as are entitled to receive the same under the provisions of said act: provided, that, in accord- ance with the provisions of said act, the board of education, (1) may grant the federal funds in its control, subject to conditions prescribed by it, as money supplementary to state aid for salaries of teachers of vocational subjects in schools and classes which meet the requirements of said act; 56 (2) may select certain types of training which especially need stimulus and may use the federal funds for salaries of teachers giving such training; (3) may maintain courses for the preparation of teachers of selected voca- tions, and may use federal funds therefor; may arrange with the authori- ties of a state school or college to give the proper types of training to teachers of vocations under the supervision of the board, and may use federal funds therefor; may allow local school authorities to conduct, under the supervision of the board, classes for the training of vocational teachers, and may use federal funds therefor. Section 5. The last sentence of the third section of chapter four hun- dred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven is hereby amended to accord with the provisions of section eleven of the act of congress aforesaid by changing the word "seventeen" to "sixteen", — so that the said sentence will read as follows: — Attendance upon such day or part-time classes shall be restricted to those over fourteen and imder twenty-five years of age; and upon such evening classes, to those over sixteen years of age. Section 6. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 8, 1917. General Acts, Chapter 247. An Act relative to the Independent Agricultural School of Bristol County. Section 1. The name of the independent agricultural school of Bristol county shall be Bristol County Agricultural School. Section 2. The said school shall provide instruction in agriculture and, at such time as may be approved by the board of education, may provide instruction in household arts or home-making. Short-unit courses of instruction may be given both at the school and elsewhere in the county. Members of the school staff shall investigate farm and market conditions for the purpose of advising individuals and organizations with reference to better business methods among farmers, and more satisfactory methods of marketing farm products, shall give instruction in the formation of co-operative enterprises, and shall perform any other work calculated to promote the agricultural or rural development of the county. It shall be the duty of members of the staff to keep in touch with, and to avail themselves of, all agencies in the commonwealth or elsewhere that will enable them to utilize the latest and best knowledge and practice in the furtherance of their work. Section 3. The said school may receive and utilize gifts considered by said trustees and the board of education to be consistent with its pur- poses, but principally it shall be supported as follows: — The treasurer, of the county shall pay all bills which are approved by the trustees, not exceeding in the aggregate twenty thousand dollars, in addition to the miscellaneous income described in section four of this act, for the establish- ment, equipment and maintenance of said school during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and seventeen, and the amount so paid shall be raised 57 by taxation in the same manner in which the other expenses of the county are provided for. Said trustees shall annually, after the first year, in con- sultation with and with the approval of the board of education and the county commissioners of the county prepare on or before the fifteenth day of December, an estimate of the amount required to establish, equip, and maintain the said school for the ensuing year; and the said amount shall be included by the county commissioners of the county in the estimate required by section twenty-seven of chapter twenty-one of the Revised Laws, as amended, and if the amount so estimated, or any part thereof, shall be authorized by the general court as part of the county tax, the county of Bristol shall raise by taxation the sum so authorized, and the treasurer of the county shall pay all bills, if approved by the trustees, not exceeding the amount authorized, in the same manner as the bills of other departments of the county are paid. Section 4. In order to reduce the net cost to the county and state of the said school, all miscellaneous income, including receipts for tuition collected on account of non-resident pupils, receipts from the sale of products, from the work of pupils, or from any other source, shall be paid to the county treasurer to be applied toward the expense of maintenance. Section 5. Said school, to the extent of the capacity of the various courses provided for in accordance with section two of this act, shall be free for attendance to residents of said county over fourteen and under twenty-five years of age; and, to residents of the commonwealth over seventeen years of age in such numbers and for such instruction as shall be approved by the board of education. Any resident, over fourteen years of age, of a city or town in Massachusetts outside of said county which does not maintain a state-aided vocational school offering the type of education desired, may be admitted to the Bristol County Agricultural School in accordance with the provisions governing the admission of non- resident pupils and the collection of tuition fees contained in chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven. Section 6. This act shall take effect upon its passage; and such parts of previous acts relating to the independent agricultural school of Bristol county as are not consistent with this act are hereby repealed. [Approved May 14, 1917. General Acts, Chapter 61. An Act relative to the Reimbursement of Cities and Towns maintaining Agricultural Schools or furnishing Agricultural Instruction. Section 1. Clause two of section nine of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven is hereby amended by striking out all after the word "departments", in the sixth line, so that the paragraph will read as follows: — 2. Cities and towns maintaining approved local or district independent agricultural schools consisting only of agricultural departments in high schools shall be re- 58 imbursed by the commonwealth, as provided in this act, only to the extent of two thirds of the salary paid to the instructors in such agricultural de- partments. Section 2. The treasurer of the commonwealth is hereby authorized to pay to certain cities and towns maintaining such agricultural schools in the year nineteen hundred and sixteen the amounts by way of reim- bursement certified as due to them by the board of education, in excess of the ten thousand dollars heretofore authorized by law, aggregating four hundred seven dollars and seventy cents. [Approved March IS, 1917. General Acts, Chapter 176. An Act relative to the Independent Agricultural School in the County of Essex. Section 1. The name of the independent agricultural school of the county of Essex is hereby changed to Essex County Agricultural School. Section 2. The said school may provide short-unit courses of instruc- tion both at the school and elsewhere in the county. Members of the school staff shall investigate farm and market affairs for the purpose of advising individuals and organizations with reference to better business methods available to farmers and more satisfactory methods of marketing farm products, shall give instruction in the formation of co-operative enterprises, and shall perform any other work calculated to promote the agricultural or rural development of the county. It shall be the duty of members of the staff to keep in touch with, and to bring to the assistance of such individuals and organizations, all agencies in the commonwealth or elsewhere that will enable them to utilize the latest and best knowledge in the furtherance of their work. Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April 16, 1917. 1918. General Acts, Chapter 206. An Act to extend State-aided Vocational Education during the Period of the War. Section 1. The restriction imposed by paragraph 6 of section one of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of nineteen hundred and eleven upon evening classes in industrial, agricultural and household art schools, according to which instruction in such classes shall be given only to persons employed during the day in work to which the instruction so. given applies, is hereby removed for the period of the present war and one year thereafter, and during that time instruction in such classes may be given to any pupils for whom it would be profitable. Section 2. The restriction imposed by section three of said chapter four hundred and seventy-one, as amended by section five of chapter two hundred and fifteen of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and seventeen 59 according to wMch instruction in certain day or part-time evening classes in industrial, agricultural and household art schools is restricted to persons under twenty-five years of age, shall not apply during the period of the present war or for one year thereafter, and during the said time such in- struction may be given to persons not under twenty-five years of age. Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May IB, 1918. Special Acts, Chapteb 151. An Act establishing Smith's Agricultural School. Section 1. The city of Northampton is hereby authorized through Smith's Agricultural School and Northampton School of Industries, here- tofore established in and by the said city, to carry out the provisions of the will of Oliver Smith, late of Hatfield, relative to the establishment of Smith's Agricultural School, which provisions were duly accepted by vote of the town of Northampton passed on the thirtieth day of October in the year eighteen himdred and forty-seven, and to appropriate money for the support and maintenance of the said school, which shaU hereafter be called Smith's Agricultural School. Section 2. The city of Northampton shall annually at its city election elect by ballot, as provided in said will, three superintendents who shall have the powers of a local board of trustees as provided in section four of chapter four hundred and seventy-one of the acts of nineteen hundred and eleven. The election of superintendents heretofore made is ratified and confirmed. Section 3. In computing the net maintenance sum for the said school for purposes of state reimbursement imder clause one of section nine of said chapter four hundred and seventy-one, there shall be added to the sum raised by local taxation the sum annually received by the city of Northampton from the Smith charities and expended for the maintenance of the school. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 10, 1918. General Acts, Chapter 262. An Act to dissolve the Corporation of the Massachusetts Agricultural College and to provide for the Maintenance of the College by the Commonwealth. Section 1. The Massachusetts Agricultural College, incorporated by chapter two hundred and twenty of the acts of eighteen hundred and sixty- three and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, is hereby dissolved, and hereafter the college shall be maintained by the common- wealth as a state institution under the name of the Massachusetts Agri- cultural College. The commonwealth shall settle the affairs of the cor- poration, and shall be subject to its legal obligations and liable for its lawful debts. 60 Secti(?n 2. The present trustees of the said corporation shall be the trustees of the state institution, and shall hold office as such until the ex- piration of the several terms for which they were appointed, unless sooner removed. The power of appointment of their successors and the power of removal of trustees shall be exercised by the governor with the advice and consent of the council. An appointment to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term of a trustee shall be for the imexpired part of the term, and all other appointments shall be for the term of seven years. The governor, the commissioner of education, the secretary of the state board of agriculture, and the president of the faculty of the college shall be, ex-officiis, members of the board of trustees. The number of ap- pointive trustees shall never exceed fourteen. Section 3. The powers and duties heretofore conferred and imposed upon the trustees of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, are hereby conferred and imposed upon the trustees of the state institution, the Mas- sachusetts Agricultural College, who shall manage and administer any grant or devise of land, and any gift or bequest of money or other personal property, made to the commonwealth for the use of said institution, and shall carry out said trusts, and shall invest the proceeds thereof in notes or bonds secured by good and suflBcient mortgages or other securities. All property now held by the corporation, the Massachusetts Agricultural College, upon special trusts shall bp managed and administered by said trustees in behalf of the commonwealth in accordance with the provisions of such special trusts. Secjtion 4. All expenditures for the maintenance of the institution shall be authorized by a majority of the trustees, or by a majority of a duly appointed committee of the trustees. Complete records and files of the pay rolls and bills shall be kept in the oflSce of the treasurer. A com- plete accounting of all receipts and expenditures of the institution from aU sources shall be made by the trustees to the governor annually. There shall be a complete audit of the accounts of the institution, including all receipts and expenditures, under the direction of the trustees at least twice a year, and also under the direction of the auditor of the common- wealth, whenever he may deem it proper. Monthly statements of re- ceipts and expenditures shall be rendered by the treasurer to the auditor. The expenditure of special appropriations shall be under the direction and control of the trustees, and shall be accounted for in the same manner as appropriations for maintenance. Section 5. AU employees of the institution shall be considered state employees, but shall not be subject to the civil service laws and regula- tions. Section 6. All acts and parts of acts which apply to the present Mas- sachusetts Agricultural College shall continue in force and apply to the Massachusetts Agricultural College hereby created so far as they are not inconsistent with this act. Section 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May SI, 1918. 61 Genekai, Acts, Chapteb 273. An Act to provide for the Appointment in Certain Counties of Trustees for County Aid to Agriculture. Section 1. In each county, except Suffolk and except counties main- taining vocational agricultural schools, the county commissioners shall, on or before the first day of October, nineteen hundred and eighteen, appoint an unpaid board of nine trustees to be known as trustees for county aid to agriculture, three of whom shall serve for one year, three for two years, and three for three years from the first day of April in the current year, and thereafter, as the term of each trustee expires, or as a vacancy occurs, the county commissioners shall appoint a successor for a term of three years from the first day of April in the year of the appointment, or for the un- expired term. All of said trustees shall be residents of the county in which they are appointed, and four, so far as possible shall be taken from the directors, chosen as hereinafter provided, of such cities or towns as have appropriated funds toward carrying out the provisions of this act. Choice of the aforesaid directors shall be made in such towns at the annual town meeting at which the appropriation is made, or at the next succeeding annual meeting whenever the appropriation is made at a special meeting, and in such cities, by the mayor and aldermen, or body exercising similar powers, not later than fifteen days following the vote authorizing the appropriation. The said directors shall serve for such terms as the ap- pointing authority in cities and the voters in towns shall determine. Section 2. The trustees may on behalf of the county, receive and apply to the purposes of this act money appropriated therefor by any county, city or town, or by the federal government, and may control the expenditure thereof either solely or in conjunction with representatives or agents of the commonwealth or of the United States, or of any depart- ment, commission, board or institution created under the statutes of the commonwealth or under an act of congress. The trustees may enter into agreements, arrangements or undertakings with any such departments, commissions, boards and institutions, relative to extension work with adults and with boys and girls in agriculture, home-making and country life. Section 3. The said trustees shall maintain one or more agents or instructors in agriculture, home-making and country life, who shall meet the residents of the county individually and in groups for the purpose of teaching and demonstrating better practice in agriculture and home- making, the benefits to be derived from cooperative efforts, better methods of marketing farm products and the organization of conununities to build up country life. Section 4. The trustees shall annually prepare a budget, and submit the same to the coimty commissioners not later than the last Wednesday in December, containing a detailed estimate of all sums required by them for carrying out the purposes of this act during the ensuing year. The county commissioners shall include in their annual estimate of county expenses to 62 be appropriated by the general court and raised by the annual county tax levy such sums as they may deem necessary to meet one half of the re- quirements of the trustees during said year: provided that county funds shall be paid to the said trustees to the extent only and upon their certifi- cate that a like amount has been received by them from other sources, including funds received under the provisions of section two. Section 5. Any city or town may in the manner in which land may be acquired for school purposes, acquire, by purchase or otherwise, real estate for the purpose of carrying on, under the direction of the agents or in- structors of said trustees, demonstration work in agriculture and hoine- making, and may, in the manner provided by law for making appropria- tions for municipal purposes, appropriate money to be expended by said trustees for the purposes of this act, or for the purpose of enabling the trustees to acquire necessary real estate, or for the support of demonstra- tion work, under the direction of the agents or instructors or of the trustees, on land owned by the city or town or by any resident thereof. Section 6. Chapter seven hundred and seven of the acts of nineteen himdred and fourteen is hereby repealed. Section 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May SI, 1918. C. Legislation relating to the Retirement of Teachers IN THE Public Schools and in the Training Schools UNDER THE BoARD OF EDUCATION. 1915. General Acts, Chaptek 197. An Act relative to the Retirement System for Public School Teachers. Section 1. Section five of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, is hereby amended by adding thereto the following new paragraph: — (4) Members of the re- tirement association, established by chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, as amended, who enter the service of the public schools shall have the full amount of their contri- butions, together with such interest as shall have been earned thereon, transferred by the treasurer of the commonwealth to the annuity fund established by paragraph (2) of this section, and these amounts shall thereby become a part of their assessments. Section 2. Section six of said chapter eight hundred and thirty-two is hereby amended by adding thereto the following new paragraph: — (7) In determining the retiring allowance of a member of the teachers' re- tirement association who prior to the first day of June, nineteen hundred and twelve, had been regularly employed by the commonwealth; credit shall be given in the manner provided for by paragraph (5) of this section, 63 for all such periods of employment rendered prior to the first day of June, nineteen hundred and twelve: provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to any person becoming a member of the teachers' retirement association, after the first day of July, nineteen hundred and fifteen, who, at the time of entering the service of the public schools, was not a member of the retirement association established by chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven. Sections. The paragraph headed "^1. i^e/wmZs. — (a) " of section six of chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, as amended, by chapter five hundred and eighty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by inserting in said paragraph, after the word "death", the words: — or to enter the service of the public schools as defined by para- graph (5) of section one of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, — so that said paragraph will read as follows: — (2) A. Refunds. — (a). Should a member of the association cease to be an employee of the commonwealth for any cause other than death, or to enter the service of the public schools as defined by paragraph (5) of section one of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, before becoming entitled to a pension, there shall be refunded to him all the money paid in by him under section five, (2) A, with such interest as shall have been earned thereon. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April 22, 1915. General Acts, Chaptek 198. An Act relative to the Retirement System for the Employees of the Com- monwealth. Section 1. Paragraph (/) of section one of chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, as amended by chapter three hundred and sixty-three of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and twelve and by chapter five hundred and sixty-eight of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, is hereby further amended by adding at the end of said paragraph the words : — In the case of em- ployees who before entering the service of the commonwealth had been regularly employed as teachers in public schools, as defined by paragraphs (4) and (5) of section one of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, aU periods of such employ- ment rendered prior to July first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, shall be counted as a part of the continuous service for the purposes of this act: provided, however, that this clause shall not apply to employees entering the service of the commonwealth after July first, nineteen hundred and four- teen, who are not members of the teachers' retirement association estab- lished by said chapter eight hundred and thirty-two. Section 2. Paragraph (2) A of section five of said chapter five hundred 64 and thirty-two is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the follow- ing paragraph: — Members of the teachers' retirement association, estab- lished by chapter eight hmidred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, who enter the service of the commonwealth shall have the full amount of their contributions, with interest thereon as determined by the teachers' retirement board, transferred by the treasurer of the commonwealth to the retirement fund established by chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, as amended, and these amounts shall thereby become a part of their de- posits. Section 3. Paragraph (1) of section seven of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hmidred and thirteen is hereby amended by inserting after the word "schools", in the second line, the words: — except for the purpose of entering the service of the com- monwealth, — so as to read as follows: — (1) Any member of the retire- ment association withdrawing from service in the public schools, except for the purpose of entering the service of the commonwealth, before be- coming eligible to retirement shall be entitled to receive from the annuity fund all amounts contributed as assessments, together with regular interest thereon, in the manner hereinafter provided. Section 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved April SS, 1915. 1916. General Acts, Chapter 54. An Act relative to the Retirement of Teachers and Other Employees in Training Schools maintained under the Direction oi the Board of Education. Section 1. All persons employed as teachers in training schools main- tained and controlled by the board of education shall be considered as public school teachers for the purposes of chapter eight hundred and thirty- two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen and acts in , amendment thereof and in addition thereto, and such a teacher upon be- coming a member of the Teachers' Retirement Association shall thereafter pay to the Teachers' Annuity Fund assessments based upon his total salary including the part paid by the commonwealth: provided, that the total assessments shall not exceed one hundred dollars in any one year. Such assessments shall be deducted in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the teachers' retirement board. Nothing herein contained shall apply to teachers regularly employed in the normal schools who de- vote some time to training school work, and are therefore subject to the provisions of chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and acts in amendment thereof and in addi- tion thereto. Section 2. Teachers now members of the association established by chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hun- 65 dred and eleven and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, who, under the provisions of this act, become members of the retirement association established by chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen, and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto, shall have the full amount of their con- tributions, together with such interest as shall have been earned thereon, transferred in the manner prescribed by chapter one hundred and ninety- seven of the General Acts of the year nineteen himdred and fifteen. Section 3. All other persons employed in the training schools main- tained and controlled by the board of education in buildings owned by the commonwealth shall be considered employees of the commonwealth for the purposes of chapter five hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and eleven, and acts in amendment thereof and in addition thereto. All other persons employed in the training schools maintained and controlled by the board of education in buildings not owned by the commonwealth shall not be considered employees of the commonwealth for the purposes of said act. Section 4. This act shall take effect on the first day of July, nineteen hundred and sixteen. [Approved March 21, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 60. An Act relative to Refunds to Members of the Teachers' Retirement As- sociation who withdraw from the Service of the Public Schools. Section 1. Section seven of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (2) and inserting in place thereof the following new paragraph: — (2) If such withdrawal shall take place before six annual assessments have been paid, the total amount to which such member is entitled as determined by the retirement board under the provisions of this act may be paid to him in one sum. Section 2. Paragraph (3) of section seven of said chapter eight hun- dred and thirty-two is hereby amended by striking out the word "ten", in the first line, and inserting in place thereof the word: — six, — so as to read as follows: — (3) If such withdrawal shall take place after six annual assessments have been paid the amount so refimded shall be in the form of such annuity for life based on the contributions of such member, to- gether with regular interest thereon, as may be determined by the retire- ment board according to its annuity tables, or in four annual instalments, as such member may elect. Section 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved March 21, 1916. 66 General Acts, Chapter 75. An Act to prohibit the Pledge, Mortgage, Sale, Assignment or Transfer of Pensions granted by the Commonwealth or by Any County, City or Town. Any pledge, mortgage, sale, assigmnent, or transfer hereafter made of any right, claim, or interest in any pension which has been, or may here- after be granted by the commonwealth or by any county, city or town, shall be void and of no effect, and any person who shall be a party to such pledge, mortgage, sale, assignment or transfer of any right, claim, or in- terest in any pension, or pension certificate, which has been, or may here- after be granted or issued by the commonwealth or by any county, city or town, or who shall hold the same as collateral security for any debt or promise, or upon any pretext of such security or promise, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. [Approved March 24, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 88. An Act relative to Services rendered by Pensioners or Annuitants to Mu- nicipalities and Counties. Section one of chapter six hundred and fifty-seven of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by inserting after the word "county", in the second line, the words: — excepting teachers who are now receiving annuities not exceeding the sum of one hundred and eighty dollars per annum, — so as to read as follows: — Section 1. No person who now or hereafter receives a pension or an annuity from any city or town or any county, excepting teachers who are now receiving annuities not exceeding the sum of one hundred and eighty dollars per annum, shall be paid for any service, except service as a juror, rendered by him to said city, town or county after the date of the first payment of such pension or annuity. [Approved March SI, 1916. General Acts, Chapter 238. An Act relative to Certain Payments under the Retirement System for Public School Teachers. Section 1. Paragraph (6) of section seven of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following: — if, however, there is no executor or administrator of the estate of such deceased mem- ber, all sums due imder this paragraph, not exceeding one hundred doUars in any one case, may be paid to such person or persons as appear in the judgment of the retirement board to be entitled to the proceeds of the estate, and such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other person, — so that said paragraph will read as follows: — (6) If a member of the retirement association shall die before retirement, the full amount of his 67 contributions to the annuity fund with regular interest to the day of his death shall be paid to his legal representatives; if, however, there is no executor or administrator of the estate of such deceased member, all sums due under this paragraph, not exceeding one hundred dollars in any one case, may be paid to such person or persons as appear in the judgment of the retirement board to be entitled to the proceeds of the estate, and such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other person. Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved May 20, 1916. General Acts, Chapteb 257. An Act relative to the Retirement System for Public School Teachers. Section 1. Section one of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (6) and inserting in place thereof the following: — (6) "Regular interest" shall mean interest at the rate determined by the retirement board and shall be substantially that which is actually earned, which shall be compounded annually on the last day of December of each year. Section 2. Paragraph (5) of section six of said chapter eight hundred and thirty-two is hereby amended by striking out the words "regular interest", in the twentieth line, and inserting in place thereof the words: — three per cent interest compounded annually, — so as to read as fol- lows : — (5) Any teacher who shall have become a member of the retire- ment association under the provisions of paragraph numbered (2) of section three, and who shall have served fifteen years or more in the public schools of the commonwealth, not less than five of which shall immediately precede retirement, shall, on retiring as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section, be entitled to receive a retirement allowance as follows:— (a) such annuity and pension as may be due under the^ provisions of para- graphs numbered (3) and (4) of this section ; (6) an additional pension to such an amount that the sum of this additional pension and the pension provided in paragraph (4) of this section shall equal the pension to which he would have been entitled under the provisions of this act if he had paid thirty assessments on his average yearly wage for the fifteen years preceding his retirement and at the rate in effect at the time of his retire- ment: provided, (1) that if his term of service in the commonwealth shall have been over thirty years the thirty assessments shall be reckoned as having begun at the time of his entering service and as drawing three per cent interest compounded annually until the time of retirement; and further provided, (2) that if the sum of such additional pension together with the annuity and pension provided for by paragraphs numbered (3) and (4) of this section is less than three hundred dollars in any one year, an additional sum sufiicient to make an annual retirement allowance of three himdred dollars shall be paid from the pension fund. [Approved May H, 1916. 68 Resolves, Chapter 152. I Resolve providing for an Investigation by the Teachers' Retirement Board of the Subject of a Disability Retirement Allowance for Public School Teachers. Resolved, That the teachers' retirement board is hereby directed to in- vestigate the subject of providing for the retirement of public school teachers in cases of permanent disability. The board is authorized to expend for this purpose a sum not exceeding one hundred doUars, and is directed to report the results of its investigation to the next general court, with such recommendations as it may deem expedient, not later than the fifteenth day of January. [Approved June 1, 1916. 1917. General Acts, Chapter 233. An Act relative to the Retirement System for Public School Teachers. Section 1. Paragraph (2) of section one of chapter eight hundred and thirty-two of the acts of the year nineteen hundred and thirteen is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following: — "Annuities-cer- tain" shall mean payments for a definite number of years only, derived from contributions from teachers, and the number of years during which the payments shall be made shall be determined by the retirement board, — so as to read as follows: — (2) "Annuities" shall mean payments for life derived from contributions from teachers. "Annuities-certain" shall mean payments for a definite number of years only, derived from contri- butions from teachers, and the number of years during which the pay- ments shall be made shall be determined by the retirement board. Section 2. Sectjon six of said chapter eight hundred and thirty-two, as amended by section two of chapter one hundred and ninety-seven of the General Acts of the year nineteen hundred and fifteen, is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following paragraphs: — (8) Any member of the retirement association who has served twenty or more years in the public schools of the commonwealth and who, before attaining the age of sixty, by reason of physical or mental disability, becomes per- manently incapable of rendering satisfactory service as a teacher, may, with the approval of the retirement board, be retired by the employing school committee: provided, that he has served in the public schools of the commonwealth for the five consecutive years immediately preceding the date of his retirement. Periods of leave of absence or sickness shaU not be considered as breaking the continuity of the five consecutive years of service required by the provisions of this paragraph, but such periods of absence or sickness shall not be counted as service. (9) Any member of the retirement association shall, upon retirement under the provisions of paragraph (8) of this section, and during the con- 69 tinuance of disability, be entitled to receive from the annuity fund, in quarterly payments, a sum computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this section: provided, that upon the approval of the retirement board, an annuity-certain based upon the tables of the board may be substituted for either of the plans provided for in said paragraph, and in case of the death of the annuitant before all the instahnents-certain have been paid, the value at that time of the impaid instalments, as de- termined on the basis of the tables adopted by the retirement board, shall be paid to the legal representatives of the deceased member's estate; and further provided, that if no executor or administrator of the estate of such deceased member is appointed within three months after his death, all sums due under this paragraph, not exceeding one hundred dollars in any one case, may be paid to such person or persons as appear in the judgment of the retirement board to be entitled to the proceeds of the estate, and such pajonent shall be a bar to recovery by any other person. (10) Any member of the retirement association receiving a payment as provided in paragraph (9) of this section, shall, if not rendered ineligible therefor by the provisions of section twelve of this act, be entitled to re- ceive from the pension fund for each year of service a pension equal to one thirtieth of the pension which would have been due him under the provisions of this act if he had retired at the age of sixty, having paid thirty annual assessments to the annuity fund, and received an annuity computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3), option (a) of this section: provided, however, that the minimum annual anlount to be paid from the pension fund shall be such that a member shall receive from this fund, for each year of his service, one thirtieth of two hundred and fifty dollars; and further provided, that the total retiring allowance shall in no case be greater than the amount which the said member would re- ceive if he were to continue in service until the age of sixty, contributing annual assessments based on the average salary received during the five years of service immediately preceding retirement, at the rate of assess- ment in effect at the time of retirement. (11) If a member is granted an annuity-certain by the retirement board, his total retiring allowance shall not be limited to the total retiring allow- ance which he would have received at the age of sixty, as provided in paragraph (10) of this section, but the amoimt to be paid from the pension fund shall be the amount which would have been paid from that fund if an annuity-certain had not been granted. (12) In computing the amount to be paid from the pension fund under the provisions of paragraph (10) of this section, the assumed assessments necessary to complete the thirty annual assessments shall be based on the average salary received during the five years of service immediately pre- ceding retirement, and shall be at the rate of assessment in effect at the time of retirement. Interest on the amount to the member's credit at the time of retirement and on the assumed assessments shall be figured at the rate of three per cent. 70 (13) No member of the retirement association shall be retired under the provisions of paragraph (8) of this section until the fact of his dis- ability has been certified to under oath by an examining physician selected by the employing school committee and approved by the retirement board, and until any further evidence of his disability which the retirement board may require shall have been furnished. (14) At intervals of not less than one year, any member of the retire- ment association receiving a retiring allowance under the provisions of this section, who has not attained the age of sixty, shall, if so requested by the retirement board, be re-examined by a physician selected by the retirement board. If the retirement board finds that disability which prevents satisfactory service as a teacher no longer exists, the retiring allowance shall cease. Refusal to submit to re-examination shall be cause for discontinuing the retiring allowance. (15) If a teacher ceases to receive a retiring allowance under the pro- visions of paragraph (14) of this section, the amount to his credit at that time in the annuity fund shall be determined on the basis of tables adopted by the retirement board, and the said amount shall be considered for the purposes of this act to constitute the sum of his assessments, with the regular interest allowed thereon, to the time when his retiring allowance ceased. (16) Any member of the retirement association who shall cease to receive a retiring allowance under the provisions of paragraph (14) of this section, who does not re-enter the service of the public schools, and who does not withdraw the amount to his credit in the annuity fund, may, upon attaining the age of sixty, receive a retiring allowance computed in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of this section, or may, before attaining the age of sixty, under conditions to be determined by the re- tirement board, upon request and after an interval of one year, be entitled to further re-examination by a physician selected by the retirement board, and if disability contracted during service as a public school teacher is found to exist, shall again be entitled to receive a retiring allowance under the provisions of paragraphs (9) and (10) of this section. Section 3. This act shall take effect on the first day of July, nineteen hundred and seventeen. [Approved May 9, 1917. Cornell University Library arW37812 Educational legislation enacted in 1915 3 1924 031 801 701 olin.anx