7ST 
 
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 Schools of the Town of Canton. 
 
 ADOPTED JUNE 7, 1869. 
 
 BOSTON; 
 
 William Bense, Printei^ 
 
 No. 8 Congress Square, 
 1869. 
 
RULES 
 
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 Schools of the Town of Canton. 
 
 ADOPTED JUNE 7, 186 9. 
 
 BOSTON; 
 
 William j3ense, Printef^ 
 
 No. 8 Congress Squark, 
 1869. 
 
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 iOV IS 1901 
 
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 CHAPTER I. — Organization. 
 
 Section 1. At the regular meeting in April, each year, the 
 Board shall elect by ballot for the ensuing year, a Chairman, 
 a Secretary, and a Standing Committee of three members, on 
 Text Books. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Town shall be divided into Districts, compris- 
 ing each one school-house and the pupils who may be designated 
 by the Board to attend the schools therein ; and there shall be 
 elected, at the meeting for organization, each year, a Sub-Com- 
 mittee for each School District ; and for the purposes of this 
 section the High-School shall be counted as a District. 
 
 Sect. 3. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held on 
 the evening of the first Monday of each month, except August ; 
 and except, also, that the regular meethig in March shall be 
 held on the third Monday ; and special meetings may be called 
 whenever they are necessary. 
 
 Sect. 4. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum ; 
 but a less number may vote to send for absent members, to call 
 the roll and record the names of the absentees, and to adjourn. 
 
 CHAPTER n. — Chairman. 
 
 Sect. 1. The Chairman shall call the Board to order at the 
 hour appointed for meeting, and cause the records of the last 
 meeting to be read as soon as a quorum is present. Business 
 shall proceed in the following order, unless the Board otherwise 
 direct : 
 
1. Unfinished business of preceding meetings. 
 
 2. Election of teachers, in the order of the Districts. 
 
 3. Reports of Committees and Superintendent. 
 
 4. Motions, orders, resolutions, petitions, &c. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Chairman shall preserve order in the meetings ; 
 and he shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal 
 to the Board by any member, which appeal shall be decided 
 forthwith ; he may speak on points of order in preference to 
 other members. 
 
 Sect. 3. The Chairman may, and at the request of two 
 members shall, call special meetings of the Board, but not on 
 less than twenty-four hours' notice. 
 
 CHAPTER III. — Board. 
 
 Sect. 1. Motions shall be submitted in writing, if the Chair- 
 man or any member of the Board request it. 
 
 Sect. 2. The action of the Board on any question may be 
 reconsidered at the same meeting by a majority of the members 
 present ; but at a subsequent meeting a majority of the whole 
 Board shall be required. 
 
 Sect. 3. Every member present shall vote, unless excused 
 by the Board. 
 
 Sect. 4. No rule of the Board or regulation of the Schools 
 shall be suspended, except by the vote of three-fourths of the 
 members present, unless the motion therefor has lain on the 
 table at least one week. 
 
 Sect. 5. All bills except teachers' salaries, shall be audited 
 by the Board, and when passed, shall be approved by the Chair- 
 man and Secretary. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. — Duties of Committees. 
 
 Sect. 1. The Committee on Text Books shall consider every 
 application to introduce a new text-book into the schools, and 
 if favorably impressed therewith, they shall notify the Board 
 
5 
 
 and see that a copy thereof is furnished every member for ex- 
 amination, as a condition of its being considered by the Board. 
 And said Committee shall thoroughly examine such text-book, 
 and report to the Board. Annually, in the month of March, 
 they shall examine the course of studies prescribed for the 
 schools, and recommend to the Board, at the meeting in April, 
 such changes in the text-books, and such improvements in the 
 course of instruction as they may deem expedient. They shall 
 have the exclusive authority to purchase and furnish all sta- 
 tionery, blanks, record-books, and diplomas, all authorized 
 books of reference, globes, maps, charts, and all other articles 
 or conveniences required by the Board, its officers, or the public 
 scliools, except as hereinafter otherwise provided. They shall 
 annually contract with one or more responsible persons, to 
 furnish the text-books necessary to carry out the provisions of 
 the General Statutes, chap, xxxviii. sect. 29 and 30, and see 
 that they are fully complied w^ith. They shall prepare and 
 present to the Board, at the regular meeting in March, annu- 
 ally, an accurate account of all expenses incurred in carrying 
 out the provisions of this section, together with such informa- 
 tion as will enable the Board to comply with the requirements 
 of General Statutes, chap, xxxviii. sect. 31. 
 
 Sect. 2. The Sub-Committees shall have the custody and 
 management of the school-houses, and the property in and 
 about tlie same belonging to the town in their respective Dis- 
 tricts, subject to the control of the Board; shall purchase 
 all fuel and other articles necessary to a proper care of the 
 school houses ; shall notify the Board of any repairs or alter- 
 ations that may be necessary ; and shall superintend such 
 repairs and alterations as shall be authorized by the Board. 
 They shall especially interest themselves in the welfare of the 
 schools in their respective districts ; co-operate with the Super- 
 intendent in classifying the pupils ; advise instructors in any 
 emergency in the absence of the Superintendent; and report all 
 matters of importance to the Board. They shall approve all bills 
 for teachers' salaries in their respective Districts, and present 
 all other bills for api)roval to the Board ; keep accurate ac- 
 counts of all expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of 
 
6" 
 
 this section, and report the same to tlie Board at the regular 
 meeeting in March annually, witli estimates for probable repairs, 
 alterations, and other expenditures for the ensuing year. 
 
 CHAPTER V. — Duties op Secretary. 
 
 Sect. 1 . The Secretary shall keep a permanent record-book, 
 in which shall be recorded the proceedings of the Board, all 
 business transacted, and all votes and orders adopted, and shall 
 keep a list of all bills approved by the Board. He shall have 
 charge of all documents, papers, and files of the Board. 
 
 Sect. 2. He shall prepare the annual returns required by 
 law, and transmit them to the Secretary of State. 
 
 Sect. 3. He shall notify all meetings of the Board ; inform 
 teachers of their election, and transmit to members of the Board, 
 Committees, teachers, or other persons to whom they properly 
 belong, copies of votes, resolutions, or documents. He shall 
 also transmit to the Chairman of the Selectmen, immediately 
 after their passage, attested copies of all votes of the Board estab- 
 lishing or altering salaries, and shall perform such other duties 
 as the School Committee may prescribe. 
 
 Sect. 4. If the term of office of the Secretary, as a member 
 of this Board, shall expire with the year, the Board, at its last 
 meeting, shall appoint a Secretary pro ^em.,who shall notify the 
 remaining members and those newly elected of the first meeting 
 for the new year. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. — Election of Teachers. 
 
 Sect. 1. The annual election of teachers shall be held at the 
 regular meeting in March, and shall be made by ballot, and the 
 votes of two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary to 
 an election. 
 
 Sect. 2. All examinations and elections oi teachers, except 
 the annual election, shall be made at such time or times as the 
 
Board may determine ; and notice thereof shall be given, and 
 applications received, in such manner as the Board may direct. 
 Sect. 3. No teacher shall be removed from office except at 
 a meeting of the Board called for that purpose. 
 
 CHAPTER YII. — Duties op the Superintendent. 
 
 Sect. 1. Whenever the town shall require the Committee to 
 choose a Superintendent of Public Schools, he shall be elected 
 by ballot, at the meeting of the Board in April, for the next 
 ensuing school year. 
 
 Sect. 2, He shall devote himself to the study of the Public 
 School system, and keep himself acquainted with the progress 
 of instruction and discipline in other places, in order to suggest 
 appropriate means for the advancement of the public schools in 
 this town, and see that the regulations of the Board in regard 
 to these schools are carried into full effect. 
 
 Sect. 3. He shall visit each school once a month, in accord- 
 ance with the statutes of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of 
 satisfying himself as to the condition of the schools, the fidelity 
 of the teachers, the course of instruction pursued, the discipline 
 preserved, the proficiency of the scholars, and generally con- 
 cerning the welfare of the schools. He shall co-operate with 
 the Committee in the examination of all the schools at the close 
 of the fall and winter terms. 
 
 Sect. 4. He shall arbitrate in case of any difficulty between 
 instructors, or between instructors and parents, though the 
 parties may appeal to the Board if they desire to do so. He 
 shall advise the teachers on the best methods of instruction and 
 discipline ; and to promote this object he may hold occasional 
 meetings of the teachei's, and is authorized to dismiss the 
 schools one half day, semi-annually, for this purpose. 
 
 Sect. 5. He shall make investigation as to the number and 
 the condition of the children of the town who are not attending 
 the public schools, and shall endeavor to ascertain the reasons, 
 and suggest and apply the remedies. 
 
Sect. 6. He shall attend the meetings of the Board, and 
 make a verbal report at each regular meeting, or oftener, if 
 required ; and at the regular meeting in December and March, 
 a detailed report in writing, giving an account of the schools he 
 has visited and the other duties he has performed, together 
 with such facts and suggestions relating to the condition of the 
 schools and the increase of their usefulness and efficiency as he 
 may deem advisable ; and these reports shall be referred to a 
 special committee of the Board, appointed at the meeting in 
 March, who shall make from them such selections, and shall 
 add thereto such suggestions and remarks as they may deem 
 expedient. When accepted by the Board, the report of this 
 special committee shall be printed as the Annual Report of the 
 School Committee. He shall perform such other duties as the 
 School Committee shall prescribe, or from time to time direct. 
 
 CHAPTER yni. — General Regulations of the Schools. 
 Duties op Teachers. 
 
 Sect. 1. All teachers in the public schools are required to 
 make themselves familiar with these Regulations ; and the least 
 violation of any one of them shall be considered a fair ground of 
 complaint against any teacher. 
 
 Sect. 2. The morning exercises of all the schools shall com- 
 mence with reading the Bible ; and it is recommended that the 
 reading be followed by prayer. 
 
 Sect. 3. The teachers shall devote themselves earnestly and 
 exclusively to the duties of the school-room during the school 
 term and school hours established by the Committee, and no 
 absence shall be allowable, except for sickness, without permis- 
 sion obtained from the Sub-Committee, and previous notice to 
 the Superintendent. 
 
 Sect. 4. When a teacher is absent on account of sickness 
 for more than one day, the bill shall not be allowed for the time 
 of absence, except by a special vote of the Board. 
 
 Sect. 5. Teachers shall have the privilege of taking one day 
 in each term to visit other schools. 
 
9 
 
 Sect. 6. It shall be the duty of the teachers to see that the 
 fires are made in tune to warm their respective school-rooms 
 before the hour appointed for opening their schools ; and also 
 that the school-rooms, entries, and out-houses are kept in a neat 
 condition. 
 
 Sect. 7. Teachers shall aim at such discipline in their 
 schools as would be exercised by a kind and judicious parent in 
 his family, and shall avoid corporal punishment in all cases 
 where good order can be preserved by milder measures. And 
 it shall be the duty of the several teachers to keep a record of 
 all instances of inflicting corporal punishment, which they shall 
 exhibit to the Superintendent at eacli monthly visitation, when 
 said record shall be erased. 
 
 Sect. 8. It shall be the duty of all the teachers to give 
 vigilant attention to the ventilation and temperature of their 
 respective school rooms. A regular system of ventilation shall 
 be practised, in winter as well as in summer ; and the tempera- 
 ture of the rooms shall be kept as nearly as possible at 66 deg. 
 Fahrenheit. 
 
 Sect. 9. The teachers shall carefully observe and follow that 
 requirement of the State Laws, which enjoins it upon " all 
 instructors of youth to exert their best endeavors to impress 
 on the minds of children and youth committed to their care 
 and instruction, the principles of piety and justice, and a 
 sacred regard to truth ; love of their country, humanity, and 
 universal benevolence ; sobriety, industry, and frugality ; 
 chastity, moderation, and temperance, and those other virtues 
 which are the ornament of human society, and the basis upon 
 which a republican constitution is founded ; and it shall be the 
 duty of such instructors to endeavor to lead their pupils, as 
 their ages and capacities will admit, into a clear understandino- 
 of the tendency of the above-mentioned virtues to preserve and 
 perfect a republican constitution, and secure the blessings of 
 liberty, as well as to promote their future happiness ; and also 
 to point out to them the evil tendency of the opposite vices." 
 
 Sect. 10. It shall be the duty of the several teachers to 
 exercise, so far as practicable, a general inspection over their 
 pupils while going to school and returning home ; and the 
 
10 
 
 principals of the several grammar schools shall, in addition to 
 their present powers, have jurisdiction over all the scholars 
 belonging to their several buildings, so far as the preservation 
 of order and good conduct in and about the school-house is 
 concerned. 
 
 Sect. 11. Any teacher may exclude from school for the time 
 being, any pupil who shall exhibit habitual disobedience to the 
 rules of the school, or who shall be known to be guilty of habit- 
 ual immoralities, or habitual rudeness, or impropriety of man- 
 ners ; and the teacher shall immediately inform the pai-ent or 
 guardian of the child of such exclusion, and shall apply to the 
 Superintendent for advice and direction. The Superintendent 
 may prescribe any temporary exclusion which may be desirable, 
 and such scholar shall be admitted to no other school without 
 the vote of the Board, and the Superintendent shall report all 
 such cases at the meeting of the Board next following the 
 expulsion ; and no permanent expulsion shall be made except 
 by the Board. 
 
 Sect. 12. The teachers of all the schools shall be required 
 to fill up with accuracy the blanks prepared for school returns, 
 and to hand the same to the Superintendent, duly signed, at 
 the close of each term ; and accompany them with such sug- 
 gestions in writing as may seem to deserve the attention of the 
 Committee, and to be for the welfare of their schools. 
 
 Sect. 13. The doors of the several school-houses and school- 
 rooms shall be opened, and the teachers shall be present for 
 the reception of the scholars, at least fifteen minutes before the 
 time fixed for the schools to begin. The teachers shall require 
 the scholars to be in their seats, and shall commence and close 
 the exercises of the schools punctually at the prescribed hours. 
 
 Sect. 14. No teacher shall make any purchase at the expense 
 of the town, without first obtaining the consent of the Sub- 
 Committee. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. — Duties of Pupils. 
 
 Sect. 1. No pupil or other person shall cut, deface, defile, 
 or otherwise injure the school buildings or furniture thereof, or 
 
11 
 
 the fences, trees, shrubbery, or any other property thereto be- 
 longing ; and any pupil or other person suspected of being 
 guilty of such an offence shall be reported forthwith by the 
 teacher to the Sub-Committee. 
 
 Sect. 2. No child who conies to school without proper atten- 
 tion having been given to the cleanliness of his person and of 
 his dress, or whose clothes have not been properly repaired, 
 shall be permitted to remain in school, but shall be sent home 
 to be prepared for school in a proper manner. 
 
 Sect. 3. Tardiness shall be subject to such penalty as in 
 each case the teacher may think proper. Pupils absent from 
 school must, on returning, bring an excuse for such absence ; 
 and any pupil absent for more than four days in any month, 
 for any cause other than sickness or family bereavement, shall 
 be reported to the Superintendent at the next monthly visitation, 
 and no pupils so reported shall be allowed to remain in the 
 school unless by the consent of the Superintendent, from whose 
 decision parties may appeal to the Board. Every pupil, wishing 
 on any day to be dismissed before the close of the session, must 
 assign satisfactory reasons therefor, and obtain the consent of 
 the teacher. Teachers having charge of pupils who are habit- 
 ually truant, shall, with the approval of the Superintendent, 
 report their names, residences, and the names of their parents 
 or guardians, to the truant officers of the town. 
 
 Sect. 4. Children not less than five years of age, may be 
 admitted into the Primary Department without an examination. 
 
 Sect. 5. No pupil shall be admitted into any school without 
 first exhibiting to the teacher satisfactory evidence of vaccina- 
 tion ; but such evidence shall not be required of pupils who go 
 from one public school in the town to another. 
 
 Sect. 6. Every scholar in the Primary Schools shall be 
 provided with a slate, and shall employ the time not otherwise 
 occupied, in drawing, printing, or writing. 
 
 Sect. 7. The school year shall begin on the first IMonday in 
 April, and end on the day next preceding the first Monday in 
 April following. It shall consist of three terms; the first term 
 to begin on the third Monday in April; the second term to begin 
 
12 
 
 on the Monday after the close of the summer vacation ; and the 
 third term to begin on tlie first Monday after Thanksgiving. 
 
 Sect. 8. The several schools shall commence at 9 o'clock 
 A. M. and 1^ p. M., from April to September ; and at 9 o'clock 
 A. M, and 1 P. M., from September to April ; provided, however, 
 that other hours may be substituted by the respective Sub-Com- 
 mittees when the convenience of pupils and parents may render 
 it expedient, subject to the approval of the board. These 
 hours shall not be altered without permission of the Sub-Com- 
 mittees. 
 
 Sect. 9. There shall be a recess of fifteen minutes in length 
 during each half-day ; and every pupil shall be allowed his full 
 recess ; although he may, for punishment, not be permitted to 
 take it at the regular time with tlie school ; and in addition to 
 the usual recesses, there shall be, in the Primary Schools of the 
 lowest grade, two intermissions of study, of five minutes each, 
 in each half-day ; the first intermission to take place midway 
 between the opening of school and the recess ; and the second 
 intermission midway between the recess and the close of the 
 session. 
 
 CHAPTER X. — Vacations and Holidays. 
 
 Sect. 1. There shall be the following holidays and vaca- 
 tions : 
 
 Every Saturday; Washington's Birthday; Fast Day; the 
 Fourth of July ; the six weeks immediately preceding the first 
 Monday in September ; Thanksgiving week ; Christmas Day ; 
 and the five weeks immediately preceding the third Monday in 
 April ; and the Chairman of the Board is authorized to suspend 
 the schools on such public occasions as he may think proper, 
 not exceeding three days in the year. No other holidays shall 
 be allowed, except by special vote of the Board ; and no school 
 shall be suspended on any other occasion, except for special and 
 important reasons relating to a particular school, and then only 
 by express permission of the Sub-Committee. 
 
13 
 CHAPTER XL — Miscellaneous. 
 
 Sect. 1. Xo subscription or contribution, for any purpose 
 whatever, shall be introduced into any public school. No per- 
 son shall read to the pupils in any school, or post upon the 
 walls of any school building, or fences of the same, any adver- 
 tisement. Nor shall any agent or other person be permitted 
 to enter any school for the purpose of exhibiting either to 
 teacher or pupil, any new book or article of apparatus. 
 
 Sect. 2. The school-houses shall not be opened or used for 
 any other purpose than the regular instruction of the public 
 schools, except under the direction of the Sub-Committees re- 
 spectively. 
 
 Sect. 3. The text books used and the studies pursued in all 
 the public schools shall be such and such only as may be au- 
 thorized by the Board. The several teachers shall be at liberty 
 to avail themselves of such books as they may deem useful for 
 the purpose of illustration and example ; but the pupils shall 
 not be required to furnish themselves with any but the pre- 
 scribed text-books. It shall be the duty of the teachers to keep 
 a list of all the books supplied to the pupils by the town, and to 
 take charge of all such books when such pupils shall leave the 
 school, and to furnish the books again, upon the order of the 
 Committee, to any other pupils needing them. 
 
 Sect. 4. Written Compositions shall be required of all the 
 pupils in the High and Grammar Schools. 
 
 Sect. 5. Declamations shall be required of all the boys in 
 the High and Grammar Schools. 
 
 Sect. 6. Singing and Gymnastics shall be practised daily in 
 all the schools. 
 
 CHAPTER XH. — High School. 
 
 Sect. 1. The examination of candidates for admission to the 
 High School, to be conducted by the Board, shall take place in 
 the last week of the Spring vacation, and at such other time as 
 the Board may order. 
 
14 
 
 Sect. 2. The Principal of each Grammar School or Mixed 
 School shall notify those members of his own first class to whom 
 he can give a certificate of good moral character and presumed 
 literary qualifications, to appear at the High-School room on 
 the day appointed, when they shall present their certificates 
 to the Chairman of the Board. No books, manuals, private 
 explanations, or communication by one pupil to another will be 
 allowed. 
 
 Sect, 3. Candidates shall be examined in all the studies 
 pursued in the Grammar Schools of the Town. 
 
 Sect. 4. Special applicants may be admitted if they are found 
 qualified in the studies required for admission, and also in the 
 studies of the classes they propose to join. 
 
 Sect. 5, Any pupils who through neglect or idleness shall 
 render, in the course of three months, less than seventy-five 
 per cent, of perfect lessons upon the whole number of lessons 
 required, shall be reported to the Superintendent. 
 
 Sect. 6. Every pupil who shall have completed the pre- 
 scribed course of study in this school shall receive a diploma. 
 
 Sect. 7. All the Regulations of Chapters VIII., IX., X., and 
 XI., excepting sections 4 and 6, Chapter IX., shall apply to the 
 High School. 
 
LiBRftRV OF CONFESS 
 
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