Page:The Federal and state constitutions v5.djvu/313

Rh each county shall be annually reported to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The General Assembly shall have power to provide for the election of Trustees of the University of North Carolina, in whom, when chosen, shall be vested all the privileges, rights, franchises and endowments thereof in anywise granted to or conferred upon the Trustees of said University; and the General Assembly may make such provisions, laws and regulations from time to time as may be necessary and expedient for the maintenance and management of said University.

The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of the University, as far as practicable, be extended to the youth of the State free of expense for tuition; also that all the property which has heretofore accrued to the State or shall hereafter accrue from escheats, unclaimed dividends or distributive shares of the estates of deceased persons, shall be appropriated to the use of the University.

The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Attorney-General shall constitute a State Board of Education.

The Governor shall be President and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be Secretary of the Board of Education.

The Board of Education shall succeed to all the powers and trusts of the President and Directors of the Literary Fund of North Carolina, and shall have full power to legislate and make all needful rules and regulations in relation to free public schools and the educational fund of the State; but all acts, rules and regulations of said Board may be altered, amended or repealed by the General Assembly, and when so altered, amended or repealed they shall not be re-enacted by the Board.

The first session of the Board of Education shall be held at the capital of the State within fifteen days after the organization of the State Government under this Constitution; the time of future meetings may be determined by the Board.

A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

The contingent expenses of the Board shall be provided by the General Assembly.

As soon as practicable after the adoption of this Constitution the General Assembly shall establish and maintain in connection with the University a department of agriculture, of mechanics, of mining and of normal instruction.

The General Assembly is hereby empowered to enact that every child of sufficient mental and physical ability shall attend the public schools during the period between the ages of six and eighteen years for a term of not less than sixteen months, unless educated by other means.

The personal property of any resident of this State to the value of five hundred dollars, to be selected by such resident, shall be and is hereby exempted from sale under execution or other final process of any court issued for the collection of any debt.