Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 13.djvu/215

 THIRTY—EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 156. 1864. 187 Cun. CLVI. - An Act to provide jbr the Public Instruction of Youth in the County of June 25, 1804. Washington, Dist:-sbt of Columbia, and for other Purposes. "-""" Be it enacted I4; the Senate and Ikmse of Representatives of the United States of America in Uongrass assembled, That the school districts in the scm,01 dis- County of Washington, District of Columbia, without the limits of the ¥*i¤*>¤ i¤ W”h· cities of Washington and Georgetown, shall be aud remain as now laid {ggn C°°°ty’ down according to law, subject to revision and alteration by the levy court of said county, and that the school commissioners now in office shall be and remain so until others are appointed. SEE:. 2. And be it further enacted, That the levy court shall anna- Cognmissioners ally, on the first Monday in May, appoint one person from each school °fhP“1’;‘f’·’Y district as a commissioner of primary schools, of which appointment the Sc Oo ’ clerk of the levy court shall immediately notify the person so appointed; and whenever a vacancy shall occur in the board of said commissioners, the levy court, as soon as may be thereafter, shall fill the same, and all appointments made by, or resolutions of said court concerning, said c0m— missiouers shall be forthwith communicated by the clerk of said court to the clerk of the said board of commissioners, and each of said commissioners shall hold the office until a successor is appointed. SE0. 3. And be it further enadcd, That each of the said commission- their oath; ers, before he enters upon ·the execution of his 0$ce,aud within fifteen days after notice of his appointment, shall take and subscribe, before some justice of the peace of said county, the following oath: “I, -—· —-, do solemnly swear (ur affirm, as the case may be) that I will in all things, to the best of my knowledge and ability, well and truly execute the trust reposed in me as commissioner of primary schools for the County of Washington, District of Columbia, without prejudice and according to law ;" and every justice of the peace, before whom such oath shall be taken, shall certify the same in writing, and within eight days thereafter transmit or deliver said eertihcate to the clerk of the levy court for record. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners and their fo bg 3 wm,. successors shall be a corporation, under the name and style of “The Board ¤¤¤<>¤2 of Commissioners of Primary Schools of Washington County, District of P02g;: md Columbia," with power to sue and be sued, and to take a11H hold, in feesimple, or otherwise, any estate, real or personal, not prohibited by law, which may be given to, or purchased by, the said board for primary-school purposes, and may alien and sell the same when, in the opinion of the levy court, it will be for the advantage of the said primary schools so to do ; and all money in hand, after defrayiug the whole expenses of the several school districts at the end of each school year, shall be invested in some safe stock in the name of said corporation, and in their corporate name said board may prosecute and maintain actions for injuries done to the grounds, houses, furniture, or other property in their possession. S20. 5. And be it fuwher enacted, That the said board of commis- Commissioners siouers shall make and keep a record of all its oililcial acts, and a strict and g‘°c1{°°P "°°°’d“¤ particular account of all moneys received or paid out by its order, 2. state- " ment of which, with the vouchers relating thereto, as well as the record of the board, shall be subject at all times to the inspection of the levy court of said county, and to any tax-payer; and said record, or a. copy thereof} certified to be correct by any one of said commissioners, attested by thesignature of the clerk of said board, shall be prima facie evidence of their acts in all proceedings, judicial or otherwise; and the said board shall appoint to appoint a capable person as their clerk, (who may be one of their own members, derk; or otherwise,) prescribe his duties, and allow him a reasonable compensation for his services. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, _That the said board of commis- tohold stated sioners shall hold stated meetings in January, April, July, and October, m°°"“g‘· of each and every year, at such times and places as they may appoint,