act as sheriff. He is the only man in the county who can serve legal papers on a sheriff. 299. SUPERINTENDENT The County Superin OF SCHOOLS tendent of Schools is elected every two years to superintend the schools of the county, and to do other work connected with the betterment and administration of the schools. The work of supervising the schools consists of a multitude of acts which cannot be enumerated, for every person who fills such an office has ideas and plans which no other person may have, but in the mind of every good superintendent is one supreme purpose, namely, the betterment of the schools of the county, which is a way of saying, the placing of the schools in such a condition that they will give the best possible education to our pupils. Among the duties of school supervision may be named, school visitation, proper classification of pupils, plans for securing co-operation and enthusiasm of pupils, the securing of efficient and the elimination of incompetent teachers, providing necessary and desirable helps for the work, developing enthusiasm sufficient to maintain keen appetite for the work by both teacher and pupil clear to the end of the term, and the maintenance of ideals of culture such that the pupils, teachers and patrons of the whole county will receive from the office intellectual, industrial and moral uplift. In addition to the duties of supervision the Superintendent must examine the school property of the districts and recommend its repair and re newal, keep a careful and complete record of official acts, hold examinations for testing the abilities of applicants for positions as teachers, keep a complete register of the teachers employed, apportion moneys from the school fund among the several districts, and keep a careful record of same, hold teachers meetings, arrange for district school officers meetings, examine the books of district officers and assist them in keeping their books, yearly take a school census of the children of the county, hold special examinations and grant special certificates, revoke certificates for cause and make an annual report to the State Superintendent gleaned from the reports which come to him from every school officer and teacher in the county. He is required to visit every school in the county at least once each year, or to forfeit ten dollars from his last month's salary for each one he does not visit. He is a member, for his county, of the state board of appraisment which fixes the sale values of school lands. The salary is based upon the population and assessed valuation of the county but cannot exceed one thousand five hundred dollars per year. 300. CONSTABLES serves papers. A Constable is an officer who, like a sheriff, makes arrests and There are usually four to each county, and it is customary to have each part of the county represented so that a peace officer may be secured quickly in case of need. The jurisdiction of a Constable is limited to the service, within his own county, of papers issued by a justice of the peace, and he is not qualified, under the law, to serve summons or serve process in the circuit court. 301. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE A Justice of the Peace is an officer of a county whose duties and jurisdiction are defined un der the topic, Justice Courts. Questions for Review and Research. 1. Define a body politic. 2. A body corporate. 3. What is the difference between counties in our state and the New England States? 4. What are some of the important things that the county accomplishes? 5. From what source does the county get its authority to do its work? 6. How many departments of government has the city? 7. Which is the more important? 8. How are counties formed? 9. How named? 10. How many counties in South Dakota? 11. *Is all the territory of the state included in some county? 12. Are all counties organized? 13. How often are county officers elected? 14. For how many consecutive terms may county officers be elected? 15. Are there exceptions to this rule? 16. Are commissioners elected by the whole county or by districts? 17. What compensation do the commissioners receive? 18. What are the duties of the commissioners? 19. Who is the the clerk of the commissioners? 20. What duties does the Auditor perform? 21. What is meant by spreading the taxes? 22. The treasurer collects the taxes for what civil organizations? 23. Give the duties of each of the following officers: Register of Deeds, State's Attorney, County Judge, Clerk of Courts, Sheriff, Surveyor, Coroner and County Superintendent. |