SECTION 1. The following act as passed by the general assembly in June, 1823, and amended in June, 1827, and June, 1834, and now amended, shall continue in force: Whereas it has been made to appear to this general assembly upon the representation of Titus Weeks, Esq., executor of the last will and testament of Abraham Touro, Esq., of the city of Boston, in the state of Massachusetts, that the said Abraham by his last will bequeathed a legacy in the following words, viz.: "Item.I give ten thousand dollars to the legislature of the state of Rhode Island for the purpose of supporting the Jewish synagogue in that state; in special trust to be appropriated to that object in such manner as the said legislature together with the municipal authority of the town of Newport may from time to time direct and appoint:" Therefore, SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That said legacy and trust be and hereby are accepted by the general assembly; and the general treasurer is authorized and directed to apply for and receive from said executor, the said legacy or donation of ten thousand dollars, to give all proper receipts and acquittances therefor upon receipt thereof, and as soon as possible to vest the same entire in the stock of some substantial bank or banks or in some of the United States stocks; and the certificates or evidences of such stock shall be carefully kept by said general treasurer in his office; and it shall be the duty of said general treasurer once in every year to report to the general assembly the state of said fund. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the city council of Newport may and it shall be their duty to cause all repairs to be made upon said synagogue buildings and premises, and upon the wall inclosing the Jewish burying-ground in Newport, appurtenant to said synagogue, which in their opinion may be necessary and proper; and whenever there shall be no person of the Jewish persuasion residing in Newport, and qualified and authorized to have the care and superintendence of said synagogue, said council shall appoint some suitable person or persons for that purpose, with such compensation as said council with the approbation of the general assembly shall think reasonable: Provided, that all accounts and charges for expenditures of every kind out of said fund shall be presented to the general assembly, and if approved of by them shall be paid by the general treasurer upon their order out of the interest or profits accruing on said fund; Provided, also, that nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize said city council or any other person whatever in any manner to interfere with or restrain the full and free exercise of the Jewish religion in said synagogue, by any individual of that faith residing in Newport, or to interrupt the possession, control and management with which the proprietors of said synagogue and premises, or any other persons according to the laws and customs of the Jews, may be invested. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of said city council, from time to time, as occasion shall present, to recommend to the general assembly such disposition of the profits of said fund, and such measures and provisions as in their opinion shall be best calculated to promote and fulfil the object and intention of the donor, the said Touro, as expressed in his said will, in supporting and advancing said Jewish institution. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the city council of Newport be and they are hereby authorized, from time to time, as occasion may require, to draw on the general treasurer for the interest of the Touro Jewish synagogue fund, or so much thereof as may be necessary to keep said synagogue and premises in complete repair; and that said council make report of their expenditures to the general assembly, annually, at the May session thereof. CHAPTER 57. APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE EDUCATION OF INDIGENT BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB, IDIOT AND IMBECILE PERSONS. SECTION 1. Amount annually appropriated by state for education of blind, deaf and dumb, idiots and imbeciles, and where to be expended. SECTION 2 and 3. Who to select state beneficiaries, and to draw and apply appropriation. SECTION 1. The sum of two thousand five hundred dollars is hereby annually appropriated, out of the general treasury, for the education of the indigent blind of this state, at the institution therefor, at South Boston, Massachusetts; for the education of indigent deaf mutes of this state, at the American asylum, at Hartford, Connecticut; for the education of the deaf and dumb, and for the education of such indigent idiot and imbecile persons of this state, at institutions now established, or that may be established, within or without the state, for the education and improvement of such idiot and imbecile persons. SEC. 2. The governor is authorized to select such indigent persons, being inhabitants of the state, as he shall deem proper as state beneficiaries, and to determine the amount of said appropriation to be applied to the education of each; so that no one person shall receive any portion thereof for more than five years, nor a greater sum in one year than one hundred dollars. SEC. 3. He is also authorized to draw upon the general treasurer, from time to time, for the purposes aforesaid, his drafts therefor, in any one year, not to exceed in the whole the amount above appropriated. TITLE XIII. Of Public Instruction. CHAPTER 58. Of the commissioner of public schools. CHAPTER 59. Of the appropriation for public schools. CHAPTER 60. Of the powers and duties of towns, and of the duties of the town treasurer and town clerk relating to public schools. CHAPTER 61. Of the powers of school districts. CHAPTER 62. Of district meetings. CHAPTER 63. Of joint school districts. CHAPTER 64. Of the levy of district taxes, and of rate bills for tuition. CHAPTER 65. Of the trustees of school districts. CHAPTER 66. Of the powers and duties of school committees. CHAPTER 67. Of teachers. CHAPTER 68. Of legal proceedings relating to public schools. CHAPTER 69. Of the normal school, teachers' institutes, and lectures. SECTION 1. For the uniform and efficient administration of the provisions of this title, and the supervision and improvement of such schools as may be supported in any manner out of the state treasury, the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall annually at the annual general election, appoint a commissioner of public schools, who shall devote his time exclusively to the duties of his office. In case of sickness, temporary absence or other disability, the governor may appoint a person to act as commissioner during such absence, sickness or disability. SEC. 2. The commissioner shall visit, as often as practicable, every school district in the state, for the purpose of inspecting the schools, and diffusing as widely as possible, by public addresses and personal communications with school officers, teachers and parents, a knowledge of the defects and desirable improvements in the administration of the system and the government and instruction of the schools. SEC. 3. He shall recommend and secure, as far as practicable, a uniformity of text-books in the schools of all the towns; and shall assist in the establishment of, and selection of books for, school libraries. SEC. 4. He shall prescribe, from time to time, suitable forms and regulations for carrying the provisions of this title into effect, and for making all reports. SEC. 5. He shall, annually, at the adjourned session at Providence, make a report to the general assembly upon the state and condition of the schools and of education, with plans and suggestions for their improvement. SECTION 1. The sum of fifty thousand dollars shall be annually paid out of the income of the permanent school fund, the deposit fund, and other money in the state treasury for the support of public schools in the several towns, upon the order of the commissioner of public schools. SEC. 2. The sum of thirty-five thousand dollars of the amount aforesaid shall be apportioned annually, in May, by the commissioner, among the several towns, in proportion to the number of children therein, under the age of fifteen years, according to the census of the United States then last preceding; and the sum of fifteen thousand dollars shall be apportioned among the several towns in proportion to the number of school districts in each town, corporate or otherwise. SEC. 3. The money appropriated from the state shall be denominated teachers' money," and shall be applied to the wages of teachers, and to no other purpose whatever. SEC. 4. No town shall receive any part of the state appropriation, unless it shall raise by tax for the support of public schools, a sum equal to one half of its proportion of the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars apportioned to such town from the state treasury; CHAP. 60.] DUTIES OF TOWNS, &C., RELATING TO SCHOOLS. 161 and shall appropriate the sum so raised as required by the provisions of this title. SEC. 5. If any town shall refuse to raise or appropriate the sum required in the section next preceding on or before the first of July in any year, its proportion of the public money shall be forfeited, and the general treasurer on being officially informed thereof by the commissioner shall invest the amount in stocks, to be added to the permanent school fund. SEC. 6. The commissioner shall draw orders on the general treasurer, in favor of all such towns for their proportion of the appropriation for public schools, as shall, on or before the first day of July, annually, comply with the conditions of the fourth section of this chapter. CHAPTER 60. OF THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS, AND OF THE DUTIES OF THE TOWN TREASURER AND TOWN CLERK RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SECTION 1. Towns may maintain schools without 2. Towns may be divided into districts. 4. School committee, how and when 5. Superintendent, how appointed, his duties, and compensation. SECTION 6. Town treasurer to receive and keep account of school money. 7. To submit statement of school money to committee. 8. To transmit statement of money raised and paid out, to commissioner. 9. Town clerks to record boundaries of districts, and distribute school documents. SECTION 1. Any town may establish and maintain, without forming districts, a sufficient number of public schools, of different grades, at convenient locations, under the entire management of the school committee. SEC. 2. Any town may be divided by a vote thereof, into school districts. All existing districts shall continue until legally altered. SEC. 3. Any town may vote, in a meeting notified for that purpose, to provide school-houses with the necessary fixtures and appendages, in all the districts, if there be districts, at the common expense of the town: Provided, that in the latter case, if any district shall provide, at its own expense, a school-house approved by the school committee, such district shall not be liable to be taxed by the town to furnish or repair school-houses for the other districts. SEC. 4. Each town shall, at its annual town meeting for choice of either state or of town officers, choose a school committee, to consist of not less than three residents of said town, and to serve |