Sixteenth-To grant certificates of qualification to teach to such persons as may be qualified to receive them, and to keep a record of all teachers to whom certificates have been granted, and of all teachers employed in his county.

Seventeenth-To notify the presidents of boards of trustees and the clerks of school districts, on or before September 30, annually, of the amount of money distributed by him to the township treasurer, with the date of distribution.

Eighteenth-To keep in his office a map of his county on a scale of not less than two inches to the mile, and to indicate thereon the boundary lines and numbers of all school districts. Districts shall be numbered consecutively. In case of the formation of a new district composed of parts of two or more counties, the county superintendents of such counties. shall agree upon a number.by which such district shall be designated, which number shall not be a duplicate of any number in either of such counties.

Nineteenth-To furnish the township treasurers a list of the districts in their respective townships with the consecutive numbers of the same. § 16. The county superintendent shall have power:

First-To require the trustees of each township in his county to make, at any time he may desire, the report provided for in section 36 of this Act.

Second-To recommend to the Superintendent of Public Instruction the remission of the penalty provided for a failure of the trustees of schools to make the report required by law.

Third-To renew teachers' certificates at their expiration by his endorsement thereon.

Fourth-To revoke the certificate of any teacher for immorality, incompetency or other just cause.

Fifth-To direct in what manner township treasurers shall keep their books and accounts.

Sixth-To bring suit against the county collector for failure to pay the amount due upon the Auditor's warrant.

Seventh-To remove any school director from office for willful failure to perform his official duties.

Eighth-To employ, with the approval of the county board, such assistant or assistants as he needs for the full discharge of his duties. Such assistants shall be persons of good attainment, versed in the principles and methods of education, familiar with public school work, and competent to visit schools.

Ninth To demand of the trustees of schools certified copies of maps and records of school districts as organized. In case of discrepancies or defects in defining the boundaries of school districts the county superintendent, or, in case of a district lying in two or more counties, the county superintendents of such counties acting jointly, shall be authorized to define such boundaries in conformity with what may appear to have been the intention of the trustees of schools when such boundaries were established.

§ 17. In all controversies arising under the school law, the opinion and advice of the county superintendent shall first be sought, whence appeal may be taken upon a written statement of facts certified by the county superintendent to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

§ 18. The county superintendent, upon his removal or resignation, or at the expiration of his term of office, or in case of his death his representatives, shall deliver to his successor in office, on demand, all moneys, books, papers and personal property belonging to the office or subject to the control or disposition of the county superintendent.

TRUSTEES OF SCHOOLS.

§ 19. Each Congressional township is hereby established a township for school purposes. When a fractional Congressional township contains fewer than two hundred persons under 21 years of age, the trustees of schools, upon petition of a majority of the adult inhabitants of such fractional township, may, by written agreement with the trustees of any adjacent township, consolidate the territory, school funds and other property of such fractional township with such adjacent township. Such territory, school funds and other property shall thereafter be managed by the trustees of such adjacent and consolidated township in accordance with the terms of such agreement, in the manner provided by law. The agreement shall be signed by a majority of the trustees of each township, and filed for record in the office of the county clerk of the county in which such consolidated township, or the greater part thereof, is situated.

§ 20. The school business of the township shall be transacted by three trustees, to be elected by the qualified voters of the township, as hereinafter provided. Such trustees shall be a body politic and corporate, by the name of "trustees of schools of township No..... range No..... "according to the number. Such corporation shall have perpetual existence, with power to sue and be sued, and to plead and be impleaded, in all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had.

§ 21. No person shall be eligible to the office of trustee of schools who is not a resident of the township, and at least 21 years of age. In case there are three or more school districts in a township, no two trustees shall reside, when elected, in the same school district, nor shall a person be eligible to the office of trustee of schools and school director at the same time.

§ 22. The election of trustees of schools shall be held, in townships. whose boundaries do not coïncide with those of towns, on the second Saturday of April, annually. In townships whose boundaries do coïncide with those of towns as established under the township organization laws, the trustee or trustees shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner as town officers. In townships in which no election for school trustees has heretofore been held, or in townships in which from

any cause there are no trustees of schools, or in case of a vacancy or vacancies, the election of trustee or trustees of schools may be held on any Saturday.

§ 23. Notice of the election of trustees shall be given by the township treasurer, upon the order of the trustees of schools, or, in case of a first election, by the county clerk, by posting notices, at least ten days previous to the time of such election, in not less than five of the most public places in the township, which notices shall specify the time, place and object of the election, and may be in the following form, to-wit:

§ 24. If the township treasurer shall fail or refuse to give notice of the regular election of trustees, as required by the foregoing section, and if, in case of a vacancy, the remaining trustee or trustees shall fail or refuse to order an election to fill such vacancy, it shall be the duty of the county superintendent to order such election.

§ 25. If, upon the day appointed for the election of trustees of schools, the trustee or judges shall be of the opinion that, on account of the small attendance of voters, the public good requires it, or if a majority of the voters present shall desire it, they shall postpone the election until the next Saturday, at the same place and hour, at which time and meeting the voters shall proceed as if it were not a postponed or adjourned meeting: Provided, however, that if notice shall not have been given of such election, as required by section 23 of this Act, the election may be ordered and held on any Saturday, notice thereof being given.

§ 26. The time and manner of opening, conducting and closing the election, and the several liabilities appertaining to the judges, clerks and voters, separately and collectively, and the manner of contesting the election, shall be the same as prescribed by the general election laws of this State defining the manner of electing magistrates and constables, so far as applicable, subject to the provisions of this Act.

§ 27. The trustees of schools shall act as judges and choose a clerk of the election. If the trustees, or any of them, shall fail to attend, or refuse to act when present, or if, from any cause, there are no trustees of schools, or not a sufficient number to act as judges, the qualified voters present shall choose from among themselves the number of judges required to open and conduct the election.

28. In townships in which for general elections there are more than two polling places, the trustees shall give notice that polls will be

opened for such elections in at least two places; in which case at least one of the trustees shall be assigned to each place, so far as practicable, and additional judges shall be chosen by the qualified voters present: Provided, however, that there shall be at least one polling place for each 800 voters in the township.

§ 29. The judges shall return the ballots and original poll books, with a certificate thereon showing the result of election in such precinct, to the treasurer of the township in which the election shall be held, whereupon it shall be the duty of the trustees of schools, within five days after the election, to meet and canvass the returns from each precinct, to make out a certificate showing the number of votes cast for each person in each precinct and in the whole township, and to file the certificate with the county superintendent of schools.

§ 30. Upon the election of trustees of schools, the judges of the election shall, within ten days thereafter, cause a copy of the poll book of the election to be delivered to the county superintendent of schools, with a certificate thereon showing the election of trustees and the names of the persons elected; which copy, with the certificate, shall be filed by the county superintendent and shall be evidence of such election.

§ 31. At the first election of trustees in a newly organized township, the trustees shall, at their first meeting, cast lots for their respective terms of office for one, two and three years; and thereafter one trustee shall be elected annually, at the usual time for electing a trustee of schools, to fill the vacancy occurring. In case of a tie vote, the election shall be determined by lot, on the day of the election, by the judges.

§ 32. At the first regular election of trustees after the passage of this Act, a successor to the trustee whose term of office then expires shall be elected, and thereafter one trustee shall be elected annually. Such trustees shall continue. in office three years.

§ 33. Within ten days after the annual election, the trustees of schools shall organize by appointing one of their number president, who shall hold his office for one year. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the board and to sign the proceedings thereof when recorded. If the president be absent from any meeting, or refuse to perform any of the duties of his office, a president pro tempore may be appointed. The president may be removed by the trustees of schools for good and sufficient cause.

§ 34. It shall be the duty of the trustees of schools to hold regular semi-annual meetings on the first Mondays of April and October. Special meetings may be called at any time by the president or by two members. Two members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

35. At the regular semi-annual meetings on the first Mondays of April and October, the trustees shall ascertain the amount of funds subject to distribution, and shall appropriate and distribute the same as required by this section, and not otherwise. All valid claims shall be paid before distribution, in manner following: First, the compensation of the treasurer; se: ond, the cost of publishing the annual statement;

third, the cost of a record book, if any; fourth, the cost of dividing school lands and making plats. The balance shall be apportioned and distributed to the districts and parts of districts in the township in which schools have been kept as required by law during the preceding year ending June 30th, according to the number of persons returned under 21 years of age. The funds so distributed shall be credited to the respective districts and parts of districts.

§ 36. The trustees of schools of each township in this State shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, by the township treasurer, the directors of the several districts, or other person, and forward to the county superintendent of the county in which the township lies, on or before the 15th day of July, annually, and at such other times as may be required by the county superintendent of schools, or by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, a statement exhibiting the condition of the schools in their respective townships for the preceding year, commencing on July 1st and ending June 30th, which statement shall be in the form and shall contain the information required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Any township from which such report is not received in the manner and time required by law, shall forfeit its portion of the distributive fund for the next ensuing year.

§ 37. In case a township is divided by a county line or lines, the trustees of schools of such township shall make, or cause to be made, separate enumerations of all statistics and other information required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and report the same separately to the several county superintendents; and all parts of such statistical information which cannot practically be reported separately shall be reported to the county superintendent of the county in which the sixteenth section of such township is situated.

§ 38. At each semi-annual meeting, and at such other meetings as they may think proper, the trustees of schools shall examine all books, notes, mortgages, securities, papers, moneys and effects of the corporation, and the accounts and vouchers of the township treasurer, or other township school officer, and shall make such order for their security, preservation, collection, correction of errors, if any, and for their proper dispositions, as may be necessary.

§ 39. The trustees of schools may receive any gift, grant, donation or devise made for the use of any school or library, or for any other school purpose, within their jurisdiction. They shall be and are hereby invested in their corporate capacity with the title of all school buildings and school sites. All conveyances of real estate made to the trustees of schools shall be made to them in their corporate name, and to their successors in office.

§ 40. When a school site or building has become unnecessary or unsuitable or inconvenient for a school, the trustees of schools, on petition of a majority of the voters of the district, shall sell and convey the same, after giving at least twenty days' notice of such sale, by posting written or printed notices thereof describing the property and the terms of sale, which may be in the following form, to-wit: