372 Under that Schools. fteadily fupplied with and kept by a Master sufficiently and fuit. ably qualified for that Service. 2. And every fuch Town and Society wherein there is not the faid Number of feventy Houfholders or Families, fhall be provinumber, half ded with, and maintain a School, and a School-Mafter, as aforefaid, for the Purpose aforefaid, at least one Half of the Year annually. a year. Grammar school to be kept in each county town. Committees appointed, School-maf ters howmaintained. Provifo, Freamble. Preamble. 3. And also there fhall be a Grammar School fet up, kept and conftantly maintained in every head or County Town of the fev eral Counties that are, or shall be made in this State; which shall be fteadily kept by fome difcreet Perfon of good Converfation, and well killed in and acquainted with the learned Languages, efpecially Greek and Latin. 4. And every fuch Town and Society are hereby empowered to appoint Committees for fuch Schools respectively, to take care and fee the fame kept accordingly. 5. And for the Encouragement and Maintenance of fuch Schools and School-Mafters: Be it further enacted, That the Treasurer of this State fhall annually deliver the Sum of Two Dollars upon every Thoufand Dol lars in the Lifts of the refpective Towns in this State, and proportionably for leffer Sums, out of the Rate of each Town, as the fame fhall be brought into the public Treafury by the feveral Conftables, in fuch Money, or Bills of Public Credit, as the Rate fhall be paid in ; out of which the fame is to be taken, unto the School Committees or for want of fuch Committees, to the Select-men of faid Towns refpectively, to be by them distributed to the feveral Societies in each Town for the Benefit of their respective Schools, in Proportion to the Lifts of faid Society. Provided, The faid School-Committees or Select-men fhall deliver their Certificates, that there hath been a School kept in each. of the Towns and Societies they defire to take the Money out for, in the preceding Year, according to this A&t. 6. And whereas the feveral Towns and Societies in this State, which, made and computed Lifts of their Polls and rateable Eftate in the Year of our Lord One Thousand seven Hundred and Thirty-two; by Virtue of an Act of this Court, made in May, One Thoufand feven Hundred and Thirty-three, received by their Committees refpectively, for that Purpofe appointed, confiderable Monies, or Bills of public Credit, raifed by the Sale of certain Townships laid out in the western Lands, then fo called, (for which Receipts were given and lodged in the Secretary's Office) to be let out, and the Intereft thereof ufed for the Support of the refpective Schools aforefaid, for ever, and to no other Use. And whereas certain Sums of Money have likewife been received by the feveral Towns and Societies in this State, by Virtue of an Act of this Court, made in O&tober, One Thousand seven Hundred and Seventy-four, directing the Treafurer to pay out of the public Treafury to the feveral Towns the principal Sums paid in by them as Excife Money, together with the Intereft due at the Time of Payment, taking a Receipt therefor, appropriating the fame, folely to the Ufe of the refpective Schools. Be it therefore enacted, That if at any Time after the Receipt of faid Monies aforefaid, or if at any Time hereafter, the faid Monics, School money mifapplied, or Intereft thereof, hath been or shall be, by order of fuch Town forfeited. or Society, or the Committees chofen by them, put to, or employed for any other Ufe than for the fupport of a School, as aforefaid, fuch fum of Money received as aforefaid, fhall be returned into the State Treasury; and the Treasurer of this State, upon Refufal thereof, fhall recover the fame Sum or Sums of fuch Town or Society, for the Ufe of the State. 7. And fuch Town or Society that misapplies fuch Money, fhall forever lofe the Benefit thereof. 8. That where, in any Town or Society, there is not a fuffici ency of Money or Intereft provided, in the Manner aforefaid, or Further pro- 9. And every fuch Town and Society by their Vote, shall have full Power to grant Rates for the fupport of fueh School, and Towns and fochoose a Collector to gather and collect fuch Rates. And what cieties may fuch Town or Society fhall agree upon and enact refpecting the tax, &c. Encouragement and Support of the School aforefaid, among themfelves, shall be obligatory upon the whole Town or Society, and every Member therein. 10. And be it further enacted and provided, That each Town and Society, fhall have full Power and Authority to divide them- To divide infelves into proper and neceffary Districts for keeping their Schools to districts. and to alter and regulate the fame, from Time to Time, as they fhall have Occafion; which Diftricts fo. made, fhall draw their equal Proportion of all the public Monies appropriated for the fupport of Schools, belonging to fuch refpective Towns or Societies, according to the Lift of each respective District therein. 11. And that the good Ends propofed in erecting and keeping Schools, may not be defeated: Be it further enacted, That the Civil Authority, together with 484 the Select-men in every Town, or the major Part of them, fhall infpect, and they are hereby empowered and directed, as Visitors, repealed to vifit and infpe&t the state of all fuch Schools as are by this Act Civil Authoriappointed to be kept within faid Towns, from Time to Time, and ty and Selectmen infpect. particularly once each quarter of a Year, at fuch Time as they ors. fhall think proper, and enquire concerning the Time fuch Schools are kept, and into the Qualifications of the Masters of fuch Schools, together with the Proficiency of the Children under their Care: And they are to give fuch Directions as they fhall find needful, to tender fuch Schools most serviceable for the in J crease of Knowledge, Religion and good Manners: And if the faid, Infpectors or Vifitors obferve any fuch Diforders or Mifapplication of public Money, allowed for the fupport of fuch Schools as will be likely to defeat the good Ends propofed, they fhall lay the fame before this Affembly, that proper Orders therein may be given. 1 12. And that all Eftates and Interefts, granted and fequeftered forthe Support of the Schools in this State, may be truly and properly improved for that Purpose: Be it further enacted, That the Select-men of fuch Towns wherein there is but one Ecclefiaftical Society, and the Society Committee of fuch Societies where there are more than One in any Town, (for the Time being) or a Committee by fuch Town or SoSelect-men &ciety for that Purpose appointed, (which Committee fuch Town committees to and Society are hereby empowered to appoint) shall be, and they take care of the fchool monies. Alfo real ef- are hereby empowered and directed to take Care of, and improve fuch Bonds and Monies as have been divided and fet out to fuch Town or Society, out of the Monies raised by the Sale of the faid Townships, or otherwife, and to receive such as shall hereafter be divided to them, for the purpofe aforefaid, giving Receipts therefor, to be lodged in the Secretary's Office; and of their Improvement thereof, fhall from Time to Time be accountable to the Town or Society, by whom they are or fhall be appointed; And fuch Town and Society fhall be accountable for the fame before this Affembly, when thereto required, and be liable to be dealt with for their Mifule of the fame, according to the Declaration before in this A&t made. 13. And fuch Select-men, and Committee or Committees, are hereby authorized and empowered to take and receive into their Care and Cuftody, all other Eftates, Lands, and Interests that have been given, granted, fequeftered or do belong to fuch Schools, or To leafe, &c. that fhall hereafter belong thereto, for the Support thereof; and fhall ufe, improve, and diipofe of the Intereft, Increase, Profit or Rent arifing or coming upon any fuch Monies, Lands, or Interefts, according to the true Intent of fuch Gift, Grant or Sequeftration, for the Purpose aforefaid; which fhall be difpofed of either to the School-Mafter, or to a Committee of the School, to be by them improved for the fupport of the School. 14. And that the faid Select-men, Committee or Committees the better enabled to do faid Service: may be It is further enacted, That they, the faid Select-men, Committee or Committees, or the major Part of them, fhall be, and they are hereby authorized and empowered to leafe all fuch Lands and real Estates, and loan fuch Monies as do or fhall appertain to fuch Schools, and is or fhall be given for the Ufe aforefaid; and to commence and profecute fuch Suit or Suits as may be neceffary for the Recovery and obtaining fuch Lands, Monies and other Eftates; and to take Leafes, Bonds, or other Securities to themselves and their Succeflors, for the ufe of fuch Schools: Which Leafes, Bonds, or other Securities the faid Select-men, Committee, or Committees who take the fame, fhall have Power to fue and re others to be cover thereon: And in cafe of the Removal of them, or any of On removal of them, by Death or otherwise, their Succeffors in that Office or committee Offices, fhall have as full Power in the Matters aforefaid,, to prof- chofen. ecute in their own Names, as those whom they fucceed as aforefaid, might or could do, if they had not been removed as aforefaid; which Bonds, Leafes and Securities fhall, by faid Select-men and Committee be lodged with the Clerk of fuch Town or Society, who is directed and required to keep an Account thereof, and hold the fame under the Direction of the faid Select-men and Committees, for the Purpose aforefaid; and fuch Sele&t-men and Committees fhall render their Accounts of their Use and Improvements of fuch Estate and Intereft, unto fuch Town and Society by whom they are appointed, when thereunto required. Provided nevertheless, That this Act shall not extend to any Eftate formerly granted by any particular Person for the Benefit of any School or Schools in any particular Town or Society; nor Provifo. to Grants of any Interefts formerly made by any Perfon to any Town or Society for the fupport of Schools wherein the Grantor hath committed the Care and Improvement of such Estate by him given, to particular Perfons, with particular Directions for a continual Succeffion in faid Truft; or where the General Affembly hath formerly interpofed and committed the difpofition of the Profits of fuch Eftates to a Committee in a continual Succeffion; any Thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding. An Act in addition to An Act, for appointing, encouraging and supporting Schools. [ENACTED IN MAY 1794.] 440. PAR. 1. BE it enacted by the Governor and Council and Houfe of 463. Reprefentatives in General Court affembled, That the fchool districts fhall have feveral School Districts in this State, divided and afcertained as is Members of provided by Law, the Members whereof are qualified to Vote in Society Meetings, fhall have Power and Authority to Tax them- power to tax felves for the purpofe of building and repairing a School Houfe themfelves. in every fuch Diftet; and fuch Diftrict fhall have Power to choose a Clerk, who fhall be worn to make true entries, and Districts to give true Copies of all the Votes and Proceedings of faid Diftrict; choose a clerk, and fuch Diftrict shall also have Power to appoint a Collector of his duty, to any Tax they fhall grant on the Polls and Rateable Eftate of the lector, his auInhabitants of fuch Diftrict; which Collector fhall have the fame thority, &c. Authority to levy and collect fuch Tax as Society Collectors have by Law to levy and collect Society Taxes. appoint a col 2. Provided, That the School Committee within the District, or fome other Perfon by fuch Committee appointed, fhall duly warn Provife. all the Inhabitants living within fuch Diftrict, who by Law arc liable to pay Rates, and qualified as aforefaid to meet at fome convenient Place within faid District, at least three Days inclufive before any Tax fhall be laid on faid Inhabitants; and provis 376 Secretary to keep State rec ords, to record acts, &c and give copies, &c. Secretary. Select-men. ded two thirds of the Members qualified as aforefaid, and prefent at fuch Meeting, fhall concur in laying and granting fuch Tax, and alfo agree to the Place whereon fuch School House hath been or fhall be erected. 3. Provided, That this Act fhall continue and be in force for the Term of two Years from the first Day of June next, and no longer. An Act relating to the Secretary's Office and Duty. E it enacted by the Governor and Council, and Houfe of PAR. 1. Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, That the Secretary of this State for the Time being, fhall have the keeping and cuftody of the Records, and other public Papers that contain the Acts, Orders, Grants and Doings of the General Affembly; and that have Relation to fuch Matters and Affairs as are of general Concern, and are to be recorded or kept in his Office: And shall record all A&ts, Orders, Grants and Refolves made by the General Affembly, and give true Copies thereof when reasonably thereunto required: And fhall within twenty Days after the End of every Seffion of the General Court, publifh in Writing, under the common Seal of the State, fuch Acts, Laws, and Orders of public Concernment, as fhall from Time to Time be made by the the laws, and General Court, and then send the fame to the Printer to the State fend copy to of Connecticut for the Time being, in Order to the Printing the the printer. fame to be difperfed among the People of this State for their better Knowledge thereof. In 20 days, &c. to publish 2. And also the Secretary fhall be the Keeper of the Seal of Keeper of the this State, and fhall affix it to fuch Laws, A&ts, Orders, Commiffions, Inftruments, and Certificates as he is, or fhall by Law be ordered to do, or shall be defired by particular Persons that have fpecial Occafion for the fame. State Seal. Preamble. Select-men to afiefs the in habitants to raife monies for fupplies, &c. An Act to enable Select-men to affefs the Inhabitants of the Town in fome Cafes. WHEREAS the Laws of this State do oblige the Select-men of each Town within the fame, (at the Charge of the Town) to provide, do and perform various Articles, Matters and Things: PAR. I. Wherefore, to enable them thereto, E it enacted by the Governor and Council, and Houfe of Reprefentatives, in General Court affembled, That the Select-men, or the major Part of them, in the feveral Towns within this State, when and so often as there fhall need a fupply of Money in the Treasury of any Town, to provide and answer any of thofe Articles, Matters, Things or Charges by them to be provided or answered according to Law, and the Inhabitants of the Town at any Town-Meeting (whereat fuch want of a Supply is made known to them by their Select-men) shall refuse or neglect |