Chief powers and duties. The trustees may call special meetings of the districts when necessary, and make out a tax list for the sums voted to be raised at a district meeting, annex to it a warrant of collection, and deliver it to the dis trict collector. They have power to purchase a site for the district school house, as designated by the district meeting, and to build, hire, purchase, and keep in repair, the school house; and furnish it with necessary fuel and appendages out of the funds collected for that purpose; and they have the custody of the district school house.

They employ all their teachers, and pay them out of the monies that come to their hands from the commissioners of common schools, (so far as they will go,) and they collect the residue of their teachers' wages from the persons liable for them by reason of having sent to school. These wages are collected by the district collector upon a rate bill, and warrant annexed, delivered to him by the trustees, in which the name of each person liable to pay, and the amount for which he is liable, are contained.

The trustees should be careful to examine the bills of the teachers, and to see that they are correct, before any attempt is made to enforce the collection of them; and indeed it is very questionable whether the collection of a school bill can be legally enforced, except by means of an accurate rate bill, sanctioned by the trustees, with their warrant annexed, and placed in the hands of the district collector.

The trustees are required, between the first day of Jan uary and the first day of March, in each year, to make out a report of the date of January first of the year in which it is made, and to transmit the same to the commissioners of common schools of their town. This should be signed and certified by a majority of the trustees; and should specify the whole time any school has been kept in their district during the preceeding year, and distinguish what part has been kept by qualified teachers; the amount of monies received from the commissioners of common schools during

the year, and the manner in which it has been applied; the number of children taught in the district during the year; the number of children in the district over the age of five and under sixteen years; and the names of the parents or other persons with whom such children reside, and the number of children residing with each.

The trustees cannot be too sedulous in their attentions to the interests and prosperity of the school under their charge. Their first business is the employment of competent teachers; and while they are careful of the pockets of the inhabitants, how much more careful should they be in the selection of their teachers. A competent teacher will exact an adequate compensation. And what respectable parent is unwilling that the instructor of his children, the patient and attentive tutor, should be fairly rewarded?

QUESTIONS ON THE PRECEDING.

How many trustees are there to each school district?

How are they chosen?

How long do they hold their office?

How do they proceed to collect a district tax?

What powers have they in relation to the district school house?

Who employs the teachers?

How are the teachers' wages paid?

How are school bills collected?

When are the trustees required to make their report?

Of what date must their report be?

To whom is this report transmitted?

By how many trustees should it be signed?

What should this report specify?

OF CONSTABLES.

These cannot exceed five in number for any town, (except in a few cases provided by statute.) They are chosen

by the electors at their annual town meeting, and hold their office for one year, and until others chosen in their places are qualified. The number to be elected is determined by the electors.

The powers and duties of this officer are too numerous and diversified to be detailed in this work-suffice it to say that he executes all process which is legally directed to him; and is in civil cases confined to the boundaries of his county in the execution of his office. He attends the sitting of the county courts when designated for that purpose by the sheriff. He is a conservator of the public peace, and in the execution of process, can require the aid of bystanders. In the execution of his powers, when no special direction is given by law, a constable in general adopts the practice of the sheriff, under like circumstances.

Although the process which are directed to this officer in general issue from the minor courts, still the frequency of these, and the vast amount of business that in time accumu. lates upon his hands, render it not only necessary that this officer should possess integrity of character, but great diligence and industry in the execution of his office. Besides, at times he is called upon by a sense of humanity to exercise a merciful forbearance toward the poor but honest debtor-and at others, great rigor in ferreting out and defeating the wiles of the fraudulent, so that at all times he should be above temptation to swerve from an honest exercise of his duties. Not only the property of individuals, but the peace of the people is in his hands. It often happens through the negligence and inattention of the electors, or from a false estimate of the importance of this office, that improper individuals are entrusted with its duties; men of intemperate and indolent habits, and of low vices. And it as often happens that the man who has electioneered faith. fully for his party finds his reward in this office, although he possesses not a requisite qualification.

OF THE TOWN SEALER.

The town sealer is chosen by the electors of the town at their annual town meeting, and holds his office for one year, and until a successor is qualified.

In case of refusal to serve, he forfeits $10.

Powers, &c. (See county sealer.)

He receives from the county sealer copies of the original standards of weights and measures, (which are paid for by the town,) and these are compared once in three years with the copies deposited in the office of the county sealer.

The town sealer compares all weights and measures brought to him for that purpose, with the copies of the standards in his possession, and when these are made to conform to the standard, he seals and marks them, for which he is entitled to certain fees allowed by law.

QUESTIONS ON THE PRECEDING.

How many constables may there be in each town?
When and how are they chosen?

How is their number determined?

How long do they hold their office?

What process do constables serve?

To what limits are they confined in the execution of their office? Can you name some of his duties?

How is this office important?
How is the town sealer chosen?
What is his term of service?

Suppose he refuses to serve?

With what and how often does he compare his copies of standards? What are the chief duties of the town sealer?

OF THE OVERSEERS OF HIGHWAYS.

As many of these as there are road districts in each town,

(except in the counties of Suffolk, Kings, Queens, and Richmond,) are chosen by the electors at their annual town meet. ing, and hold their office for one year, and until successors are qualified. In case of refusal to serve, they forfeit $10.

Chief powers and duties. The careful and skilful superin. tendence of public highways, is of great importance to the public, and in the exercise of this office, (however humble its title,) a man may serve his country well.

It is the duty of the overseer to repair and keep in order the highways within his district; and (when required by the commissioners of highways of his town, or one of them,) to warn all persons assessed to work on highways to come and do so.

It is his duty to cause the noxious weeds on each side of the highway to be cut down and destroyed twice in each year, once before the first day of July, and again before the first day of September. He collects all fines and commutation money, and in general executes all the orders of the commissioners of highways of his town,

OF POUND MASTERS.

So many of these as the electors may determine are chosen by them at their annual town meeting, and hold their office for one year, and until successors are qualified. For refusal to serve, they forfeit $10 to the use of the town.

Powers and duties. The electors of the town determine how many pounds shall be erected in it, and these are kept under the care and direction of the pound master.

Beasts doing damage, are subject to be distrained, and the person distraining, is required to go through certain forms before he can deliver them to pound; but that being done, the pound master receives and keeps the beasts regularly delivered to him in the public pound, and unless they are replevied or discharged according to law in six days, he sells