Chap. 316.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 653-a 2 of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to school districts and special school districts, and school boards.

[S 173]
Approved March 29, 1944

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia :

1. That section six hundred fifty-three-a two of the Code of Vir-
ginia be amended and re-enacted, as follows:

Section 653-a 2. For the purpose of representation each magisterial
district shall, except where otherwise provided by law, constitute a sepa-
rate school district, but for all other school purposes, taxation, manage-
ment, control, and operation, the county shall be the unit, and the school
affairs of such county managed as if the county constituted but one school
district ; provided, however, nothing in this section shall be construed to
prohibit the levying of a district tax to provide interest and sinking fund
for a district bond issue as provided in section six hundred and seventy-
three, or for the levying of a district tax on recommendation of the county
school board to pay existing district indebtedness. All special school dis-
tricts and special town school districts except the special school district
for the town of Leesburg of Loudoun County and of Lexington of Rock-
bridge County and the town of Bedford of Bedford County and the town
of Fries of Grayson County, which are hereby preserved, are hereby ex-
pressly abolished, except the special town school district of Galax of Car-
roll County and Grayson County, which last mentioned district is hereby
expressly retained as it exists at the present time; provided, however,
that the town of Herndon and the town of Falls Church, of Fairfax
County, and the town of Colonial Beach, of Westmoreland County, and
incorporated towns having a population of not less than one thousand in-
habitants, according to the last United States census, may, by ordinance
of the town council and by and with the approval of the State Board of
Education, be constituted separate school districts either for the purpose
of representation on the county school board, or for the purpose of being
operated as a separate school district under a town school board of three
members, appointed by the town council. In the event that such a town
district be set up, to be operated by a board of three members, the mem-
bers of such board shall be appointed in accordance with section seven
hundred eighty of the Code, providing for the appointment of trustees in
cities and of such members, one shall be designated by the town school
board as a member of the county school board and entitled to serve as a
member of the county board.
In the event that a city through authority granted in its charter enter
into contract with the county school board of the adjacent county for fur
nishing public school facilities for the city where the county and city ar
constituted as one school system for the establishment, operation, main
tenance and management of the public schools within the county an
city, the school board of the county shall consist of one representativ
from each magisterial district of the county and each magisterial distric
(or ward) of the city, such incumbent to be appointed by the count:
school trustee electoral board, as provided by section six hundred fifty
three-a one, Acts of nineteen hundred forty-two, chapter four hundrec
twenty-two; provided further that the members of the county schoo
board representing the city shall be selected from a list of three citizen:
from each district (or ward) to be submitted by the city council of the
city ; any other law to the contrary notwithstanding.

Nothing in this section, however, shall be construed to prohibit th
board of supervisors in the county of Sussex from continuing to levy ;
district tax for the operation of the schools.