Chap. 310.—An ACT to provide for Appeals from the Action of Dis-
trict School Boards in Certain Cascs, and for this cad to amend
and re-enact the fifty-third section of the seventy-cighth chapter of
the Cede ef Virginia.

Approved March 30, 1876.

1. Be it’ enacted by the general assembly, That section
fifty-three of chapter seventy-eight of the Code of Virginia
(edition of eighteen hundred and seventy-three), be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 53. The board of school trustees shall provide suitable
schoolhouses, with proper furniture and appliances, in every
school district; and to that ond may hire, purchase or build
such houses, according to the exigencies of the district and
the means at their disposal: provided, that any five heads of
families belonging to the district who may feel aggrieved by
the action. of the district board in fixing the location of a
schoolhouse on a particular spot, shall be allowed to appeal
from such action to a special board of refercnce, to be com-
posed of the county superintendent as president, and any
two trustees whom he may associate with him, from any
other district in the county except that of the distriet con-
cerned. And on the written request of ‘heads of families
aforesaid, addressed to the county superintendent, it shall be
the duty of that officer, without unnecessary delay, to call a
meeting of the bourd of reference at or near the disputed
place or places, giving due notice to all parties concerned;
and if, at the time and place appointed, the board of reference
be present, the said board shall proceed to hear both sides of
the case, to examine in person all competing locations, and
to decide where the schoolhouse in question shall stand;
which decision shall be final. This board shall have juris-
diction over. all questions which shall be presented to its con-
sideration by similar appeal concerning the action of the
district board in respect to any .subject on which the district
board now has final power. Any action taken by this board
of reference shall be duly recorded in the record book of the
district board whose action is reviewed, and also in the book
of the county superintendent of schools.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.