Chap. 177.—An ACT to secure to the Public Free Schools the money

F set apart by the constitution and laws for their benefit.
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Approved March 8, 1879.

Whereas it is the duty of the legislature to protect the funds
set apart by the constitution for the support of the public free
schools from impairment; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That the auditor
of public accounts is hereby required, immediately upon the
receipt of the land and property-books of the several commis-
sioners of the revenue of the commonwealth, to make a ealcu-
lation of the sum total of all the funds applicable to public free
school purposes for the ensuing year, of which amount he shall
report three-fourths thereof to the superintendent of public
instruction as an approximate basis for distribution ; whereupon
said superintendent of public instruction shall at once make out
and furnish to the auditor of public accounts, a distributive
statement of the amounts due the several counties and corpo-
rations in the state, upon this approximate basis. Upon receipt
of such statement, the auditor of public accounts shall issue
his warrant upon the treasurer of the state, in favor of the
superintendent of each county or corporation, for the amount
which each county or corporation is entitled to receive under
said statement, which warrant, when endorsed by said county
or corporation superintendent to the treasurer of his county or
‘corporation, as hereinafter provided by the second section of
this act, shall be paid by the treasurer of the state, or shall be
accepted from such county or corporation treasurer as cash in
all settlements for public revenue inade 3 y him with the auditor
of public accounts so far as paid by the warrants hereinafter
provided for.

2. The superintendent of schools of each county or corpora-
tion shall, upon the receipt of such warrant, endorse the same
to and deposit it with the treasurer of his county or corpora-
tion, taking his receipt therefor, who shall enter the same upon
his books as a credit to said superintendent of schools.

3. All warrants hereafter drawn by district sehool boards or
trustees upon the public school fund of the state, us new pro-
vided by law shall. if approved by the county ce corporation
superintendent, be faken np by him, and his own warrants
issued therefor, which shall be paid by the treasurer of the
county or corporation, or be receivable by nim in payinent of
all taxes or demands due the commonwealth. The county or
corporation superintendent may issue his warranis in suc
sums not less than five dollars, unless the amount due hin is
less than five dollars, in which case the warrant shall be for the
amount due, as will best suit the convenience of the payee ;
but In no case shail he issue his warrants for an aggregate
amount greater than the warrant received by him from the
auditor of public sade s, nor shall the Gouuty er corporation
treasurer pay any warrant upon the state fund unless issued by
the gnporh tend al ¢ of his county or corporation, nor an ag rré-
gate amount greater than the said superintendent has credit
for. Any superinte endent who si hall issue warrants to an avore-
cate amount greater than is provided by this section, and any
treasurer who shail pay any warrant upon the state fund afore-
said in viclation of this act, shall be euilty of a misdemeanor
and be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one
thousand dollars.

4, At not less than one general meeting prior to the first day
of July m each year. the school trnstees of each county shall
compare the warrants issned by each district board with those
issued by the eounty or £ corey ation superint él ndent, and report
“ result to the state uperintendent of schools.

. Phe auditor of public : acrounts Shall (urnish to the several
superintendents of schools blank warrants, as follows
No. —.

Warrant No. —. | Payable out of state funds.
Issued to ——_——- —- | County of ———., , 1878,
for services rendered for —--—— | The treasurer of —-——- county

in ———___— | will pay to —-—-—-—, or order,
district, public free school No, —, ———— 100 dollars, for —-— in

for . ——— district, school No. —, for

|
| which this shall be your voucher.
This cotificate shall be received by the county treasurer on whoin

drawn, at its face value, for all taxes due the commonwealth when
sigued by

I ee rn

Superintendent pubtce free schools

— county,

_ ee — — — aan = te o~

6. Should there be fonnd, upon the collection of the taxes,
an amount greater than the approximate amount hereinbefore
provided, due to the public free schools of the state for any one
year, then the excess due the schools shall be distributed as
now provided by Jaw, and nothing in this uct shall be construed
to interfere with the same.

7. This act shall be in force from its passaga:.