Chap. 138.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act approved January
11, 1877, entitled an act to provide for the appointment and removal
of District School] Trustees, and to repeal the fourth clause of the 7th
section of the 78th chapter of the Code of 1878.

In foree February 20, 1884.

l. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the act approved January eleventh, eighteen hundred and
seventy-seven, entitled an act to provide “for the appointment
and removal of district school trustees, and to repeal the
fourth clause of the seventh section of the seventy-eighth
chapter of the Code of ciyhteen hundred and seventy-three,
be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§1. That the general assembly shall, during the sessions
of eighteen hundred and eighty “three-four, and every four
years ; thereafter, proceed to elect three citizens of each county
in this commonwealth, to be known as the county board of
school commissioners, the members of said board to go into
office on the first day of April succeeding their election,
having first taken and subscribed the usual oath of office,
and to hold their offices for the term of four years, or until
their successors are duly elected and qualified.

§ 2. The said board shall elect. one of their number chair-
man, and another secretary; and any two shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business; and any vacancy
occurring in any of the said county school electoral boards
during the recess of the legislature, shall be filled by appoint-
ment of the judge of the circuit court of the county in which
such vacancy may occur; said appointee to bold office until
thirty davs after the next mecting of the general assembly.

&3. The general assembly may elect said county school elec-
tural boards in a joint resolution for that purpose, embracing
all the counties of the commonwealth.

§4. All vacancies existing or occurring in district boards of
school trustees shall be filled by said county school electoral
boards: provided that no person who is unable to read and
write shall be appointed a school trustee: and provided,
further, that nothing in this act shall be construed as giving
authority or power to said electoral board to interfere in any

way with the appointment, as heretofore, of school trustees
by municipal councils. or to disturb in any way the present
law bearing on the action of said municipal councils in the
premises,

&5. The said school trustee clectoral boards shall have
power, and it shall be their duty, to declare vacant and to
proceed to fill the office of any trustee in their respective
counties who fail to qualify and to deliver to the clerk of
the board his official oath, in the usual form, within thirty
davs after he has been notified of his appointment; which
notification shall be promptly given by the clerk. The board
shall also vacate the office of any and every trustee who fails
to discharge the duties of his office according to law.

§ 6. Any member of said board may call a meeting by
notifying the other two. All proceedings shall be recorded
in @ bound volume; and such record-book and stationery as
may be necessary shall be paid for from the county school
fund: provided the cost of the same shall not exceed five dol-
lars in any one year. It shall also be the duty of the clerk
of said board to furnish the board of education with a list of
school trustees, and such other information as may be called
for.

§7. The clerk shall convene the said electoral board
promptly when unexpected vacancies occur, and also at least
thirty days before the expiration of regular terms of office,
so that district boards may be kept full and no members be
left to hold over unnecessarily.

§ 8. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are
hereby repealed.

§ 9. This act shall be in force from its passage.