Chap. 167.—An ACT to constitute the town of Salem and adjoining
territory a seperate school district.

Approved February 23, 1888.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the town of Salem, in the county of Roanoke, if the council
of said town so elect, together with the territory to be
attached thereto as hereinafter provided, shall constitute a
separate school district, to be known as the town of Salem
school district, and shall be subject to all the provisions of
the general school law, except in so far as they may be modi-
fied by the provisions of this act.

2. There shall be attached to the town aforesaid, for public
free school purposes, so much of the surrounding country as
is embraced within the following described boundaries: Com-
mencing at Roanoke river where the outer or western boun-
dary of the lands of Mrs. Lucy Johnson, her children, or
their vendees intersects the same, and running with said
boundary to the macadamized road; thence up Sulphur
Spring road to the northern boundary of the lands of J. J.

opper; thence along the northern boundaries of the lands
of said Hopper, George H. Landon, Mrs. C. P. Chapman, and
Alexander Wilson; thence easterly in a straight line (includ-
ing the whole of the lands cut by said line) to Liek branch,
at Richmond Freeman’s, on the Cove road; thence along
Cove road in a southerly course to the southern boundary of
said Freeman’s land; thence with said boundary to the Lick
branch, and with said branch to the lands of John Gish;
thence along the northern boundaries of said Gish and
Joseph Stoutamire to Mason’s creek; thence down Mason’s
creek to Roanoke river; thence up Roanoke river to the
beginning, and including the outer boundaries of any lands
omitted to be mentioned, that may be necessary to constitute
a continuous outer houndaryof said school district: provided
however, that at such time and place within said district as
the council of the town of Salem may designate, the question
of agreeing to the arrangement herein provided for, shall be
submitted to the qualified voters residing in said district, but
without the corporate limits of the town of Salem, of which
due notice shall be given, by publication in some newspaper
published in said town, at least twenty days before the time
of voting on said question, the mode and manner of conduct-
ing such voting to be prescribed by said town council.

3. If a majority of the votes cast on said question shall be
against the arrangement herein provided for, then and in
that event the provisions of this act shall be null and void as
to the territory lying outside of the corporate limits of the
town of Salem. But if such majority be in favor of the said
arrangement, then and in that event the said town of Salem,
and the territory embraced within the foregoing limits, shall
constitute a separate school district, to be known as the town
of Salem school district, and the following provisions shall
be Fania thereto.

4. It shall be the duty of the council of the town of Salem
to provide for the support of the public schools in said school
district, upon the estimates that may be furnished by said’
school board, and for this purpose may levy a capitation tax
of not more than fifty cents on all males over twenty-one
years of age, resident in said district, and a pro rata tax on
all the real and personal property therein, not exceeding five
mills on every dollar thereof. The said tax shall be collected
and disbursed by the county treasurer, as county and dis-
trict school taxes are collected ; but the said school district shall
be exempt from county school tax.

5. It shall be the duty of the council of said town of Salem
to purchase real estate, if necessary, and to erect thereon
suitable school buildings, and for this purpose the said coun-
cil shall have power to borrow money, not exceeding six
thousand dollars; and for the payment of same it shall have
power to execute and issue bonds of said town, to be called
public school building bonds, either coupon or registered, and
in such denomination as said council may determine, and bear-
ing a rate of interest not exceeding six per centum per annum,
payable semi-annually, which bonds shall be payable on or
before the expiration of twenty years from their date. To pro-
vide for the payment of the interést and principal of said bonds
when due, and a sinking fund, anannual tax, in addition to the
tax provided for in the fifth section of this act, shall be
assessed and levied by said council upon all the lands and
subjects within the said school district liable to state tax and
county and corporation levies; the said tax to be collected as
other municipal taxes of said town are collected.

6. The title to said property shall be vested in the said
school board of the town ot Salem school district, and the
said buildings and other improvements, when completed, shall
be turned over by said council to said school board.

7. The said school board, as soon after their appoiatment

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and. organization as practicable, shall cause a census to be

taken of the school population of the said district, under

forms to be furnished by the superintendent of public instruc-

tion, and shall report the same to the county superintendent

of schools, and thereafter all state school funds, to which said

district shall be entitled, shall be apportioned accordingly.
8. This act shall be in force from its passage.