Studies in Civics | Page 5

of trustees, who locate all of the school-houses, engage all of the
teachers, and provide necessary material for all of the schools in the
town; or the town may be divided into districts, the school in each
being managed by its own school board.
Does the township system or the district system prevail in this state?
Name some state in which the other system prevails.
How Chosen.--In this country most of the public officers are chosen by
the people interested. The great problem of election is how to ascertain
the real will of those entitled to express an opinion or have a choice.
And all the arrangements for conducting elections have in view one of
two things: either to facilitate voting or to prevent fraud. The town
serves as a convenient voting precinct.
Find out from the statutes or from the town manual or by inquiry, when
the town meeting is held; how notice is given; how it is known who
may vote; who are judges of election; how many clerks there are; how
voting is done; how the votes are counted and the result made known;
what reports of the election are made. Give the reason for each
provision. Can a person vote by proxy? Why? What is to prevent a
person from voting more than once? If the polls are open seven hours,
and it takes one minute to vote, how many persons can vote at one
polling place? What may be done in case there are more than that

number of voters in the town? How are road overseers elected, and in
what part of the day? Why then? What other business is transacted at
town meeting? How do the people know how much money will be
needed for the coming year's improvements? How do they learn the
nature and expense of last year's improvements?
Give four general reasons for our having towns.
* * * * *
PRACTICAL WORK FOR STUDENTS.
I. ORGANIZING A TOWN.
Prepare in due form a petition to the proper authorities asking that a
new town be organized. [Footnote: For forms see Appendix. If
necessary, all the pupils in the room or school may act as "legal voters."
(This "Practical Work" may be omitted until the review, if deemed
best.)] Be sure that the order establishing the new town is duly made
out, signed, attested and filed. Give reasons for each step.
II. HOLDING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
1. Preliminary.--What report does each road overseer make to the
supervisors? When is the report due? What do the supervisors require
this information for?
Who gives notice of the town meeting? When? How?
When does the town treasurer make his report to the persons appointed
to examine his accounts? When does this examination take place? What
is its purpose?
What report does the board of supervisors make to the people at the
town meeting? When is it prepared? Why is it necessary?
Why so many preliminaries?
2. The Town Meeting.--That everything may be done "decently and in
order," it will be necessary to consult carefully the statutes or the town
manual. Be sure
(a) That the proper officers are in charge. (b) That the order of business
is announced and followed. (c) That the polls are duly declared open. (d)
That the voting is done in exact accordance with law. (e) That general
business is attended to at the proper time. (f) That reports of officers are
duly read and acted upon. (g) That appropriations for the succeeding
year are duly made. (h) That the minutes of the meeting are carefully
kept. (i) That the polls are closed in due form. (j) That the votes are
counted and the result made known according to law. (k) That all

reports of the meeting are made on time and in due form.
3. After Town Meeting.--See that all officers elected "qualify" on time
and in strict accordance with law. Especial care will be needed in
making out the bonds.
Town clerk must certify to proper officer the tax levied at town
meeting.
III. LAYING OUT AND MAINTAINING ROADS.
1. Laying out a Road.--Make out a petition for a town road, have it duly
signed and posted. In due season present it to the supervisors who were
elected at your town meeting.
The supervisors, after examining the petition carefully and being sure
that it is in proper form and that it has been duly posted, will appoint a
time and place of hearing and give due notice thereof.
When the day of hearing arrives they will examine the proofs of the
posting and service of the notices of hearing before proceeding to act
upon the petition.
Having heard arguments for and against the laying of the road, the
supervisors will render their decision in due form.
In awarding damages, the