or under the direction of the trustees of schools, and the affidavits in relation to the same. In book "B" he shall keep an account of all sales of common school lands, which account shall contain the date of sale, name of purchaser, description of land sold and the sum sold for. In book "C" he shall keep a regular account of all moneys received for lands sold or otherwise, and loaned or paid out; the persons from whom received, and on what account, and showing whether it is principal or interest; the person to whom loaned, the time for which the loan was made, the rate of interest, the names of the securities, when personal security is taken, or if real estate is taken as security, a description of the real estate; and if paid out, to whom, when, and on what account, and the amount paid out; the list of sales and the account of each township fund to be kept separate.

§ 16. The county superintendent shall report, in writing, to the county board, at their regular meeting in September of each year, giving first, the balance on hand at the time of the last report and a statement in detail of all receipts since that date, and the sources from which they were derived; second, the amount paid for expenses; third, the amount of his commissions; fourth, the amount distributed to each of the township treasurers in his county; fifth, any balance on hand. He shall also present for inspection at the same time his books and vouchers for all expenditures, and all notes or other evidences of indebtedness which he holds officially, with the securities of the same; and he shall give in writing a statement of the condition of the county fund, of the institute fund, and of any township fund of which he may have the custody.

§ 17. On or before the 15th day of August before each regular session of the General Assembly of this State, or annually, if so required by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the county superintendent shall communicate to said State Superintendent all such information and statistics upon the subject of schools in his said county as the said State Superintendent is bound to embody in his report to the Governor, and such other information as the State Superintendent shall require.

§ 18. In all cases where the township board of trustees of any township shall fail to prepare and forward, or cause to be prepared and forwarded to the county superintendent, the information and statistics required of them in this act, it shall be the duty of the said county superintendent to employ a competent person to take the enumeration and furnish such statistical statement, as far as practical, to the superintendent; and such person so employed shall have free access to the books and papers of said township to enable him to make such statement; and the township treasurer, or other officer or person in whose custody such books and papers may be, shall permit such person to examine such books and papers at such times and places

as such person may desire for the purposes aforesaid; and the said county superintendent shall allow, and pay to the person so employed by him, for the services, such amount as he may judge reasonable out of any money which is or may come into said superintendent's hands, apportioned as the share of or belonging to such township; and the said county superintendent shall proceed to recover and collect the amount so allowed or paid for such services, in a civil action before any justice of the peace in the county, or before any court having jurisdiction, in the name of the People of the State of Illinois, of and against the trustees of schools of said township, in their individual capacity; and in such suit or suits the said county superintendent and township treasurer shall be competent witnesses; and the money so recovered, when collected, shall be paid over to the county superintendent for the benefit of said. township, to replace the money taken as aforesaid.

$ 19. Whenever the bond of any township treasurer approved by the board of trustees of schools, as required by law, shall be delivered to the county superintendent, he shall carefully examine the same, and if the instrument is found in all respects to be according to law, and the securities good and sufficient, he shall endorse his approval thereon, have it recorded in the circuit clerk's office, and file the same with the papers of his office; but, if said bond is in any respect defective, or if the penalty is insufficient, he shall return it for correction. When the bond shall have been duly received and filed, the superintendent shall, on demand, deliver to said township treasurer a written statement certifying that his bond has been approved and filed, and that said township treasurer is entitled to the care and custody, on demand, of all moneys, bonds, mortgages, notes and securities, and all books, papers and property of every description belonging to said township.

$20. Upon the receipt of the amount due upon the Auditor's warrant, the county superintendent shall apportion said amount, also the interest on the county fund and the fines and forfeitures, to the several townships and parts of townships in his county, in which townships or parts of townships shools have been kept in accordance with the provisions of this act, and with the instructions of the State and county superintendents, according to the number of children, under twenty-one years of age, returned to him, and shall pay over the distributive share belonging to each township and fractional township, to the respective township treasurers, or other authorized person, annually: Provided, that no part of the State, county or other school fund shall be paid to any township treasurer or other person authorized by said treasurer, unless said township treasurer has filed his bond, as required by section 1 of article IV of this act, nor in case said treasurer is re-appointed by the trustees, unless he shall have renewed his bond and filed the same as aforesaid.

§ 21. The county superintendent may loan any money, not interest, belonging to the county fund, or to any township fund, before the same is called for, according to law, by the township treasurer, at the same rate of interest, upon the same security and for the same length of time as is provided by this act in relation to the township treasurers, and apportion the interest as provided in the preceding section; and notes and mortgages taken in the name of the "county superintendent" of the proper county are hereby declared to be as valid as if taken in the name of "trustees of schools" of the proper township, and suits may be brought in the name of "county superintendents," on all notes and mortgages heretofore or hereafter made payable to the county superintendents.

§ 22. In all controversies arising under the school law, the opinion and advice of the county superintendent shall first be sought, whence appeal may be taken to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction upon a written statement of facts certified by the county superintendent.

§ 23. The county superintendent, upon his removal or resignation, or at the expiration of his term of office (or in case of his death, his representatives) shall deliver over to his successor in office, on demand, all moneys, books, papers and personal property belonging to the office or subject to the control or disposition of the county superintendent.

SECTION 1. Each congressional township is hereby established a township for school purposes.

§ 2. Whenever any fractional township contains less than two hundred (200) persons under twenty-one years of age, the trustees thereof, upon petition of a majority of the adult inhabitants of such fractional township, may, by written agreement entered into with the board of trustees of any adjacent township, consolidate the territory, school funds and other property of such fractional township with such adjacent township, and thereafter shall cease to exercise the functions of school trustees for such fractional township; and such territory, school funds and other property, aforesaid, shall thereafter be managed by the board of trustees of such adjacent and consolidated township, in accordance with the terms of agreement aforesaid, in the same manner as is, or may be provided by law, for the management of territory, funds and other property of school townships: Provided, that the said written agreement shall be duly signed by a majority of the said trustees, and filed for record by the said trustees in the office of the county clerk of the county in which such consolidated township, or the greater part thereof, is situated. [As amended June 21, 1895.

§ 3. The school business of the township shall be done by three trustees, to be elected by the legal voters of the township, as hereinafter provided for.

§ 4. Said trustees shall be a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of "trustees of schools of township No.... range No....," according to the number. The said corporation shall have perpetual existence, shall have power to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded in all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had.

5. The election of trustees of schools shall be on the second Saturday in April, annually.

§ 6. At the first regular election of trustees, after the passage of this act, a successor to the trustee, whose term of office then expires, shall be elected, and thereafter one trustee shall be elected annually. Said trustees shall continue in office three years, and until their successors are elected and enter upon the duties of their office.

§ 7. No person shall be eligible to the office of trustee of schools unless twenty-one years of age, and a resident of the township. And where there are three or more school districts in any township, no two trustees shall reside, when elected, in the same school district, nor shall a person be eligible to the office of trustee of schools and school director at the same time.

§ 8. Notice of the election of school trustee shall be given by the township treasurer, upon the order of the trustees of schools, by posting notices of such election, at least ten days previous to the time of such election, in not less than five of the most public places in said township, which notices shall specify the time and place of election and the object thereof, and may be in the following form, viz:

Public notice is hereby given that on Saturday, the........ April, A. D......, an election will be held at..

.day of

between the hours of......and......of said day, for the purpose of elect

ing......school trustee for township No.. of the board of trustees of said township.

., range No...... By order

Township Treasurer.

§ 9. In townships where no election for school trustees has heretofore been held, or in townships where, from any cause, there are no trustees of schools, the election of trustees of schools may be holden on any Saturday, notice thereof being given as required by section 8 of this article. The first election in such township shall be ordered by the county clerk of the county, who shall cause notice to be given as aforesaid.

§ 10. In case of an election held, as required by the preceding section, the trustees elected, at their first meeting, shall draw lots for their respective terms of office for one, two and three years; and thereafter one trustee shall be elected annually, at the usual time for electing trustees, to fill the vacancy occurring. At all elections after said first election, the said notice shall be given by the trustees of schools, through the township treasurer, as in other elections for trustees.

§ 11. The trustees of schools of incorporated townships present shall act as judges, and choose a person to act as clerk of said election. If the trustees (or any of them) shall fail to attend, or refuse to act when present, the legal voters present shall choose from their own number such additional judges as may be necessary. In any township lying within the limits of a city, village or incorporated town, which has adopted the provisions of "An act regulating the holding of elections, and declaring the result thereof in cities, villages and incorporated towns in this State," approved June 19, 1885, the said election