surplus shall be deducted pro rata the ensuing year from the amount above required to be paid by the said counties respectively.

§ 976. Employment of reader for blind students. 1. Whenever a blind person, who is a citizen of this state and a pupil in actual attendance at a college, university, technical or professional school located in this state and authorized by law to grant degrees, other than an institution established for the regular instruction of the blind, shall be designated by the trustees thereof as a fit person to receive the aid hereinafter provided for, there shall be paid by the state for the use of such pupil the sum of three hundred dollars per annum with which to employ persons to read to such pupil from text-books and pamphlets used by such pupil in his studies at such college, university or school.

2. Such moneys shall be paid annually, after the beginning of the school year of such institution, by the treasurer of the state on the warrant of the comptroller, to the treasurer of such institution, on his presenting an account showing the actual number of blind pupils matriculated and attending the institution, which account shall be verified by the president of the institution and accompanied by his certificate that the trustees have recommended the pupils named in said account as hereinbefore provided.

3. The trustees of any of the said institutions shall recommend no blind person, who is not regularly matriculated, and who is not in good and regular standing, and who is not working for a degree from the institution in which he is matriculated; and no blind person shall be recommended, who is not doing the work regularly prescribed by the institution for the degree for which he is a candidate. The moneys so paid to any such institution shall be disbursed for the purposes aforesaid by and under the direction of its board of trustees.

§ 977. Indigent deaf-mute children. Whenever a deaf-mute child under the age of twelve years shall become a charge for its maintenance on any of the towns or counties of this state, or shall be liable to become such charge, it shall be the duty of the overseers of the poor of such town or of the board of supervisors of such county to place such child in one of the institutions enumerated in the next section.

§ 978. Deaf-mute children improperly cared for. Upon the application of any parent, guardian or friend of a deafmute child, within this state, over the age of five years and under the age of twelve years, the overseer of the poor or the supervisor

of the town where such child may be, shall place such child in one of the institutions authorized by the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-two, chapter thirty-six, to receive such pupils, as follows:

1. The New York institution for the deaf and dumb; or,

2. The institution for the improved instruction of deafmutes; or,

3. The Le Couteulx Saint Mary's institution for the improved instruction of deaf-mutes in the city of Buffalo; or,

4. The Central New York institution for deaf-mutes in the city of Rome; or,

5. The Albany home school for the oral instruction of the deaf at Albany; or,

6. To any other institution in the state for the education of deaf-mutes as to which the state board of charities shall have filed with the commissioner of education a certificate to the effect that said institution has been duly organized and is prepared for the reception and instruction of such pupils.

§ 979. Maintenance of children. The children placed in said institutions, in pursuance of the last two sections, shall be maintained therein at the expense of the county from whence they came, provided that such expense shall not exceed three hundred and twenty-five dollars each per year, until they attain the age of twelve years, unless the directors of the institution to which a child has been sent shall find that such child is not a proper subject to remain in said institution. [Thus amended by L. 1910, ch. 322, in effect May 18, 1910.]

§ 980. Payment of expenses of tuition and maintenance. The expenses for the board, tuition and clothing for such deaf-mute children, placed as aforesaid in said institutions, not exceeding the amount of three hundred and twenty-five dollars per year, above allowed, shall be raised and collected as are other expenses of the county from which such children shall be received: and the bills therefor, properly authenticated by the principal or one of the officers of the institution, shall be paid to said institution by the said county; and its county treasurer or chamberlain, as the case may be, is hereby directed to pay the same on presentation, so that the amount thereof may be borne by the proper county. [Thus amended by L. 1910, ch. 322, in effect May 18, 1910.]

ARTICLE 39

New York State School for the Blind

Section 990. Change of name.

991. Requisites for admission.

992. Applicants from without the state.

993. Applications for admission.

994. Object of institution.

995. Appointment and terms of trustees.

996. Filling vacancies.

997. Trustees entitled to mileage; disabilities.

998. General powers of trustees.

999. Officers, committees and seal.

1000. Secretary.

1001. Treasurer's duties and bond.

1002. Appointment of superintendent, instructors and

assistants.

1003. Purchase of equipment.

1004. Duty to provide clothing and pay traveling ex

penses.

1005. Charges against county.

1006. Accounts against counties and payment thereof.

1007. Reimbursement of counties.

1008. Entitled to publications and may receive bequests

and donations.

1009. Records and annual reports.

1010. Payments by state treasurer.

1011. Drafts upon state treasury.

1012. Consent of trustees to construction of sewers.

§ 990. Change of name. The New York state institution for the blind as the same was authorized to be established by chapter five hundred and eighty-seven of the laws of eighteen hundred and sixty-five and the acts supplemental thereto and renamed the "New York state school for the blind" by laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, chapter five hundred sixty-three, shall continue to be known and designated as the "New York state school for the blind.”

§ 991. Requisites for admission. All blind persons of suitable age and capacity for instruction, who are legal residents of the state, shall be entitled to the privileges of the New York state

school for the blind, without charge, and for such a period of time in each individual case as may be deemed expedient by the board of trustees of said school; provided, that whenever more persons apply for admission at one time than can be properly accommodated in the school, the trustees shall so apportion the number received, but each county may be represented in the ratio of its blind population to the total blind population of the state; and provided further, that the children of citizens who died in the United States service, or from wounds received therein during the late rebellion, shall take precedence over all others.

§ 992. Applicants from without the state. Blind persons from without the state may be received into the school upon the payment of an adequate sum, fixed by the trustees, for their boarding and instruction; provided that such applicant shall in no case exclude those from the state of New York.

§ 993. Applications for admission. Applications for admission into the school shall be made to the board of trustees in such manner as they may direct, but the board shall require such application to be accompanied by a certificate from the county judge or county clerk of the county or the supervisor or town clerk of the town, or the mayor of the city where the applicant resides, setting forth that the applicant is a legal resident of the town, county and state claimed as his residence.

§ 994. Object of institution. The primary object of the school shall be, to furnish to the blind children of the state the best known facilities for acquiring a thorough education, and train them in some useful profession or manual art, by means of which they may be enabled to contribute to their own support after leaving the school; but it may likewise, through its industrial department, provide such of them with appropriate employment and boarding accommodations as find themselves unable, after completing their course of instruction and training, to procure these elsewhere for themselves. It shall, however, be in no sense an asylum for those who are helpless from age, infirmity or otherwise, or a hospital for the treatment of blindness.

§ 995. Appointment and terms of trustees. The governor shall continue, each alternate year, to appoint, by and with the consent of the senate, three trustees who shall serve for a term of six years. Two of the board must be residents of the county of Genesee, and a majority must be residents within fifty miles of said school.

§ 996. Filling vacancies. In case of the declination of any member of said board of trustees to act under his appointment, or of the occurrence of any other casual vacancy in the board, the governor shall forthwith appoint some suitable person to fill such vacancy, and the member so appointed shall serve out the term of his predecessor.

§ 997. Trustees entitled to mileage; disabilities. The trustees shall receive no compensation as such, but they may allow themselves mileage, at the same rate as that paid to members of the legislature, for any distance actually traveled in the service of the school. Nor shall any trustee be pecuniarily interested in any contract for buildings pertaining to the school, or in furnishing supplies therefor.

§ 998. General powers of trustees. The board of trustees shall have charge of all the affairs of the school, with power to make all necessary by-laws and regulations for their government and the proper management of the school, as well as for the admission of pupils, and to do all else which may be found necessary for the advancement of its humane design.

$999. Officers, committees and seal. They shall elect from their own number a president and treasurer, together with such standing committees as they may deem necessary, and adopt a common seal for the school.

§ 1000. Secretary. The board of trustees may elect a secretary, who shall serve during the pleasure of the board, and who shall not be a member thereof, and may fill any vacancy in the said office as often as the same shall occur, and may prescribe his duties and fix his compensation.

§ 1001. Treasurer's duties and bond. 1. The treasurer shall have the custody of all the funds of the school, and pay out the same only upon properly authenticated orders of the board or executive committee.

2. Before entering upon the duties of his office, he shall execute and file in the office of the comptroller, a bond with such sureties and in such amount of penalty as the comptroller shall require and approve, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties as such treasurer.

§ 1002. Appointment of superintendent, instructors and assistants. The trustees shall have power to appoint a competent and experienced superintendent, who shall be the chief executive officer of the school, together with an efficient corps