of instruction shall be approved by the Commissioner of Education and the instruction therein shall meet the standards prescribed and conform to the provisions of this article and the rules of the Regents of the University in respect thereto. If two or more districts shall jointly employ a teacher thus qualified to give such courses of instruction, the Commissioner of Education shall apportion a like amount on account of the salary paid to the teacher, which shall be apportioned to the school districts in accordance with the amount required to be paid by each district for the maintenance of such courses of instruction. [Amended by L. 1918, ch. 4.42.] § 698 Use of armories for physical training. The physical training hereinbefore provided for, may be given, when practicable, in any armory of the State where such armory is within convenient distance from the school, and at such times and in such manner as not to interfere with the regular military uses of such armory. The commanding officer in charge of any such armory shall, upon application made by any board of education or trustees of the several cities and school districts within the State, permit access to any such armory, for the purposes herein mentioned. [Added by L. 1919, ch. 112, in effect March 27, 1919.] ARTICLE 26-B [Added by L. 1917, ch. 210, in effect April 19, 1917] Section 700 Instruction in the humane treatment of animals and birds $ 700 Instruction in the humane treatment of animals and birds. The officer, board or commission authorized or required to prescribe courses of instruction shall cause instruction to be given in every elementary school under state control or supported wholly or partly by public money of the State, in the humane treatment and protection of animals and birds and the importance of the part they play in the economy of nature. Such instruction shall be for such period of time during each school year as the Board of Regents may prescribe and may be joined with work in literature, reading, language, nature study or ethnology. Such weekly instruction may be divided into two or more periods. A school district shall not be entitled to participate in the public school money on account of any school or the attendance at any school subject to the provisions of this section, if the instruction required hereby is not given therein. The Commissioner of Education shall, pursuant to this act, cause the consideration of the humane treatment of animals and birds to be included in the program of teachers' institutes. by L. 1917, ch. 210, in effect April 19, 1917.] [Added ARTICLE 26-C [Article added by L. 1918, ch. 241, in effect April 17, 1918] Instruction in Patriotism and Citizenship Section 705 Courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship 706 Rules prescribing courses; inspection and supervision; enforce ment § 705 Courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship. In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and obligation and to foster in the children of the State moral and intellectual qualities which are essential in preparing to meet the obligations of citizenship in peace or in war, the Regents of The University of the State of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship, to be maintained and followed in all the schools of the State. The boards of education and trustees of the several cities and school districts of the State shall require instruction to be given in such courses, by the teachers employed in the schools therein. All pupils attending such schools, over the age of eight years, shall attend upon such instruction. Similar courses of instruction shall be prescribed and maintained in private schools in the State, and all pupils in such schools over eight years of age shall attend upon such courses. If such courses are not so established and maintained in a private school, attendance upon instruction in such school shall not be deemed substantially equivalent to instruction given to pupils of like age in the public schools of the city or district in which such pupils reside. [Added by L. 1918, ch. 241, in effect April 17, 1918.1 § 706 Rules prescribing courses; inspection and supervision; enforcement. The Regents of The University of the State of New York shall determine the subjects to be included in such courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship, and the period of instruction in each of the grades in such subjects. They shall adopt rules providing for attendance upon such instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into effect the objects and purposes of this article. The Commissioner of Education shall be responsible for the enforcement of this article and shall cause to be inspected and supervise the instruction to be given in such subjects. The Commissioner may, in his discretion, cause all or a portion of the public school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be withheld for failure of the school authorities of such district or city to provide instruction in such courses and to compel attendance upon such instruction, as herein prescribed, and for a noncompliance with the rules of the Regents adopted as herein provided. [Added by L. 1918, ch. 241, in effect April 17, 1918.] ARTICLE 27 The Flag Section 710 Purchase and display of flag 711 Rules and regulations 712 Commissioner of Education shall prepare program § 710 Purchase and display of flag. It shall be the duty of the school authorities of every public school in the several cities and school districts of the State to purchase a United States flag, flag-staff and the necessary appliances therefor, and to display such flag upon or near the public school building during school hours, and at such other times as such school authorities may direct. § 711 Rules and regulations. The said school authorities shall establish rules and regulations for the proper custody, care and display of the flag, and when the weather will not permit it to be otherwise displayed, it shall be placed conspictously in the principal room in the schoolhouse. § 712 Commissioner of Education shall prepare program. 1 It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Education to prepare, for the use of the public schools of the State, a program providing for a salute to the flag and such other patriotic exercises as may be deemed by him to be expedient, under such regulations and instructions as may best meet the varied requirements of the different grades in such schools. 2 It shall also be his duty to make special provision for the observance in the public schools of Lincoln's birthday, Washing ton's birthday, Memorial day and Flag day, and such other legal holidays of like character as may be hereafter designated by law when the Legislature makes an appropriation therefor. § 713 Military drill excluded. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize military instruction or drill in the public schools during school hours. ARTICLE 28 Fire Drills Section 730 Duty to maintain drills 731 Penalty for neglect 732 Duty to instruct teachers 733 Not applicable to colleges or universities § 730 Duty to maintain drills. It shall be the duty of the principal or other person in charge of every public or private school or educational institution within the State, having more than one hundred pupils, or maintained in a building two or more stories high to instruct and train the pupils by means of drills, so that they may in a sudden emergency be able to leave. the school building in the shortest possible time and without confusion or panic. Such drills or rapid dismissals shall be held at least once in each month. § 731 Penalty for neglect. Neglect by any principal or other person in charge of any public or private school or educational institution to comply with the provisions of this article shall be a misdemeanor punishable at the discretion of the court by fine not exceeding fifty dollars; such fine to be paid to the pension fund of the local fire department where there is such a fund. § 732 Duty to instruct teachers. It shall be the duty of the board of education or school board or other body having control of the schools in any district or city to cause a copy of this article to be printed in the manual or handbook prepared for the guidance of teachers, where such manual or handbook is in use or may hereafter come into use. § 733 Not applicable to colleges or universities. The provisions of this article shall not apply to colleges or universities. § 750 Arbor Day. The Commissioner of Education shall designate by proclamation, annually, the day to be observed as Arbor Day. [Amended by L. 1916, ch. 220.] $ 751 Manner of observance. It shall be the duty of the authorities of every public school in this State to assemble the pupils in their charge on that day in the school building, or elsewhere, as they may deem proper, and to provide for and conduct, under the general supervision of the city superintendent or the school commissioner, or other chief officers having the general oversight of the public schools in each city or district, such exer cises as shall tend to encourage the planting, protection and preservation of trees and shrubs, and an acquaintance with the best methods to be adopted to accomplish such results. § 752 Prescribed course of exercises. The Commissioner of Education may prescribe from time to time a course of exercises and instruction in the subjects hereinbefore mentioned, which shall be adopted and observed by the public school authorities on Arbor Day. Upon receipt of copies of such course sufficient in number to supply all the schools under their supervision, the school commissioner or city superintendent aforesaid shall promptly provide each of the schools under his charge with a copy, and cause it to be observed. ARTICLE 30 Teachers Institute Section 770 Duties of Commissioner of Education regarding teachers insti tutes 771 Duties of school commissioners 772 Schools must be closed 773 Penalty for failure to attend or to close schools 774 Teachers must attend; entitled to salaries 775 Payment of expenses 776 Compensation and expenses of teachers attending institute or conference |