Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force, Feb.[February] 3d, 1840.

AN ACT further to amend the several acts in relation to common schools
1

Duty of treasurers of townships in making abstracts

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That in making out the abstracts required by the fifteenth section of the act of March 4th, 1837, entitled “an act to amend the several acts in relation to common schools,” the treasurer of townships shall state in such abstracts, the amount of compensation earned by each teacher named in such abstracts, within the time comprised in the same; and the school commissioner of the county shall not pay more than one-half of such compensation from the interest of the school, college, and seminary funds.

Scholars in unincorporated townships

Sec. 2. In all cases where scholars residing in an unincorporated township, shall attend a school taught in a township which has become incorporated, the teachers’ schedule, comprising the names of such scholars, shall be examined and certified by the trustees of the township in which the school is kept, and delivered to the school commissioner of the county in which

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such unincorporated township, or the larger part thereof, is situated; and such school commissioner shall pay the teacher of such scholars a distributive share of the interest of the school fund of such township.

Teachers in unincorporated townships

Sec. 3. When scholars, residing in an incorporated township, attend a school kept in a township which is not incorposated, the teacher’s schedule, comprising the names of such scholars, shall be examined and certified by the trustees of the school which such scholars attend, and delivered to the treasurer of the township in which such scholars reside, and their teacher shall be entitled to receive from such treasurer a distributive share of the interest of the school fund of such township.

School districts comprising more than one township

Sec. 4. Whenever the situation of the settlements is such as to make it expedient that a school district shall comprise portions of two or more incorporated townships, such district may be established, and its boundaries defined, and altered by the concurrent action of the trustees of the several townships in which such school district is comprised.

Scholars of two or more counties

Sec. 5. When a school shall consist of scholars residing in two or more counties, separate schedules or abstracts shall be made and returned in the mode heretofore provided by law, to the school commissioners of each of said counties, in order to entitle the teacher to a share of the interest of the school, college, and seminary funds of the State.

Part of section repealed

Sec. 6. So much of the seventeenth section of the act of March 4th, 1837, entitled “an act to amend the several acts in relation to common schools,” as requires that “the apportionment of money shall be equalized in each township, by paying to every teacher the same rate of compensation,” is hereby repealed.

Approved, February 3d, 1840.

1George Churchill introduced SB 61, originally titled “A Bill to Amend the Several Acts in relation to Common Schools,” in the Senate on January 20, 1840. The Senate referred the bill to the Committee on School Lands and Education, which reported it back with amendments on January 29. The Senate approved the amendments and passed the bill the same day. The House of Representatives passed the bill on February 1. On February 3, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Journal of the House of Representatives, of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Called Session (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 291, 326-27;Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Called Session (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 77, 230, 238, 243.