by three, which the town determines to elect. When such board is first chosen, one third thereof shall be elected for one year, one third for two years and one third for three years, and thereafter one third shall be elected annually for a term of three years. The board shall, from its own number, annually choose a chairman and secretary and, if the town so votes, a treasurer, who shall give a bond similar to that given by the town treasurer, in an amount and with sureties to the satisfaction of the selectmen. Until the town otherwise directs the town treasurer shall act as treasurer of the board of trustees.

duties of

1888, 304, § 4.

to cities. See

SECTION 11. The board shall have the custody and Powers and management of the library and reading room and of all trustees. property owned by the town relating thereto. All money R. L. 38, § 8. raised or appropriated by the town for its support and Not applicable maintenance shall be expended by the board, and all money or property which the town may receive by gift or bequest for said library and reading room shall be administered by the board in accordance with the provisions of such gift or bequest.

SECTION 12. The board shall make an annual report to the town of its receipts and expenditures and of the property in its custody, with a statement of any unexpended balance of money and of any gifts or bequests which it holds in behalf of the town, with its recommendations.

section 21.

Trustees to 1888, 304, § 6.

make report.

R. L. 38, § 9. Not applicable to cities. See

section 21.

Law libraries

not affected by

SECTION 13. The three preceding sections shall not apply to library associations, nor to a library organized three precedunder a special act.

1888, 304, § 7.

R. L. 38, § 10.

ing sections.

1890, 347, § 2.

BOARD OF FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS. SECTION 14. The commissioner of education shall make Annual report. an annual report of the acts of the board of free public library commissioners, including therein a full detail of expenditures under section nineteen.

R. L. 38, § 12. 1910, 396, § 2.

1906, 183.

Board to advise officials libraries.

of public

SECTION 15. The board of free public library commissioners shall advise the librarian or trustees of any free public library relative to the selection or cataloguing of books and any other matter pertaining to its maintenance R. L. 38, § 13. or administration.

1890, 347, § 2.

books for

SECTION 16. Said board, upon the application of the Purchase of library trustees of a town which has complied with sections towns having

no public library.

1890, 347, § 3.

R. L. 38, § 14.

Not applicable

to cities.

section 21.

See

Acceptance of law by towns.

1890, 344, § 4.

R. L. 38, § 16.
Not applicable

seventeen and eighteen, and which has no free public library owned and controlled by the town, may expend not more than one hundred dollars for books to be selected and purchased by said board and delivered to said trustees for the purpose of establishing a free public library.

SECTION 17. A town shall not be entitled to the benefits of the two preceding sections until it accepts the same or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws to cities. See and has elected a board of library trustees as provided in section ten, nor until said trustees have made provision satisfactory to said commissioners for the care and distribution of the books furnished by them.

section 21.

SECTION 18. Such town shall, if its last assessed valuation was one million dollars or over, annually appropriate from the dog tax, or otherwise provide for the use and maintenance of its free public library, not less than fifty dollars; if such valuation was less than one million dollars and not less than two hundred and fifty thousand, not less than twenty-five dollars; and if such valuation was less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, not less than fifteen dollars.

SECTION 19. The board of free public library commissioners may annually expend a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars in aid of free public libraries, especially in those towns the valuation of which does not exceed one million dollars. Such aid may include the furnishing of books in small quantities, visits to libraries, the instruction of librarians, and such other means of encouraging and stimulating the small libraries as said board shall deem advisable.

SECTION 20. The board may determine by examination or by such rules as it may establish the selection and appointment of supervising librarians and all other library workers who are paid wholly or in part, under the authority of said board, by the commonwealth. Such selection and appointment shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one.

In order to assist library trustees who seek advice from the board in securing qualified librarians and assistants, the board shall keep a registry of librarians which shall give due credit for experience and successful accomplishment as well as for formal examination.

SECTION 21. Sections ten to twelve, inclusive, and sec- Certain seotions sixteen to eighteen, inclusive, shall not apply to applicable to

cities.

tions not cities.

RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR TEACHERS.

SECTION 6. In sections seven to nineteen, inclusive, Definitions. unless the context otherwise requires, the following words 1913; 237, shall have the following meanings:

1917, 233, 1.

121

1.

1.

3.Op. A. G. 460.

Teachers' retirement association.

1913, 832, § 3.

1914, 494,

§§ 1, 2.

'Annuities", payments for life derived from contributions of members;

"Annuities-certain", payments for a definite number of years only, derived from contributions of members, and the number of years during which payments shall be made shall be determined by the retirement board;

"Annuity fund", the fund provided in section nine (2); "Assessments", the annual payments to the annuity fund by members;

"Association", the teachers' retirement association provided in section seven;

"Board", the teachers' retirement board specified in section eight;

"Expense fund", the fund provided in section nine (1); "Pensions", payments for life, derived from contributions of the commonwealth;

'Pension fund", the fund provided in section nine (3); "Public school", any day school conducted in the commonwealth under the superintendence of a duly elected school committee, also any day school conducted under sections one to twenty-four, inclusive, of chapter seventyfour;

"Regular interest", interest at the rate determined by the retirement board, which shall be substantially that which is actually earned compounded annually on the last day of December;

"Retirement system" or "system", the arrangement provided for payment of annuities and pensions to teachers; "School year", the twelve months beginning July first in any year and ending June thirtieth next;

66

"Teacher", any teacher, principal, supervisor or superintendent employed by a school committee or board of trustees in a public day school in the commonwealth.

SECTION 7. There shall be a teachers' retirement association organized as follows:

(1) All persons now members of the teachers' retirement association established on July first, nineteen hundred and 1919, 292, § 18. fourteen, shall be members thereof.

1916, 54, § 1.

Op. A. G.

(1918) 81.

(2) All teachers hereafter entering the service of the public schools for the first time shall thereby become members of the association.

(3) Any teacher who entered the service of the public schools before July first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, who has not become a member of the association, may

hereafter, before attaining the age of seventy, upon written application to the board, become a member of the association by paying an amount equal to the total assessments, together with regular interest thereon, which he would have paid if he had joined the association on September thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fourteen.

(4) Teachers in training schools maintained and controlled by the department of education shall be considered as public school teachers under sections seven to nineteen, inclusive, and such a teacher upon becoming a member of the association shall thereafter pay assessments based upon his total salary including the part paid by the commonwealth; provided, that the total assessments shall not exceed one hundred dollars in any year. Such assessments shall be deducted in accordance with rules prescribed by the board. This paragraph shall not apply to teachers regularly employed in the normal schools and therefore subject to sections one to five, inclusive, although they devote a part of their time to training school work.

of the retire

SECTION 8. (1) The retirement system shall be man- Certain duties aged by the teachers' retirement board provided in section sixteen of chapter fifteen.

(2) The board may make by-laws and regulations consistent with law.

(3) The board shall provide for the payment of retirement allowances and the other expenditures required by sections seven to nineteen, inclusive.

(4) The board shall adopt for the retirement system one or more mortality tables, and shall determine what rates of interest shall be established in connection therewith, and may later modify such tables or prescribe other tables to represent more accurately the expense of the system, or may change such rates of interest, and may determine the application of the changes made.

(5) The board shall perform such other functions as are required to comply with sections seven to nineteen, inclusive.

Funds of Retirement System.

ment board.

1913, 832, § 4. 1919, 350,

61.

SECTION 9. The funds of the system shall consist of an Funds of retireexpense fund, an annuity fund and a pension fund.

ment system. 1913, 832, § 5. 1915, 197, 1. 1918, 257,

(1) The expense fund shall consist of such amounts as shall annually be appropriated by the general court, on estimates submitted by the board, to defray the expenses 1920, 2.

$8111, 112.

5.