3. Not a citizen. A person employed as a teacher on April 4, 1918, who was not a citizen, may continue in such employment provided he or she, within one year from such date, shall make application to become a citizen and within the time thereafter prescribed by law shall become a citizen. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to alien teachers who are citizens of countries that were allied with this country in the prosecution of the war with Germany and who were employed as teachers in this State on or prior to April 4, 1918, provided such teacher make application to become a citizen before the first day of September, 1920, and within the time thereafter prescribed by law shall become such citizen. (Amended by L. 1918, ch. 158, and L. 1919, ch. 120, in effect March 31, 1919.)

§ 551. Minimum qualifications of teachers in primary and grammar schools. No person shall hereafter be employed or licensed to teach in the primary and grammar schools of any city or school district authorized by law to employ a superintendent of schools who has not had successful experience in teaching for at least three years, or in lieu thereof has not completed:

1. A course in one of the State normal schools of this State or in any approved college, prescribed by the commissioner of education. (Subdivision 1 amended by L. 1920, ch. 155, in effect April 5, 1920.)

2. An examination for and received a life State certificate issued in this State by a superintendent of public instruction or the commissioner of education.

3. A course of study in a high school or academy of not less than three years approved by the commissioner of edu cation or from some institution of learning of equal or higher rank approved by the same authority, and who subsequently to the completion of such course has not graduated from a school for the professional training of teachers having a course of not less than two years approved by the commissioner of education or its equivalent.

§ 568. Removal of superintendents, teachers and employees for treasonable or seditious acts or utterances. A person employed as superintendent of schools, teacher or employee in the public schools, in any city or school district of the State, shall be removed

from such position for the utterance of any treasonable or seditious word or words or the doing of any treasonable or seditious act or acts while holding such position. (Added by L. 1917, ch. 416, in effect May 8, 1917.)

8. SPECIAL COURSES FOR TEACHERS

Article 4, Section 11-a. The Commissioner of Education is authorized and directed to establish and provide for the maintenance and conduct of courses of study or training in State normal institutions and in colleges and universities and other educational institutions and in connection with other educational agencies for the purpose of training teachers in principles and methods of instruction, and to give them knowledge to fit them to instruct foreign-born and native adults and minors over sixteen years of age in evening, extension, factory, home and community classes. Such courses of study shall be prescribed by the Commissioner of Education and shall continue for a period of not less than one year. No teacher employed to instruct foreignborn and native adults and minors over sixteen years of age shall be employed by the State or compensated in whole or in any part by the State, unless he shall have completed such course of study or training or shall have an equivalent thereof to be determined under the rules and regulations of the Commissioner of Education. A special certificate shall be issued to teachers who have completed such course of study or a course of instruc tion which is equivalent thereto, provided, however, that temporary permits may be issued by the Commissioner of Education to teachers who are qualified to give such instruction pending the completion of such a course of study or training. (Added by L. 1918, ch. 412; amended by L. 1920, ch. 851, in effect May 20, 1920. The sum of $40,000 was appropriated by the Legislature to carry out the provisions of this subdivision.)

§ 11-b. The Commissioner of Education is hereby authorized to divide the State into zones and to appoint directors thereof, teachers, and such other employees as may be necessary to promote and extend educational facilities for the education of illiterates and of non-English speaking persons. (Added by L. 1919, ch. 617, in effect May 14, 1919.)

§ 11-c. The board of estimate and apportionment of a city. the council of a city, or the common council of a city, the board

of supervisors of a county, the board of trustees of an incorporated village, the town board of a town, may make appropriations to aid and promote the extension of education among the illiterates and non-English speaking persons within the jurisdiction of these respective bodies. (Added by L. 1919, ch. 617, in effect May 14, 1919. The sum of $100,000 was appropriated to the Commissioner of Education for carrying out the provisions of subdivisions 11-b and 11-c.)

§ 11-d. The Commissioner of Education may provide for the establishment of courses of instruction of study and schools in connection with factories, places of employment, or in such other places as he may deem advisable, for the purpose of giving instruction to foreign-born and native adults and minors over the age of sixteen years. Such course of instruction of study shall include instruction in English, history, civics and other subjects tending to promote good citizenship and to increase vocational efficiency. Such course of instruction and study shall be prescribed by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, and shall be in conformity with rules to be adopted by them.

The Commissioner of Education is authorized and directed to employ teachers and to fix the compensation of teachers especially trained and having certificates as provided in subdivisions 11-a of this section, and to assign such teachers to service in extension courses in factories and other places of employment, or in such other places as he may deem advisable throughout the State, established as provided by law. (Added by L. 1920, ch. 852, in effect May 20, 1920. The sum of $100,000 was appropriated by the Legislature to carry out the provisions of this subdivision.)

9. USE OF SCHOOLHOUSE AND GROUNDS

Article 16, Section 455. Use of schoolhouse and grounds out of school hours. Schoolhouses and the grounds connected therewith and all property belonging to the district shall be in the custody and under the control and supervision of the trustees or board of education of the district. The trustees or board of education may adopt reasonable regulations for the use of such schoolhouses, grounds or other property, when not in use for school purposes, for such other public purposes as are herein provided. Such regulations shall not conflict with the provisions of

!

this chapter and shall conform to the purposes and intent of this section and shall be subject to review on appeal to the commissioner of education as provided by law. The trustees or board of education of each district may, subject to regulations adopted as above provided, permit the use of the schoolhouse and rooms therein, and the grounds and other property of the district, when not in use for school purposes, for any of the following purposes:

1. By persons assembling therein for the purpose of giving and receiving instruction in any branch of education, learning or the arts.

2. For public library purposes, subject to the provisions of this chapter, or as stations of public libraries.

3. For holding social, civic and recreational meetings and entertainments, and other uses pertaining to the welfare of the community; but such meetings, entertainment and uses shall be nonexclusive and shall be open to the general public.

4. For meetings, entertainments and occasions where admission fees are charged, when the proceeds thereof are to be expended for an educational or charitable purpose; but such use shall not be permitted if such meetings, entertainments and occasions are under the exclusive control, and the said proceeds are to be applied for the benefit of a society, association or organization of a religious sect or denomination, or of a fraternal, secret or other exclusive society or organization.

5. For polling places for holding primaries and elections. and for the registration of voters, and for holding political meetings. But no such use shall be permitted unless authorized by a vote of a district meeting, held as provided by law, or, in cities, by the board of education thereof. Except in cities, it shall be the duty of the trustees or board of education to call a special meeting for such purpose upon the petition of at least ten per centum of the qualified electors of the district. Authority so granted shall continue until revoked in like manner and by the same body as granted.

6. For civic forums and community centers. Upon the petition of at least twenty-five citizens residing within the district or city, the trustees or board of education in each school district or city shall organize and conduct community centers for ivic purposes, and civic forums in the several

school districts and cities, to promote and advance principles of Americanization among the residents of the State. The trustees or board of education in each school district or city, when organizing such community centers or civic forums, shall provide funds for the maintenance and support of such community centers and civic forums, and shall prescribe regulations for their conduct and supervision, provided that nothing herein contained shall prohibit the trustees of such school district or the board of education to prescribe and adopt rules and regulations to make such community centers or civic forums self-supporting as far as practicable. Such community centers and civic forums shall be at all times under the control of the trustees or board of education in each school district or city, and shall be nonexclusive and open to the general public. (Amended by L. 1913, ch. 221; L. 1917, ch. 214; and L. 1920, ch. 150, in effect April 1, 1920.)

10. KINDERGARTENS AND NIGHT SCHOOLS

Article 11, Section 311. Kindergartens; night schools. The board of education of each school district and of each city may maintain kindergartens which shall be free to resident children between the ages of four and six years.

Night schools wherein the common branches and such additional subjects as may be adapted to students applying for instruction are taught on three nights each week, for two hours each night, shall be maintained by the board of education:

1. In each city of the first class throughout the duration of the day school term.

2. In each city of the second class on at least one hundred nights.

3. In each city of the third class on at least eighty nights. 4. In each city not subject to the foregoing provisions and in each school district where twenty or more minors between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years are required to attend school, or where twenty or more persons over the age of sixteen years make applications for instruction in a night school, for at least seventy-five nights.

All night schools shall be free to all persons residing in the districts or city. (Amended by L. 1918, ch. 409, in effect September 1, 1918.)