[Chapter 9.]

Passed May 2, 1719.

Be it Enacted by his Excellency the Govern^r Councill & Representatives in Gen^ll Assembly Convened and by the Authority of the same, That every Town within this Province having the number of Fifty Householders or upwards, Shall be constantly provided of a Schoolmaster to teach Children & youth to read and write. And where any Town or Towns have the number of one Hundred Families or Husholders, there Shall also be a Grammer School Sett up and kept in every Such Town, & Some Discreet person of good Conversation well Instructed in the Tongues shall be procured to be Master thereof, every Such Schoolmaster to be Suitably Encouraged and paid by the Inhabitants

And the Selectmen of Such Towns respectively are hereby Impowered to agree with Such Schoolmasters for Sallary and to raise mony by way of Rate upon the Inhabitants to pay the Same

And if any Town Qualified as afors^d shall neglect the due observance of this Act for the procuring and setling of any Such Schoolmaster as afors^d by the Space of Six months, Every Such Defective Town shall incur the Penalty of twenty Pounds for every Conviction of Such neglect upon complaint made to the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, which Penalty Shall be towards the Support of Such School or Schools within this Province where there may be most need at the Discretion of the afors^d Court, to be levied by Warrant from the said Court in proportion upon the Inhabitants of Such Defective Town, which warrant Shall be directed to the Selectment of Such Town & paid in to the Treasurer of this Province for the end afors^d.

And If any Town that may attain to y^e Number aboves^d & Suppose themselves uncapable of Complying w^th this act they shall apply themselves to y^e Gen^ll Quarter sessions who are hereby Impowered to Determine y^e Same

[Note: Penalty for negligent towns reinstated, but exemptions were to be granted for "uncapable" towns.]

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