Differences about property of small value sometimes arise, and to go far from home to have them settled would involve too much expense of time and money; hence the necessity of local officers of justice.  These officers are needed also because petty acts of lawlessness are liable to occur.

How many justices of the peace are there in each town?  Why that number?  What is the extent of their jurisdiction?

The arrest of criminals, the serving of legal papers, and the carrying out of the decisions of justices of the peace, make it necessary to have one or more other officers.

What are such officers called?  How many in each town?  Why?  Look up the history of this office; it is interesting.

The public schools of the town may be managed either by a town board of trustees, who locate all of the school-houses, engage all of the teachers, and provide necessary material for all of the schools in the town; or the town may be divided into districts, the school in each being managed by its own school board.

Does the township system or the district system prevail in this state?  Name some state in which the other system prevails.

How Chosen.—­In this country most of the public officers are chosen by the people interested.  The great problem of election is how to ascertain the real will of those entitled to express an opinion or have a choice.  And all the arrangements for conducting elections have in view one of two things:  either to facilitate voting or to prevent fraud.  The town serves as a convenient voting precinct.

Find out from the statutes or from the town manual or by inquiry, when the town meeting is held; how notice is given; how it is known who may vote; who are judges of election; how many clerks there are; how voting is done; how the votes are counted and the result made known; what reports of the election are made.  Give the reason for each provision.  Can a person vote by proxy?  Why?  What is to prevent a person from voting more than once?  If the polls are open seven hours, and it takes one minute to vote, how many persons can vote at one polling place?  What may be done in case there are more than that number of voters in the town?  How are road overseers elected, and in what part of the day?  Why then?  What other business is transacted at town meeting?  How do the people know how much money will be needed for the coming year’s improvements?  How do they learn the nature and expense of last year’s improvements?

Give four general reasons for our having towns.

* * * * *

PRACTICAL WORK FOR STUDENTS.

I. ORGANIZING A TOWN.

Prepare in due form a petition to the proper authorities asking that a new town be organized. [Footnote:  For forms see Appendix.  If necessary, all the pupils in the room or school may act as “legal voters.” (This “Practical Work” may be omitted until the review, if deemed best.)] Be sure that the order establishing the new town is duly made out, signed, attested and filed.  Give reasons for each step.