make a report to the town every year.  It is for them to decide what text-books are to be used.  They examine candidates for the position of teacher and issue certificates to those whom they select.  The certificate is issued in duplicate, and one copy is handed to the selectmen as a warrant that the teacher is entitled to receive a salary.  Teachers are appointed for a term of one year, but where their work is satisfactory the appointments are usually renewed year after year.  A recent act in Massachusetts permits the appointment of teachers to serve during good behaviour, but few boards have as yet availed themselves of this law.  If the amount of work to be done seems to require it, the committee appoints a superintendent of schools.  He is a sort of lieutenant of the school committee, and under its general direction carries on the detailed work of supervision.

Other town officers are the surveyors of highways, who are responsible for keeping the roads and bridges in repair; field-drivers and pound-keepers; fence-viewers; surveyors of lumber, measurers of wood, and sealers of weights and measures.

[Sidenote:  Field-drivers and pound keepers.] The field-driver takes stray animals to the pound, and then notifies their owner; or if he does not know who is the owner he posts a description of the animals in some such place as the village store or tavern, or has it published in the nearest country newspaper.  Meanwhile the strays are duly fed by the pound-keeper, who does not let them out of his custody until all expenses have been paid.

[Sidenote:  Fence-viewers.] If the owners of contiguous farms, gardens, or fields get into a dispute about their partition fences or walls, they may apply to one of the fence-viewers, of whom each town has at least two.  The fence-viewer decides the matter, and charges a small fee for his services.  Where it is necessary he may order suitable walls or fences to be built.

[Sidenote:  Other officers.] The surveyors of lumber measure and mark lumber offered for sale.  The measurers of wood do the same for firewood.  The sealers test the correctness of weights and measures used in trade, and tradesmen are not allowed to use weights and measures that have not been thus officially examined and sealed.  Measurers and sealers may be appointed by the selectmen.

Such are the officers always to be found in the Massachusetts town, except where the duties of some of them are discharged by the selectmen.  Of these officers, the selectmen, town-clerk, treasurer, constable, school committee, and assessors must be elected by ballot at the annual town-meeting.