114 Kan. 485 | Kan. | 1923
The opinion of the court was delivered" by
This is a proceeding brought by the state on the relation of the attorney-general to require the board of trustees of a community high school in Norton county to call an election upon the proposition of issuing bonds for the erection of a building, th'e obvious purpose on both sides being to settle the question whether the statute gives the defendants power to do so.
At a time when a number of county high schools were in existence, organized under various general and special acts, a statute was passed containing these provisions:
“That upon the taking effect of this act, all county high schools in the state of Kansas, regardless of acts under which created, shall be disorganized and in their stead shall be created community high schools whose territory shall include all the territory in said counties not included in the territory of other accredited high schools. Such schools so organized and established shall be known and styled 'community high schools.’ ” (Laws 1923, ch. 187, § 1.)
“That the powers and duties of the community high school in every instance shall be the powers and duties belonging to the county high school which it succeeds, except as hereinafter provided.” (Laws 1923, ch. 187, § 2.)
“All bond elections and other special elections, shall be held under the ■ same rules and regulations as are now provided for such elections by county high schools.” (Laws 1923, ch. 187, § 3.)
The county high school which in 1923 was converted into the community high-school district here involved was organized. under a special act (Laws 1899, ch. 229) providing for such organization in accordance with a general statute. (Laws 1886, ch. 147; Gen. Stat. 1915, §§ 9287-9303.) Neither the special nor the general act authorized the issuance of bonds to erect a building for this county high school and the latter (§9) forbade the board of trustees to contract for school buildings in excess of the amount on hand and to be raised by one year’s tax. Clearly the Norton county high school was not included in the grant to school districts of power to issue bonds for schoolhouses, and its mere conversion into a community high-school district with restricted boundaries does not in
The writ asked is denied.