PUBLIC EDUCATION. 2461

An. Code, sec. 34B. 1914, ch. 461. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 34B.

66. The trustees of any schools, or the county board of education may
provide for the free and gratuitous use of school houses for such other civic,
social and recreational activities, as in their opinion do not interfere with
the principal use of the said school buildings or properties.

An. Code, sec. 34C. 1914, ch. 461. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 34C.

67. The person or persons making application for the use of a school
house for a public meeting, shall be responsible for all damage to the
property occurring at such meeting, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and
upon failure of the person or persons to respond in damages for any such
injury to the property, the county board of education or the district board
of school trustees in charge of the school house, may refuse all future appli-
cations for the wider use of the property until such injury is repaired,
without expense to the board in charge of the property. It shall be the
duty of the person or persons making application for the use of a school
house for a public meeting place, to place the said school house after said
meeting in as clean a condition as it was before said meeting, and any
failure upon the part of said person or persons, to whom permission has
been granted to hold a meeting, to place said school house after said meeting
in as clean a condition as it was when said school house was turned over to
said person or persons for said meeting, will warrant said school authorities
in refusing to allow any further use of said school house to the same parties.

1918, ch. 203, sec. 1. 1924, ch. 226.

68. The county school superintendents of Maryland be, and are hereby
authorized to enlarge the usefulness and increase the efficiency of public
property by allowing the use of public school houses for farmers' meetings,
public speakings, lectures, entertainments, church festivals, Red Cross
meetings, Y. M. C. A. meetings, meetings and entertainments of the
American Legion and any other purposes which are for the civic welfare.

An. Code, sec. 34D. 1918, ch. 203, sec. 2.

69. The said public school houses are to be used for said purposes only
on the condition and after written application is made to the county school
superintendent having jurisdiction, and that said application is signed by
at least three of the reputable and responsible citizens and tax-payers of
the county in which said school house is located.

Said school houses are to be used for said purposes only at such times
as there are no regular or special school sessions in progress.

An. Code, sec. 35. 1904, sec. 34. 1888, sec. 30. 1872, ch. 377. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 35.

70. No new school house district shall be formed containing less than
fifty children between the ages of 6 and 14 years; nor shall any new school
house district be formed if any one of the old districts affected has, after
the formation of the new school house district, less than fifty children
between the ages of 6 and 14 years, except in such unusual instances as may
be approved by the state superintendent of schools.