PUBLIC EDUCATION 2915

An. Code, 1924, sec. 65. 1912, sec. 34A. 1914, ch. 461. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 34A.

68. When the citizens of any community are organized into a non-
partisan, non-sectarian, non-exclusive association for the presentation and
discussion of public questions, such organizations, upon request to the
county board or the trustees of any school, may, in the discretion of the
said authorities, have the free use of any school building in this State, for
weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly gatherings, or at such times as the citizens'
organization shall request or designate; provided, however, said meetings
shall be held during those hours when the school buildings are not being
used for their principal purpose.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 66. 1912, sec. 34B. 1914, ch. 461. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 34B.

69. 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, 1924, sec. 67. 1912, sec. 34C. 1914, ch. 461. 1916, ch. 506, sec. 34C.

70. 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.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 68. 1918, ch. 203, see. 1. 1924, ch. 226. 1931, ch. 79. 1933, ch. 186.

1935, ch. 552.

71. The County School Superintendents of Maryland be, and they are
hereby authorized to enlarge the usefulness and increase the efficiency of
public school property by allowing the use of public school houses for
farmers' meetings, meetings of the Farmers' Educational and Co-opera-
tive Union of America, Grange meetings, Maryland Agriculture Society-
Maryland Farm Bureau Federation, public speakings, lectures, entertain-
ments, church festivals, Red Cross meetings, Y. M. C. A. meetings, meet-
ings and entertainments of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, United Spanish-American War Veterans and other regularly incor-
porated and recognized veterans' associations, and for any other purposes
which are for the civic welfare. Provided, however, that all such meetings
held in the public school buildings shall at all times be open to the public.
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