ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 621

(6) Should any member in any period of six consecutive
years after last becoming a member be absent from service more
than five years, or should he withdraw his accumulated contribu-
tions, or should he become a beneficiary or die, he shall thereupon
cease to be a member.

95. Creditable Service

(1) Under such rules and regulations as the Board of
Trustees shall adopt each member who was a teacher at any
time during the year immediately preceding the establishment
of the system and who becomes a member during the first year
of operation of the retirement system, shall file a detailed state-
ment of all service as a teacher rendered by him prior to the
date of establishment for which he claims credit, including ser-
vice in a similar capacity rendered as a teacher outside the
State of Maryland.

(2) The Board of Trustees shall fix and determine by appro-
priate rules and regulations how much service in any year is
equivalent to one year of service, but in no case shall more than
one year of service be creditable for all service in one calendar
year. Service rendered for the regular school year in any
district shall be equivalent to one year's service.

(3) Subject to the above restrictions and to such other rules
and regulations as the Board of Trustees may adopt, the
Board of Trustees shall verify, as soon as practicable after
the filing of such statements of service, the service therein
claimed.

(4) Upon verification of the statements of service the Board
of Trustees shall issue prior service certificates certifying to each
member the length of service rendered prior to the day of the
establishment of the retirement system., with which he is credited
on the basis of his statement of service. So long as membership
continues a prior service certificate shall be final and conclusive
for retirement purposes as to such service, provided, however,
that any member may, within one year from the date of issuance
or modification of such certificate, request the Board of Trustees
to modify or correct his prior service certificate.

When membership ceases such prior service certificate shall
become void. Should the teacher again become a member, such
teacher shall enter the system as a teacher not entitled to prior
service credit except as provided in Section 96, Subsection (5),
Paragraph (b) of this Article.

(5) Creditable service at retirement on which the retirement
allowance of a member shall be based shall consist of the mem-
bership service rendered by him since he last become a member.