The 1841 ordinance establishing the public schools in the Second Municipality provided for the annual election by the Municipality Council of four citizens from each ward to serve with the members of the Council's Committee on Public Education as a Board of Directors for the Public Schools of the municipality. The Board was to divide itself into committees for the constant and personal superintendence of the schools within its jurisdiction. The Committee on the Second Ward School appears to be one of those committees.

The Board as a whole was to adopt rules and regulations for the governance of the schools and was to meet monthly in the council chamber. The secretary of the Council was also to serve as secretary to the Board, and was to keep the proceedings of Board meetings in a minute book for that purpose. Other duties of the Board included: to manage the schools, to select & remove teachers, to superintend both teachers & students, to direct the system & course of education to be followed, and to prescribe rules for the discipline & internal organizations of the schools. The Board was also to report at least quarterly to the Council on the condition of the schools and annually to present to the Council an estimate of the expenses for the following school year.

In 1842 the ordinance was amended to make the Recorder a member of the Board and in 1843 the Mayor also became a member ex-officio. In 1847 the structure of the Board was again changed, with the Council annually to elect sixteen citizens to serve with the Committee on Public Education as the Board of Directors.