It is not the intent that such endowment fund created hereunder shall take the place of State appropriations or any regular appropriations, tax funds or other funds made available by counties, cities, towns or local school administrative units for the normal operation of the public schools. Any endowment fund created hereunder, or the income from same, shall be used for the benefit of the public schools of the county, city or town involved and to supplement regular and normal appropriations to the end that the public schools may improve and increase their functions, may enlarge their areas of service and may become more useful to a greater number of people. The board of trustees in its discretion shall determine the objects and purposes for which the endowment fund shall be spent. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the board of trustees of any such endowment fund established hereunder from receiving pledges, gifts, donations, and devises and from using the same for such lawful school purposes as the donor or donors designate: Provided, always, that the administration of any such pledges, gifts, donations, and devises, or the expenditure of funds from same, will not impose any financial burden or obligation on the State of North Carolina or any subdivisions of government of the State. The board of trustees may, with the consent of the donor of any pledges, transfer and assign such pledges as security for loans. This consent by the donor may be made at the time of the pledge or at any time before said pledges are paid off in full. It is the purpose of this provision to enable the board of trustees to have the immediate use of funds which the donor may desire to pledge as payable over a period of years.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-492