§ 2561. Liability of certain officers and employees of boards of education in a city having a population of one million or more inhabitants. If, in order to furnish needy children or minors with food, shoes, clothing, and other necessities to enable them to attend school as contemplated by law and to benefit from instruction, the board of education of a city having a population of one million or more shall have required, imposed or permitted, the performance of duties by any of its officers and employees, because of which it became necessary or expedient for any such officer or employee to act for the board of education, or to act for or in cooperation with any other agency of government, federal, state or municipal, then irrespective of the fact that the authority to require, impose or permit the performance of such duties may not have been specifically conferred upon said board of education by provisions of this chapter, each such board of education shall be liable for and shall assume liability to the extent that it shall save harmless any such officers or employees for damages arising out of the negligence of any such officer or employee prior to April fifteenth, nineteen hundred thirty-seven, while actually engaged in the performance of such required or permitted duties, provided the officer or employee at the time was acting within the scope of his duties or employment.