The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-01-21
Resolutions.

| Adopted by the Board of Education of the
| city of Abilene, at a regular meeting held
! January I, 1886:
! WHEREAS, The Abilene ECeHfng Gazette Of
! December 4, 1850, has the following notice:
SERIOUSLY ILL.
| The little daughter of J. J. Truxal. re-
! siding on West Fifth street, is seriously i'll
with congestion of the brain. We are in
formed by prominent physician who is at
tending the little one, that her illness is
caused by corporal punishment administered
by one of the teachers at the Union School.
The child was struck over the head with a
ruler. We sincerely hope she will recover
and
WHEREAS The extensive circulation of this
report or notice, seriously affects our public
schools, whether the report be true or false:
therefore be il
Resolved, That a committee consisting of
MeSSrs. J. JohntZ j. b. Case and q. w. Car
penter. be appointed To investigate this re-
port and as far possible, to ascertain all
the IA cts in the case and report same to the
Board of Education, at a special meeting to
be called for that purpose puo.
GEO. CARPENTER, Clerk.
TIC the Board Of EducotlOn Of the city of abb
lene.
Your committee appointed TO investigate
the matter of the reported injury TO J J.
TruXars child, hereby submit the following:
We have heard the statements of the par
ents of the child, of DR.. Phelps, the physi-
elan who attended her, of Drs. Austin and
Hazett, who were called in. consultation, of
Hiss RUgh the teacher, who is said To have
injured the child, and of Hattie Johnson and
Nettie Cobb, the children who stood next
the child at the time she was said to have
been injured. From these statements, and
from answers to questions put by your COM
mittee the following facts were ELECTED:
The child returned from school on Thurs
day, complaining Of pain in the head, and
claimed TO have been struck by the teacher
who aligned the scholars while passing from
the playground TO the school room. On
Saturday, about fortyeight hours later, DIR.
Phelps was called and pronounced the
trouble to be congestion of the brain. After
learning of the injury, he concluded this to
be the cause of the trouble. On the follow
ing Monday the attending physician and
parents became alarmed, and consulting ply
sicians were called. These physicians ar
rived at thehOuse two or three hours later
and found the child suffering from a severe
cold, but not in a dangerous condition, and
with no indications of brain trouble and no
evidence Of having been injured by blow.
As q result of the consultation, the treatment
of the child was modified, and in a day or
two she was pronounced cOnvaleScent.
Miss Rugh had charge of the children
while in line on tie day the child claimed to
have been injured, but has no recollection of
striking any of the children. She had most
stringent orders from the Superintendent
never TO strike children on the head or
hands. Hattie johnson and Nettie Cobb
stood in line, one Immediately in front, the
other Immediately behind the child, but
neither of them saw the child struck. Hattie
accompanied her home, but nothing was
said on the way about her having been
struck by any one. Your committee has
made diligent inquiry, but has been unable
to find any one who saw Miss Rugh or any
one else strike the child on that day and at
the time she claims to have been struck.
From these facts, and from the evidence it
has been able to obtain, your committee is Of
the opinion that the child's illness was not
caused by any injury received at school or
elsewhere, and Miss Rugh is exonerated
from all blame in connection with the claimed
injury and illness of the child.
As regards the notice of the matter pub
lished in the Gazette, DR.. Phelps diselaiEs
having authorized it as it appeared. Mr..
Benjamin claims to have received il from DR..
Phelps as it appeared, hut admits that the
doctor said he preferred that nothing should
be published in relation to the cause Of the
child's illness.
Your committee recommend that this re-
port be given a wide publicity TO the end
that it may counteract the wrong done Miss
I, ugh through the exaggerated reports of the
mo, ter which have been so thoughtlessly cir
culat, ID.
g. W. CARPESRER,
JOHN JOHNTZ, Committee.
]. b. CASE,