Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-05-07

improved since Sunday as to render
her family quite hopeful now of her re-
covery.
Prof. Kammeyer and the Bennett Law
We give place this week to another
communication from Prof. Kammeyer
on the Bennett law For his informa-
ton we would say that nobody pretends
or claims that the Bennett law is per-
feet; we only maintain that it's founda-
ton principle is correct and that while
preserving that, no objection is made
in any quarter to such amendments as
may be found expedient or necessary
to make the law acceptable to reason
able minds. Stated succinctly, and
stripped of all verbiage, the law pro-
vides for just two things: list, that
every child between the ages Of and
IA years shall attend some school at
least II weeks in the year; and End
that he shall be taught "as part of the
elementary education of children, read
ing, writing, arithmetic and United
States history in the English language. F"
Any school meeting these requirements
is sufficient, whether it be public, pri-
vate or parochial; and there is nothing
in the law prohibiting teaching these
or other studies in any different Ian
guage at the same time those required
in English are taught.
Now, what objection there can be to
this we fail to see. 1t is only reason
able and just to the child that he should
have the advantages here offered But
says Prof K, the law makes it obligat-
DRY that the child shall be sent to school
in the district where he resides. AT
the risk of again mourning Prof. K Is
displeasure by charging that the OPP
ponents of the law m:srepresent it, we
must renew the allegation, and lay it at
his own door. The law would be as he
states were it not for the following pro-
vision which he finds it convenient to
ignore. 1t reads as follows:
Provided, That any such shall be ex-
cused from attendance at school requir-
ed by this act by the Board of Educa-
ton or school directors of the city, town
or district in which such child resides,
upon it's being shown to their satisfac-
ton that % the person SO neglecting is
not able to send such child to school, or
(2) that instruction has otherwise been given
for q like period of time to such child in the
elementary branches commonly taught
in the public schools, or (3) that such
child has already acquired such ele-
mentary branches OF learning, or (4
that his physical or mental condition
is such as to render attendance mex
pedient or impracticable, and in all
cases where such child shall be SO ex-
cused the penalty herein provided
shall not be incurred"
This disposes fone of the Professor s
objections, and the others are not so
serious that they may not be removed
by notifications of the law which
shall at the same time leave undisturb-
ed it's most desirable features. The law
is not, and was not intended to be, an
attack upon any nationality, though
strenuous efforts are made to have it SO
appear. LII WIS lIdIlCu III Vic llllcI6SlS
of good government. Its tendency is
to better equip children for the battle
of life by giving them educational adj
vantages without which they do not
start even in the race.
Prof. K. quotes ''ex-Gov. Mccullough
and now Republican senator of Hi
nois"-We presume Senator Collum is
meant-as hostile to the law, or one
similar to it in his state. The SENATOR
position we presume, is not unlike that
of the other gentlemen named in Prof.
Ks letter, which is not opposition to
the law per Sc, but to some of it's minor
details which may be termed non es-
sentials. They are not thinking of a
repeal of the law as Prof. K. fondly
hopes. His anticipations in that regard
will not be gratifed. The Democratic
party even though hungry for the Luth-
eran-Catholic vote will not declare in
favor of the repeal of the measure at
it's next state convention. The law has
come, and come to stay, but with
amendments which experience shall
demonstrate are requisite to free it
from all appearances Of harshness Or
injustice.
Board of Street Commissioners.
Special meeting of Board Of Street
Commissioners Thursday evening, May
LIST, 1890.
Petition from R. FL. Brennecke, G. c..
Schiller and other residents of the First
,.,o rd RI ant horiz 10 n in ct r,1ot + o E1oo