Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-18

The boar1 of education held a special
session last evening, President Thomas
and Directors Durham. Know and
Barth. being present.
Truant Officer Kimball submitted his
report for the month of December as fol.
lows:
To the Bosrd of Education Rock Island School,
District:
l make the following report. During
the month of December / have found
eight boys of compulsory school age who
have not been in attendance at school the
present year. five of whom have been
placed in school; the others 60 in after
the holidays. l have arrested fifteen
trusnts which we're returned to their re-
spective teachers or to their parents. !
have found several families containing
enrolled children. some of which have
been retained from school in periods
which seemed to me to be of unnecessary
length. In most cases / have persuaded
them to return their children to school
with promise OF keeping them there
more const. ntlv. Respectfully submitted.
b. III. KIMBALL. Truant Officer.
Rock ISLAND, Dec. 81, 1889.
MIR. Kimtsll also directed the attention
of the board to a case in South Park.
where the family had refused to comply
with the law relative to having their
children vsccinated. and asked for in.
structions as to the course to pursue in
the matter. This elicted an interesting
discussion Of the subject of compulsory
vaccination. in which all the members
participated.
The question was discussed in its vari,
GUS aspects and the final decision arrived
at was that no evasion should be allowed
either OF the law Of compulsory education
or OF any OF the conditions upon which
children are permitted to attend our pub.
lie schools. The law which provides the
blessings of free schools with view OF
lettering the opportunities of the future
citizen for The active duties of life, aud
looking to he same great end makes it
compulsory that for a certain period each
year between certain ages children must
attend schoDl-not necessarily the public
school, but il is essential that they must
have the advantage Of a certain amount oi
instruction each year. With an aim to
protect these children, and also to estab,
lish uniform system Of instruction, the
law makes certain reasonable require
ments OF those children who are public
school pupls-such as the presents
ton OF certificates of vaccination, and the
use of certain stipulated forms of study
The first great object of the law is edu'
cation. and secondary only to this is the
preservation of the health of the young
The law looks to the test interests of the
masses, and the nsrrow-minded prejudi.
ces of q few should not be allowed to over
throw or even disregard it. The members
of the board of education are sworn tc
compel obedience TO the law governing
the public schools, and with this be,
fore them there was but one
course to pursue-to instruct the
trusnt officer to notify the obsti
nate family that their children mus,
go to school somewhere, but if they were
to enjoy the benefits Of the public schoo
system they must be vaccinated. And
should they disregard these advices tc
issue warrants for the arrest of the
parents for violation of the law. The
board has not shown a disposition tc
evsde the law or disregard its duty. Il
has taken a stand that all law abiding
citizens will uphold and commend. Its
position is easy to be understood. 1t II
simple-the law mnst be obeyed. Who
says not has no right to the enjoy
ments Of An ericsn citizenship.
Bills were allowed as follows, afte
which the board adjourned:
Bick & Ritchey, $13O s; Will z. John
son. $1.26; d. Donaldson. 81 90; Johr
Evans. SS23; Collins Bros, $49.16
AcCabe Bros, 40; John T. Noftsker
1910; R. Champion & Co, $44.70
Louis Eckhnrt. Jr.. 81 so; Frank Nader
80; Rock Island Gas Co.. 81 %; Druck
miller & Co, Sc so; NJ. Yerbury. 81 .4O
Rock Island Brush Electric Light Co q,
80; Stewart & Montgomery, $211.57
W. H. Bean, 40; Central Union Tele
phone Co.. $32 So; Prsng Educationa
90. IS. s. X S75 90; same. $1.35
8. s. Kemtle. SS201; Hsrtz & Balm
sen, S25 SO; James A. Bishop, 81. 1;
Shellberg & Tropp, $50 Is; total. S542.