Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-29
COUNCIL BLUFFS DEPARTMENT
PRACTICAL LESSON IN HISTORY,
How the School hoard Regards the
GenernIs, CnmInH To This CIlN.

How the school Hoard Regards the
Generals Coming to This City.
The Board Of Education held a brief sea
sion last evening for the purpose mainly Of
approving the bonds Of the newly elected
officers, Treasurer Haverstock and Secretary
Dawson. Treasurer Haverstock submitted a
bond for 500, 900 with j. ID. Edmundson,
John Bennett, c.. r. Hannah, e. e. Hart,
+. o. Gleason, Il. L. Shugart, James Wick.
ham, F.. Wies, c. b. Waite and f. II. Davis
as s%ureties.
Secretary Dawson's bond was for $500
and his ~sureties were II. A. Woodbury. and
f. X. Davis.
The board discussed at length the subject
OF permitting the pupils to be present and
take part in the demonstration this morning
in honor of the union generals. The de.
batable question was whether the dismissal
OF the schools would show too strongly Q
prejudice in favor Of the cause the distin-
guished party represents. Prof. Hisey said
there we're 500 children in the schools study
ing history and he thought II a good les.
son for them to see and hear some of this
men who have helped to make the history
they are studying. Member Fonda thought
every boy and girl above s years Of age
should be permitted II possible 10 shake
hands with each Of the generals. He thought
there should be no politics about 1T, and
declared that IL Bryan came here again lie
would favor a dismissal OF the schools in
order to give the children a chance to see
tim-if they wanted to. This sentiment
prevailed and the papers were requested
to notify the public that all of the pupils
of the public schools need not report to
the school houses for study until 1920, bnd
hat all members of the High school and the
history classes in the grades could remain
away all the forenoon.
The question of the purchase of copy
books and the adoption Of a new system
developed into a controversy that kept the
board in session until nearly midnight.
Superintendent Hisey called attention to the
necessity for immediate action in the matter,
for the reason that the question had been
deferred from the beginning of the term
which hal left the schools without any
system Of writing being taught. He favored
the vertical system, and urged the adoption
of one of the many books published based
upon that system. He also informed the
board that a number of book men were
waiting in the hall to submit propositions to
furnish books.
Member Thomas inquired with some APP
parent surprise when 1t was the board
ordered the discontinuance OF the old writing
system and authorized the calling for bids.
Fonda said the school had created the
office of supervisor Of drawing and writing
and had employed a teacher for that pur-
pose. 1t now transpired that writing had
been dropped, by whose order and for what
purpose he did not know.
Snyder replied that the board had not
engaged a teacher for writing but for draw
ing only.
Thomas said he was considerably surprised
that the board had held an outside meet
ing, and made changes without the knowl'
edge of all the members. AS chairman
of the finance committee he had fixed Miss
Blood's salary at $50 with the distinct un'
derstanding that she was to do the same
work as last year. He declared the board
could not legally under the rules, and III
this manner, dispense with one branch Of
instruction. After considerable discussion
during which it was shown that Miss Blood
had prepared herself to teach the new
vertical system of penmanship, and had beer
working just as hard so far this year as she
did last, the question of the adoption o.
a system of writing was taken up. The
American Book trust had its representa-
tive on the grounds, and CHM & Co., HEATH
& Magyar and Merrill & Co. also had repre-
sentatives. Prof. Hisey strongly favored
the vertical system OF Merrill & Co.'S books
but when prices were called for 1t transpiret
that this form was the highest Of the lot
Prices ranged from 60 to n cents a dozen
At 11:3O the board had not agreed upon thu
system to be adopted nor the books to b'
purchased.