The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-02-04
The Vaccination Problem Precipitates
Considerable Discussion.
EDUCATION COMMITTEE STALLED.
It Can DO Nothing Since the Board Of
Health Insists Upon Enforcing the vac
cinatiOn Laws-hoting superin-
tendent Oooper's Remarks.

the members to activity with q Come, gentle
men, make a notion" The meeting was
so much in contrast to the meetings of the
past few months as to make the hardness
quite striking. At no time during the session
did any Of the members show a disposition to
enter into a warm debate and not a reference
was made to the case Of superintendent
Bogart.
The first hale hour of the meeting was
taken up by the reading of the minutes,
which was followed by the reading of a letter
from Architect Davis, in which he gave his
opinion on the claim of the Shenandoah
Lumber and Feed Company for extra labor
and materials furnished for the new White
street school building. The claim is for S1sg,
and from the architects letter it appears that
the board is responsible for about $40 of the
amount. The matter was referred to the
building committee and Solicitor to try and
make an adjustment of the claim and, in
case of failure, to plead in the suit.
A letter was read from the Peck-William-
son Company, stating that its chief engineer,
MT. Ensign, was about to visit the east and
would be instructed to visit Shenandoah and
see if he cannot remedy the trouble with
the c%ompany's heating and ventilating APP
paratus in the new White street school build
INST NhANh Ao VLA1A aAHNAllNtlutnLa bEeulIu
unable to do. Secretary Hanna said the
letter was a reply to one he had sent to the
company complaining Of the ineficienoy of
the plant.
A letter from Edward c. Davis, janitor Of
the new White street school building, asking
that his salary be increased to. $45 per month,
was read and the request refused.
Acting Superintendent Cooper read a report
as follows Our schools were greatly
retarded during the month closing January
goth by sickness of pupils, frigidity of the
weather, and the attempt to enforce the new
law on vaccination. Measles and other
causes so lessened the attendance in the
first primary grade as to reduce it to 70
per cent" The Superintendent then de-
tailed the school rooms that were vacated on
account Of the extreme cold weather last
week, together with the periods during
which each room was abandoned. The follow
ing statistics were also shown by the report:
Day schoOls-Enrolment for the month, boys,
1917; girls, 14O6; total, 1928. Daily attend
ance-Boys, 902; girls, 1924; total, 2O16. Per
centage of attendance-Boys, SO; girls, SO;
total, 50. Present every session, 343. Visits
by citizens, 1879; by Directors, "a. Evening
schools-Enrolment, 3S7; daily attendance,
1877; percentage, 60; Withdrawals, So; on the
roll, 1927; visits by citizens, 81; by Directors,
II.
The report also contained ganeral remarks
by the acting superintendent, in which it
was stated that the most serious difficulty
confronting the progress of the schools is the
vaccination law. By the action Of the Board
of Health there are still $50 pupils excluded
from the schools. Through indisposition, or
negligence, to have vaccinations made these
pupils cannot enter the schools. As the
compulsory act requires every parent OF
guardian to send their children between the
age of s and 10 years to school at least sixteen
weeks in each year, and as some of the
a~bsentees are between those ages, how are
teachers to carry out the conflicting parts of
the Jaws? Some parents positively refuse to
have their children vaccinated during the
winter.
In conclusion Acting Superintendent
Cooper said, 81 cannot see why the Board of
Health should be so persistent in enforcing
the law against the public schools when the
law applies to all, public, private and sun
day schools" The report was accepted.
Mr.. Lee, Of the building and repairs com
mittee, stated that water running from an
adjoining property owned by Mr.. Bells had
created a nuisance on the new White street
school lot. He also recommended that iron
screens be placed on the basement windows
of the building. The matter was referred
back to the committee with power to act.
An application for the exoneration Of Mrs.
Leach from taxes was referred to the exoner-
alton committee.
Director Edwards, for the compulsory
education committee, made a report of the
meetings with the Board of Health and the
IufNnuNa anNf,ws 90. L 4..mNH.. -
as already reported in the newspapers. He
said President Spalding was disposed to take
a neutral course and suspended an enforce
ment of the vaccination laws until after tho
close of the winter season, but a majority of
the board had decided otherwise.
In this connection Director Treziso stated
that the Beard should be prepared at the
opening of the term, and not allow an ex-
tension Of time so as to carry it into January
before requiring children to be vaecinated.
Some of the teachers, he said, were also
negligent in the matter, but the majority. Of
them we're very prompt, and some were ready
to reportat the opening Of the schools in Janu-
airy. Owing to this promptness these teachers
had no children out Of school ON January list
on account of the enforcement Of the law.
The question now is whether the School
Board shall enforce the law, or notY
No action was taken in the matter. The
sentiment of the board appeared to be that
the enforcement of the vaccination law prac-
tically ties up the hands of the committee on
compulsory education.
On motion Of Director Trezise It was de-
cided that the authorities of other schools be
requested to furnish a statement as to chill.
dren who have been attending the schools
sixteen weeks.
TIT clock bills Of Jewellers Holderman and
Strouse were resurrected. Director Edwards
moved that the bill of Mr.. Strouse be paid,
inasmuch as the order for the clocks had been
given by Mr.. Lee and a majority Of the com
mittee had signed the bill.
This led to a discussion, during which the
minutes of previous meetings were referred
TO. Mr.. Lee stated that he had told Mr..
strouse to put in the clocks on the strength
Of Mr., Strouse's statement that Mr.. Trezise
had said Mr.. Strouse could have the contract.
Director Trezise moved, as an amendment,
that the matter be referred back to the
building committee, and said, 81 wish TO