The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-05-21

Truant School Law.
indianapolis Sentinel.
The state board of education met
Thursday afternoon with all the
members present but the governor,
who was at Richmond. The board
has some important business to at
tend 10 at this meeting. First Of
all is the consideration OF the truant
law passed by the last session of the
legislature, which provides for the
appointment of something like 500
truant officers in the state at ~ per
day for actual services.
The law provides for the appoint
ments to be made by member Of
the sto'r board, the secretary of the
state board Of health, and in cities
the city s. superintendent and in town
ships the county superintendent.
While the board is favorable to
the law, it does not propose to make
500 appointments Of political ward
heelers, its object being to effect the
greatest good at least possible ex-
pense.
Under the wording of the law
there is some question as to whether
the state board of education shall
select one of its number to act with
the secretary of the board of chari-
ties and the local superintendent for
all the state, or that ii shall divide
its membership into districts and
have each member serve with Mr..
Bickneil and the local superin-
tendent for district only, thus Civ
ing each member of the board a
part of the work. The board yes
terday considered both plans and
will decide to-day. If it selects but
one member, Mr.. Geeting will no
doubt be selected. If it divides the
membership into districts, then the
attorney-gene will be asked for
an opinion as to whether this can
be done under the law. Some of
the members are opposed to having
to DO with the work Of Sc
lecting from the 1000 applicants
for places.
1t is the intention of the board to
limit the pay of the truant officers
to time not only actually served,
but to days only when their SER
vices are actually needed. There is
no intention to have each man draw
salary for 365 days, nor for as much
as he may stretch his duties through.
The board desires to limit the SER
vices Of the officers to request only
70 have them serve when there is
need for their services in some spe !
cific case, and then to have their SER
vices as well as their pay stop till
,alled upon again by some local
authorities. In this way there will
be a great reduction in the cost of
hese officers.
The statistics gathered by the
BOARD show that last year the total
Of the state was 790,-
100 and the enrolment 529, $50, at
enhance 1000 and 35, ,774 in the
,arochial schools, thus leaving the
shortage in the enrolment at 250,-
100, with an absence of those en-,
oiled of 175, 900. No effort has
Is yet been made to enforce the
lew law and none will be made till
he new school year begins next fall.
The board granted commissions to
he high schools at Broad Ripple
ind Bonneville and refused COM
mission to the Dunkirk high school
ron Friday the Board determin-
ID to appoint only one member to
assist in naming the 1900 truant
,fficers, and selected Supt. Geeting. ii
The Huntingburg Bank direct,
,rs have purchased the lot OF II.
2othert, on the northeast cornerI
,f Fourth and Geiger streets, and
will soon begin the erection Of a
bank building thereon. The build
ng is to be a modern structure, and
s to cost about acknowledgements