The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-18
DISCUSSED THE NEW LAW
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT TALK OF
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Act Explained by Messrs. Geeting and
BfckneIl-Ohicers Elected and
Papers Read.

The convention of county superintendent
devoted the first hour and a half OF their
session yesterday morning to discussion
of the new compulsory education law
passed at the last session of the Legisla-
ture Ernest p. BiclInell, secretary of the
State Board CT Charities, whom the law
names as one of the board for the APP
pointment of truant officers made
a brief talk outlining the law
and its purpose and explaining the
duties of superintendent under it. He be-
lieved the law to be a good measure,
but like most other educational laws, Its
results depend much upon the intelligence
with which it is enforced. If advantage
were taken of it to load up the people with
great expense It would soon become unpop-
ular. He advised a firm but kindly en-
forcement of the law and the selection OF
intelligent and humane men as truant OF
ficers.
State Superintendent Geeting also talked
at some length upon the new law. lie
asked that the superintendent at once di-
vide their counties into districts, each of
which will have truant officer, and that
they send a record of these divisions to the
State Educational Department for revision
1t was desirable to have just as few dis
of the attorney general that the law does
not permit more than five in any county
He knew of but one county Madison, where
so many would be necessary. Indeed, he
believed that the total number in the State
could be kept down to $50. No large city
need have more than one district, and in
the outlying townships there should be as
few as possible They would begin to en-
force the law at the beginning of the next
term. The truant officers would be selected
in the meantime. He explained that in this
matter he and Mr.. Bicknell would have
to depend almost entirely upon the recon-
mendations of the local school officers, and
begged them to exercise the utmost care
in making thir selections At the close or
his talk there was a general discussion of
the law, mostly in the form of questions
from the superintendent upon Suppositl-
tlous cases tEat may arise under the new
Jaw.
Mrs. NJ e. McRae read paper on THE
Teachers and Young Peoples Reading Cir
cle," and at its close Superintendent Nc
lntosh offered resolution, which was
adopted, expressing confidence in the value
of the work done by the reading-circe
board and commencing it as useful in
stltution. At this point brief recess was
taken to give the representatives of the
various districts an opportunity to agree
upon members of the nominating COM
mlttee, and it was made up as follows:
First district, James r. Wilson; Second, w.
u. supp 1A1IU, OINlllG Apple EOuIIn, VI.
w Deputy; Fifth, James W. Hostetter;
Sixth, w. E. Wineburg; Seventh, w. f.
Landes Eighth, Robert w. Stein Ninth,
+. "A. Hutchens; Tenth, Frank Il. Cooper;
Eleventh, Alexander Thompson; Twelfth
f. j. Young; Thirteenth, George W. Ellis.
"A paper on arithmetic by Robert j. Alley
professor of mathematics at Indiana Uni
Versity, was read. In a discussion follow
ing this, several superintendents talked.
State Librarian w. +. Henry read a pa
per on literature. and in the discussion that
followed William E. Wineburg, of Wayne
county; Orville Apple, of Orange county
ana George +. Bass, of indianapolis, made
short talks.
In the afternoon the nominating commit
tee reported the following list of officers
and they were elected:
President-E. j. Mackin, Lagrange.
Vice INSTRUMENTATION Wallace, Dayiess
Secretary-W. b. Wineburg, Wayne.
Assistant Secretaries-J. r. Wilson, War
rick and S. "A. Harris Putnam
Ireasurer-Robert w. Stein Wells
Inc following standing committees We're
announced: On bimonthly examina tons
b. ). Hendricks, Orville Apple. H. d. Shield
Ter, Charles Vanmatre and Charles Great
house; on diplomas, w. Fl. Senour, E G.
r. Wilson. '" -
The executive committee on the battle
ground monument fund reported contribu-
tlohs 20 the fund during the year amount
ing to $18699.