The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-14
Acquiesces in the Decision of the
Supreme Court.
WHIPPING OF PUPILS.
Board Stands by It's Teachers
on General Principles.
But 1t Is Safe to Say That
There Will Be
Very Little if Amy More Click
ing" in Topeka Schools.

The Topeka board of education last
evening in special session decided to
abide by the decision made by the su-
preme court and to make no further
fight against state uniformity of text
books. 1t has been long fight, and
the recent decision whereby the order
was found to be correct, moved the
court to issue peremptory order of
mandamus requiring the board to con-
form to the law. 1t was under this or
der that the board gracefully submit
ted
President ]. W. Priddy made the fol-
!, lowing report:
education that in the text book case
brought by the state of Kansas against
this board a decision has been reached
by the supreme court, and that that de-
cisiOn is adverse to our interests in
the case, sustaining a law which we
believe is not IN the best interests of
our schools.
The supreme court has ordered that
a peremptOry writ of mandamus be
issued compelling our board of educa-
ton to use the books adopted by the
state text book commission.
This board of education entered into
a defense of its contracts because it
believed that the contracts which il
held were legal contracts, and that they
had been entered into in good faith on
the part of both parties to the contract.
'Inasmuch as We are law abiding,
and are al all times ready to obey the
mandates of a legally constituted tri-
bunaI, we submit to this decision of the
supreme court
The Laptad case came up before the
board last evening and it was disposed
with in as diplomatic a way as an OBJ
jectiona bic clause could be sidetracked
at a Republican convention In other
words, it had been arranged before the
meeting. Rev. NJ. c. Long was the
mediator. Instead of spreading a fine
coat of whitewash over the affair and
lauding the teachers concerned, the fol-
lowing resolution was introduced by
the minister from the Second ward,
which was quickly and unanimously
adopted without comment:
Resolved. That this board of educa-
ton believes in standing by its teachers
at all times except in cases where it is
clearly shown that they are absolutely
in the wrong.
THAT we believe in reference to the
case of Mrs Sturgis and Mrs. Price
that it scarcely would be warrantable
action on the part of the board, and
just to the teachers to consider serious
" the matter of dropping them from
the teaching force on account OF the
punishment of little Maude Bear. How
eyre, we feel that teachers throughout
the city should follow strictly the spirit
and letter of the rule governing cor
poral punishment.
THAT. in this case of corporal punish
ment the evidence shows that the pr1n-
cipal was not present, as required by
that we request these teachers in the
future to be careful in their observance
of said rule
Mrs. Price and Mrs. Sturgis were re-
elected for next year
After opening the bids for school
| desks the board retired to grade
room where they inspected several
| patterns of school desks Each repre-
! sentative was allowed fifteen minutes
/ in which to explain the superior ad-
| vantages of his desk above all others.
The board after hearing all the agents,
} decided to award the contract for fur
I nishing 3. 500 single desks to the Grand
Rapids Furniture company The desks
/ will come in sizes appropriate to the
/ grade use. They will be finished in
/ maple and real cherry and have the
most improved ball bearing seat hinge,
/ and close automatically as the scholar
! arises. The board secured very close
! price on the contract The seats VIII
/ be laid down in Topeka for about $l6O
/ each The company agrees to take IN
! exchange at a reasonable figure ISoO
1 old desks now in use in the schools
| Some of these old desks were manu-
featured thirty years ago and When
! thew break new castings can not be
! purchased to repair them. The desks
| purchased by the board are handsome
/ as well as being among the best on