Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-05
TERROR TO lRUANT YOUTHS
School Board Appoints an Officer to Gather
Them All In.
GEORGE H. HESS GIVEN THE POSITION
Nnttcr of Deciding on Purchase Of
Guns for the Cadets Goes over
Teachers on the PER-
mnncnt List.
GEORGE H. HESS GIVEN THE POSITION

servant Of the law to be known as tho
"truant officer" will honceforth breed terror
In the hearts of wayward pupils The Board
OF Education Monday night created such an
oflcial IN accordance with the state law
enacted by tho last legislature. George II
Hese, retiring member OF the board was
appointed to the position for one year from
January /.
The resolution introduced by Member
Sears cites the state law prescribing the
attendance of children at some public or
parochial school, The statute applies to pu-
pills between the ages Of and II unless they
have attained certain grade OF proficiency,
and the board is placed under obligations to
carry out its provisions. The salary is fixed
at $1,000 per year and the incumbent is re-
quired to furnish bond of So 600. The reso-
luton set forth further that the secretary
or the school board, by whom the work is
now done, will be unable to give It proper
attention owing to the press of other duties.
In supporting his resolution Mr. Sears said
the law plainly imposed an obligation on the
board which must be entered upon without
further delay. The objection raised that the
appointment would be an invasion of the
Incoming boards rights is no more appli-
cable in this case, he said than in that of
teachers or other employees The duties of
OF all schools in Omaha and comparison
of the rolls with the school census. The bal
lot resulted: votes for Hess for Van
Glider, l for Koutsky and blank.
Member Cowie introduced a resolution
that the board meet in special session on
Wednesday night to listen to the report OF
the judiciary committee on Architect Nc
Donalds bond and contract. The committee
had previously failed to make any report
and the board instructed it so to do in order
that the contract might be legally COM
pleted.
Defcrs Action on Guns.
Member Hayward Of the committee on
supplies reported unfavorably on the pro-
posed purchase of 100 guns for the use of
the High school cadets. In view of the $780,
600 deficit now confronting the board he
thought it would be wiser to wait until
the new levy becomes available and the
board is more assured as to it's financial
condition. Commandant Ten Eyck of the
cadet battalion was invited to present the
case of the young soldiers. He said he had
been in communication with Congressman
Mercer and Secretary Meklejohn and had
secured through the former an opportunity
to purchase suitable rifles at about $4 each.
The need of the guns was said to be i'm
peratlve in perfecting the drill. Hess spoke
in favor of the purchase, taking the ground
that the arms were as necessary to the prog
ress of the school as we're text books. Action
was deferred for two weeks.
II. II. Boyles, who has had the contract
for cleaning and repanting school seats,
offered a proposal to continue his contract
In 1900 on the same terms as last year. Sew
eral members felt that the contract had been
yielding an undue profit in the past and the
matter was put over until the next regular
meeting
Superintendent Pearse refused to assume
the responsibility of deciding whether the
books commemorative of the First Nebras-
kas campaign in the Philippines should be
sold through the public schools. The option
had been left to him at previous meeting
His communication was placed on file and
the books will not be circulated as proposed
by the publishers.
Work on New Buildings.
Superintendent Latenser reported that the
three schools under construction were all
making satisfactory progress. The work has
been somewhat delayed on the Cass aud
Saunders buildings, but the Pacific is ready
for temporary heating. The board ordered
that the furnace be started in order that the
interior might be thoroughly dry before 1t is
occupied.
committee consisting of Members Black,
Cowie, Burgess, Thomas and Hess was ap-
pointed to confer with a similar committee
of the council relative to the use of school
buildings as permanent voting booths.
Bids for slate blackboards were opened
and referred to the property and buildings
committee without comment. The board re-
solved to purchase a spring wagon for the
use Of the superintendent of buildings in the
transfer of material.
The following five teachers, who have
served five years more, were put on the
permanent list: Misses Mary Ballantne
Anna @. Fair, Grace Lilly, Caroline McCon-
nell and Juliette McCune. Miss Kate Pow
ers was placed on the regular list.
The resignation of A. J. Lunt, attorney for
the board, was presented, TO take effect on
December 10. The reason given was the
pressure of other business. The board bal
loted for his successor, the vote resulting in
favor OF Carl Herring, who secured nine
votes, Myers and Covell each securing one.
The uncompleted term will expire on Febru-
ary l.