Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-25
LIBRARY BILL.
Buchanan Introduces Measure for q
Library Tax.

T..
Des Moines, Jan. s4.-(special.) ~
The bill presented last week by Repre-
sentative Buchanan, of Napello, pro-
yiding that cities of less than $4,000
population may. be taxed for the sup
port of a public library, was favorably
reported by the judiciary committee
this afternoon. This bill was
introduced by Representative Buchan-
an TO allow the city of Ottumwa to
take advantage of Andrew Carnegis's
library donation. Mr. Carnegie offered
$4,000 for. a library, provided the city
council would vote $4,000 annually for
its support ,andEprovide a site for its
location. Thea city was fortunate
enough to have a site already, having
received one several years ago at the
death of Peter Ballingall, who left a
plot of ground for library purposes,
but Carnegie's offer could not be ac-
,cepted Immediately, because the state
law made no provision for taxation for
the support of libraries of cities of
less than $4,000 population. Represen>
tative Buchanan Immediately introduce
ed his library bill, and the. judiciary
committee was kind enough to act up
on it without delay. A similar bill has
been introduced in the senate, and is
now in the hands of the committee,
which is expected to report on it this
week.
The Normal school Bill
Representative Byers this morning
introduced a bill in the house for the
establishment and equipment of three
state normal schools. The bill was
referred to the committee on normal
schools.
The special committee of seven met
Monday evening and drafted the nor
NAL school bill presented by Represen-
tative Byers. Yesterday afternoon the
committee met with the members of
the legislature representing towns
which are candidates for state normal
schools, and offered its bill. The bill
was taken up section by section by
the normal school caucus, which was
composed of thirty-fve members, and
agreed upon without change, except
in one particular. Section 4, relating
to location of schools. provided that
propositions should be protfered to
the state, and should be situated not
less than three-quarters of a mile nor
more than two miles from the bust
ness portion of the town or city maxi
ing the proposition. The normal
school caucus changed the minimum
distance of three-fourths of mile TO
one-fourth of mile. Otherwise the
bill was adopted complete.
Section provides that three addi-
tional schools for the special instruc-
ton and training of teachers, for the
common schools of Iowa, be establish
ed; one to be established in the year
1901, one in 1902 and one in 1908, as
hereinafter provided.
Section provides that the schools
shall be under the management of
trustees provided for as trustees are
provided for other state schools, ex-
cept that there shall be elected by the
general assembly for the same length
of term one additional trustee from
each county where a normal school has
been established under this act.
Section 3 provides for the organiza-
ton of the boards of trustees, and al
lows salary not to exceed one hun
dred dollars annually to the secretary
and treasurer
Section says: "The location of the
normal schools provided for in this
act, shall be fixed by the general as
sembly. For this purpose the senate
and house sshall meet in joint conven-
ton one week after the passage of this
act, and by vote locate the three
schools to be established. 1t shall re-
quire majority of all votes cast to fix
the location of said schools, and the
town or city first securing majority
shall be the location for the school to
be established in 1901; the town or
city next securing majority Of the
votes cast shall be the location for the
school to be established in 1902; and
the town or Yity third in securing the
majority fo] the school TO be estab-