Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-13
SCHOOLS DO NOT
OPEN MONDAY.
Decision Made by Board Of Edu-
cation Last Evening.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE.
The Power OF the Board Of Health 10
Compel Vaccination IL Discussed
Beatty says IL Has the Power

The public school children Of this city
will be deprived Of school at least one
more week. The board Of education
decided at their meeting last evening.
that the schools shall not open until
Monday, January 22nd. This decision
was reached after a most earnest debate
OF two hours, and was sustained by five
and opposed By three. Those who ia
yored the postponement were; Wilson,
Henderson. Young, Walker and critch-
low. Those who voted against 1t were
Moyle, Newman and Glauque.
The reading Of the following com
munlcatlon introduced the question::
To Hon. Board Of Education:
Gentlemen On account OF the exist
ence Of contagious diseases In the city
and especially on account Of the dread.
ed disease, smallpox, the local board OF
health advised the board Of education
some time ago TO close the public
schools for thirty days.
Since then all cases OF smallpox have
been carefully Isolated and quaran-
tined. Knowing as we do that small
pox can be prevented by vaccination
we feel justified In advising you that
II will be safe to open the public
schools provided that no one be admit
ted to the schools, either teacher or pu-
pill who has not been successfully vac
clnated: and we advise you as a meas
ure for the protection OF the public
health that you henceforth refuse TO
admit unvacclnated persons 10 the pub
lie schools.
The evidence Of successful vacclna-
ton required should be certificate
from some legally qualified practitioner
of medicine In the State or the local
board OF health. Very respectfully,
J. c. Il. KING,
Health Commissioner.
Dated January IL, 1900.
Board OF Education, Salt Lake City:
conference.-the executive commit
tee OF the State board OF health de-
sres TO endorse the rule Of the board
of education requiring all school chill
dren to show signs OF successful vac-
cinaton or present a certificate Of vac
clnation from responsible physician
before being allowed TO re-enter school
and we recommend the strict enforce
ment Of said rule. Respectfully,
II. s. BASCOM.
T. b. BEATTY.
A general discussion followed the
! reading OF this communications some OBJ
| jectlng TO II. because II was given BY
way OF advice and not a command.
Some members questioned the author.
| ity OF the board Of education 10 enforcs
vaccination. and as that power was held
! by the board Of health, II should order
what Ii wants done not merely advise
| The Idea Of enforced vaccination, anC
the closing OF the doors OF the public
schools against children who had no
been successfully vaccinated, was Wig
orously opposed by Messrs Moyle
| Newman and Giauque. They contendet
that II the board Of health had powel
to enforce vaccination upon the publi
school children. they had power to en-
force II upon the children of privat,
schools, and OF Sunday schools, and II
fact the entire community.
DR.. Beatty was present and avowe(
| that the board OF health had the powe
to suppress all public gatherings anC
place the whole city under quarantine
but the question was, what Is best 4
be done? 1t was much easier, he said
to vacclnate the public school children
than to vaccinate the entire community
He said the situation In Salt Lake mad
II very difficult for the board Of health
that OF so many being honestly oppose,
10 vaccination.
The board Of education did not car
to assume the responsibility Of enforc
Ing vaccina ton, but would leave tina
responsibility 10 the board Of health. Dr.
King said he was willing 70 order tn
board Of education TO take this step,
the other health officers would concu
with him, he could not do II alone.
Henderson thrust the matter Of clos
ing the schools upon the board Of edu
cation, by moving that the vacation
be extended for one week.
Mr.. Newman amended this motion b,
moving that when the schools open mex
Monday morning all children be ad
mltted II they are healthy, whethe
they are vacclnated or not
After a brief discussion this was rule
out Of order and Mr.. Moyle moved a
an amendment that all schools open lr
respective OF vaccination. II think,
says he. that the schools should opel
TO all or close TO ALL" The board wa
warming up TO controversy. whel
a vote on Mr.. Moyle's amendment wa
ordered The result was tina, Hender
son, Young, Walker. Wilson and Critch
low voted against y; Newman Moyl
and Glauque supporting II. A vote wa
then taken on Henderson's motion will
the same result as above stated
The board voted $50 to Superintendent
Pinney for work done az the Lowell
school, and then adjourned until Fri
day, Jan. 10, when the situation will b
| fnrfh.r