The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-25
PROPOSED SCHOOL LAWS.
A Joint Meeting of the Committees
on Education.

on Education.
The committees on education from the
House and Senate held joint meeting yes
terday afternoon. Chairman Goodwine OF
the Senate committee presided. The legis-
lative committee of the County Superin-
tendents' Association was present. Super
intendent Harris, OF Greencastle. spoke for
the committee. He said the county SUPER
intendents oppose the election Of superin-
tendents by popular vote. He recommended
on behalf of the association that the trans
fer law be amended so that no more than
81 can be charged per month In grades AID
81 in high schools by the corporations to
which pupils are transferred; that the
transfers be made by the trustee for cause:
that truant officers outside of cities be APP
pointed by the county boards of education;
that the compulsory education law apply ts
children between the ages OF seven and
sixteen years instead OF from six to If
teen. as now; that the minimum wages OF
teachers be fixed by law TO be not less
than 2is cents multiplied by the general
average of the teacher made in his exam
ination for license by the county superin-
tendent- For instance. a teacher graded 80
per cent. could not receive less than 81 a
day. He recommended that teachers be
paid for attending county Institutes. He
opposed the Corr bill. which gives patrons
power TO elect teachers: Endorsed the pro-
posed free textbook law: recommended
that the books become the property OF the
pupils TO whom given out for use. bat that
but one book be granted TO one pupil in any
one year on any one subject. IL was stated
IT. advocating a law fixing teachers wages
that in one township In the State teachers
are being paid only S12 a month. and that
he oil urop an in 1o
county in which that township is located
is but SIS a month IL was argued that such
wages are entirely inadequate especially
when teachers are expected 10 purchase
school magazines and reading-circle books,
are required 10 attend county Institutes
and pay for instructors and are expected
TO attend normal schools I'm the summer.
II was declared that the average price paid
teachers IN the State Is now 500 a day:
that the per capita cost OF pupils I'm the
country is $3.50 and In the city s7.07 per
year; that there are lis schools In the State,
with only an average attendance OF five
and 400 with an average attendance OF
less than twenty II was recommended
also thst any school board be allowed TO set
aside a school for the education OF truants
and that in the case Of inoorrigible truants
application may be made 10 the Judge OF
the Circuit Court and have boys sent 10 the
Reformatory and girls 10 the Industrial
School for Girls.
Representative A O. Reser, OF the House
committee, says that committee has not
yet considered the free textbook bills.
there being one introduced I'm the House
by Mr.. Hopping. OF Delaware county, and
one in the Senate by Mr.. Lambert. Mr..
Reser says his first impressions are against
the bill. He points out that there are
10000 school children In the State. and that
the expense is an argument against the
bill; that IL the object OF the bill Is 10 fur
nish the poor with textbooks. there Is
mandatory law already on the statute
books requiring township trustees and
school boards 10 furnish not only free text
books 10 the poor but also clothing Mr..
Reser asserts that the passage OF such a
law would open the way for jobbery: that
II would be opposed by those who send their
children 10 parochial schools on the ground
that they would have 10 be taxed 10 furnish
school books for the children sn free
schools Under the Constitution the pupslo
IN parochial schools could not be furnished