Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-02
A|1ACK9JHO0LTS|[M
Messrs. Church and Nicholson
Attempt to Eliminate Some
Of Essential Studies.
Resolutions to Cut Gut Drawing.
Music and Biology Defeated
by Old Members.
Unfamiliarity With Schools Al
fairs Revealed. Other Pro-
ceedings OF Board.

The only thing that prevented the
taking of radical step toward mate
rilly reducing the present high stand
ard of the Marshalltown public schools
was the fact that there We're three
members on the school board who
fought on Tuesday night to maintain
that standard.
Mr.. Church one OF the new
NEGLECTED members of the school
board, backed by his colleague, Mr.
Nicholson, went to the regular meet
| ing Of the board loaded with resolu-
| lions that, had they passed, would have
everlastingly damaged the schools
and would have been source of regret
to every, citizen and taxpayer in Mar
shalltowp who is at all interested in
the welfare and education Of his chill
dren.
Mr.. Church, who introduced the res
olutions to cut out certain studies OF
the present curriculum, wants the fol-
lowing branches done away with: Ele-
mentary science, physiology, botany
and zoology, now optional studies in
the high school course. also drawing
which is taught in all the grades of the
public schools.
Mr.. Church. apparently didn't know
until after his resolution had been in
trodueed that biology" meant any
thing else than some one study that
sounded badly, and had a vague some
thing to do with the dissecting of low
err animals. When 1t was explained
that Miss Mary Blount, the instructor
of biology in the high school, was
teaching more than one branch he
seemed surprised. and wanted to know
why it wasn't given in the little books
showing assignments Of teachers.
Superintendent Willard explained
that biology was convent
ent name to use and that
it meant the science of life and en-
braced a number of important studies.
In the attempt to knock out Graw-
ing whoever prepared Mr.. Church's
typewriter resolution had music in
Mr.. Church was informed that the state
compelled the study of music in the
public schools, and he therefore had
that branch stricken out before the res
olution was formally presented.
The .1rst resolution introduced by
Mr.. Church was as follows
BE I, resolved by TIL. board CT dt
rectors of the independent school dis
trict of Marshalltown. Iowa, that the
study of biology shall no longer be
considered a part of the course of study
in the Marshalltown high school. and
that the teacher who is now engaged
in that work shall not be re-employed
at the expiration of her contract
The introduction of the resolution,
altho not surprising in way. to the
old members of the board, produced
somewhat of a sensation, not SO much
because of the resolution itself but be-
cause the new member introducing 1t
did not recommend anything to take
the place of the studies he wanted to
rid the schools of, and seemed to be of
the opinion that half dozen studies, or
such matter. coul! be suddenly drop
ped from the high school without sub
stitutinlg any others.
Mr.. Turner asked Mr.. Church what
his object was in Introducing the res
olution whether to cut out the salary
or the teacher.
81 want to cut out the teacher, that's
what want to do replied Mr.. Church.
Mr. Click remarked to Mr.. Church
that by such resolution 1T simply
brought things to Il point of cutting
down the standard Of the high school,
and meant nothing more or less.
Mr.. Church couldn't see why cutting
out one study, biology. could make any
difference in the standard of the school,
and then it was explained that under
the head of biology was included the
branches of botany zoology, element
airy science and physiology, and that
besides these branches the teacher
heard classes in physical geography
and also had charge at different periods
of the study hall.
MIR. Nicholson asked if biology meant
all of that. and was informed that 1t
included the four branches above
named.
Mr. Church wasn't satisfied. however,
and evidently felt that as long he
had commenced he might as we'll stay
by it. He said that he had boy.
Ralph, who went to the eleventh grade
and never learned anything. and was
called a blockhead. Another son went
to the ninth or tenth grade and didn't
learn, and both had TO be sent away to
school before they could be learned"
anything. He was in favor, he said. of
cutting, out other studies.
President Hull replied to Mr.. Church:
81 have had different experience Mr..
Church, for my three boys in the high
school are walking right along and
appear to be just the reverse from
yours
Mr.. Click said that 1t was not mat
ter of our own Immediate families that
demanded consideration in matters of
trict, whose school lives are never lived
hut once, and who in many cases have
no further advantages than those re-
ceived in the public schools and the
high school He thought that the
schools could not be too good, and that
he wanted to go on record for keeping
up the standard of the schools and do
ii as economically as possible.
After the long drawn-out discussion
Mr.. Nicholson moved that the
resolution be adopted, to which Mr..
church made the second. Each voted
aye or the adoption and the remaining
members voted nay. killing it.
Drawing Comes Next.