Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-23
QUESTION OF GYM AND GUNS
Board Of Education Has Case Of Sex
Against Sex to Settle,
GIRLS AND BOYS BOTH HAVE ADVOCATES
Member Howard Declares Cadets
shall Not Have Guns m Girls
Are 10 Ne Deprived OF
Their Gymnasium.

mo gym, no gunsi'
This will be the shibboieth OF Q strong
faction OF the Board Of Education at its
next meeting.
"If our girls can't have q gymnasium in
which to get h~eaithful exercise. our boys
can't have those extra guns with which to
drilli"
Thus the lines will be drawn. II will
be a case Of sex against sex. The board
Is about equally divided on the issue. Mem
Der Howard stands a. champion Of the
girls, and Member Holman will marshal his
force in behalf Of the boys. 1t will be a
merry war.
II think we are dereiict IN our duty to
the taxpayers Of this district" said Mr..
Howard, when we permit that gymnasium
to be closed because OF a psltry expense
Of 500 a month which an instructor will
cost. The new High school building was
erected with the understanding that II
would include a gymnasium for the girls.
We gave our promise to the Woman's club
OF Omaha to that effect, and now the FIRST
thing we do is to close It indefinitely. The
girls stand in need OF physical exercise
Just as much az the boys do. The boys
have their military drill; the girls have
nothing that corresponds with It. The boys
have an opportunity to make up demerit
marks In their other studies by efficiency
In drill; the girls have no such means Of
redeeming themselves. For this reason I
say the boys shall not have the extra guns
unless the girls can have the gym.
IT have been talking with several mem
bers OF the board on this subject. and I'm
pretty we'll satisfied now that at the meet
ing Monday night a motion will be made to
reconsider the action Of last Tuesday night
whereby the gymnasium was closed.
Wants No Discrimination.
the boys. The proposition Of the govern
ment to sell us $50 new Winchester breech-
loading rifles for 50 each is a good one and
one Of which we ought to take advantage,
but / say II our economy is to result In
inconvenience to the girls the boys shall
be required to share that inconvenience.
1t is not right that this board should dis
crimlnate in favor OF either SEX"
Member Homan declines to state what
his tactics will bc. but he 10 nrm IN his
conviction that the board can't AFFORD to
maintain the gymnasium.
Another important matter which will be
taken up by the board Monday night will be
the appointment Of a truant o1lcer provided
for by the compulsory school law passed by
the last legislature. Eleven persons have
applied for the position, as follows: Mrs.
Grace Allan Bradley, Otto G. Schwerin, A.
P. French, Edward Yarton, Monte Soule,
Beecher Highly, Philip F. Heise, James M.
Rollo. George L. Dennis, e. D.. Mullery and
c. w. Cain.
The board is divided on this issue, as we'll
as on \the one Of the gymnasium and the
guns some think it a wanton waste OF
money to pay ST. 900 a year to some man to
lead a reluctant pupil to school by the ears.
The practice Of playing hockey" they say,
is not general enough in Omaha to warrant
the expenditure Of such a sum for such a
purpose. Besides" says a member, "our
school rooms are already overcrowded with
pupils who are willing to be educated with
out coercion, and II the truant oficer should
round up enough estrays to earn his salary
it would put us to the expense Of renting
extra buildings and employing extra teach
ers."
The other side is In favor of conforming
10 the law by employine the officer.