Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-11-20
TO REVISE TRUANT LAW. .
Utter lneffeetlvsness Of Present Law
Admitted.


Admitted.
Des Moines, Nov. IL. -Iowa's truant
law IL wholly: imperative. There Is
no way Of compelling : child to 60
to school.
That II. G. Barrett, state superin.
tendent Of public instruction, will ex.
haustiyely discuss the matter in his
biennial report to be filed with the
governor next week and will urge
upon the legislature the Importance
Of revision, Is common knowledge
among state officials.
The law requires that every child
of school age, unless disqualified by
disease, must attend school at least
twelve weeks in the year. No certain
time Of year Is specified and any
twelve weeks Is permissible.
Under the circumstances the Job
of the truant officer Is an empty one,
as he cannot successfully prosecute
truant until the year is over. The
pupil can say, no matter when 10 Is
arrested: "True, I've not attended
school yet, but intend to attend
twelve weeks later on"
The ohicer can prosecute the pupil
or parents, after the school year has
expired, but not before 1t will then
be useless for the same reason that
it does no good to lock barn after
the horse has been stolen.
! 1t is the understanding that Mr.
Barrett will recommend that certain
twelve weeks be specified in the law
perhaps the first twelve Of the year
The latter will be recommended upon
the ground that the winter season
is the dullest and the parent can be
deprived of the services of chile
at this time with the least disad
vantage.
Burglars wrecked the vault ant
safe of the Citizens Bank Of Yetter
a small town west of Rockwell City
a few nights ago. About 1900 was
secured in currency, and a loss O
$500 was caused by the explosion. MOI
single clue as to the identity of the
burglars has been secured. A team
and buggy from livery barn near by
was stolen, together with robes, ful
coat, etc, but at last accounts not
even the team had been located. The
work was evidently done by expert
cracksmen. They broke into a black
smith shop and section house and Sc
cured the tools for forcing the doors
They broke off the handle of the vault
door, when it is supposed they discov
cred a burglar alarm, and then hole
was made through the side Of the
vault.
. In England the number of murders
averages every year 5.13 to each mil.
lion Of inhabitants. In Germany, 5.45;
in France, 1856; in Austria, 1912; in
Spain, 44.70, and in Italy, 1911.
A negro minister at Ferguson. Mo-,
pounced upon a white man who was
discovered stealing his chickens. The
rogue was secured for the night by
being locked up in the henhouse. The
next morning, with the aid of neigh.
bors, the thief was fastened to wa.
gon tongue with a rope around his
waist; the tongue was then raised UP
in the air, with the rogue thus sus'
pended, until he pitifully promised
never to steal chickens again.
Christensen Bros. may establish Q
cement tile roofing plant at Spencer.
Cost, $4,000.
DR.. H. B. Jennings and DR.. ]. H.
Cole will erect joint Office building
at Council Bluffs.
Angle & Wood will erect an nipple
ment building at Udell at once.
Efforts will be made to secure the
rebuilding of the Updike Grain com.
pany elevator, recently burned at
Missouri Valley, in Sioux City.
Hager Bros, of Baxter, will erect
a. brick block at Melbourne for an Inn
plement house, it Is reported.
n. II. Allen proposes to erect q
thresher warehouse at Sioux City.