Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-13
Ten Months School Proposition
To Come Up at the Next
Convention
WEST DEs MONIES ADOPTS PLAN
That District Will Test the Alleged Ad.
vantases of the Longer School Term
May Help Solve Question Of Bet
ter Wages for Teachers-saloons
May Have Refrigerators.

Special to Times. Republican.
Des Moines, April 1S.-The contro-
versy over lengthening the term of
school in the west Des Moines district
and the incidental investigation of the
entire subject of the time that the pub
lice schools should be kept open in the
state, may inject itself into the next
|convention of the Iowa State Teachers
association to be held in Des Moines
next December. There has been con-
siderable discussion of the subject
among teachers and leading educators.
The West Des Moines district will try
ten months of school instead Of nine as
formerly. Superintendent Sheakley is
an ardent advocate Of the lengthening
OF the term. So also is Ex-State Su-
perintendent Sabin and a great many
other prominent educators. One ar
gument put forth in favor of the longer
term is that 1t will give the teachers
one more months wages for the year
and this is no small item. 1t will also
make more use, even If not bettsr. of
the school property. Now 1t was decid-
ed last winter that leading topic for
discussion at the next convention
should be this very one Of compensation
to the teachers. The long term must
come up as an incident to that topic.
1t has also been decided by the ex-
|ecutiye committee that one of the topics
foremost on the next program shall be
that of better utilization Of school prop
|erty in every way. This also touches
the length of the term. The committee
has only made beginning toward a
program, and one of the members ex-
pressed the view that it would be an
If educators would
make suggestions as to topics Manua!
training will come in for discussion
again, for it is something that appears
to Lcetaking deep hold on the people
of.the state. Compulsory education and
the practical workings of the new law,
will be discussed, and as next winter
is the time for the legislature to meet
the association will be expected to point
out what amendments, IL any, may be
necessary for this new law. The COM
mittee will enter into correspondence
with educators and hold meeting
some time in the summer to definitely
outline the program for the next meet
ing.
1t has been officially decided that
a refrigerator may be placed in SAL
oon in Iowa without violation of the
laws pertaining to saloons. In Jones
n y,o<J ,1<N,
and he was indicted for violation of the
liquor laws in that he had more
than one room or a second room with
door leading into it from the saloon
and not an outside door. The law is
very strict in that it contemplates that
saloon shall consist of only one room
and that all doors must lead outside
and not into inner rooms where men
may congregate and be hid from view.
Donahue was convicted of violation of
this feature of the law. The supreme
court found that the second room" re-
ferred to and on which the conviction
was based was in fact a big ice box
or cooler built inside the saloon. 1t
had door where one might enter
and an outside door or ice chute. But
the court ridicules the idea that such
q room" is one like that which is
forbid by the statute. The court says
that the room contemplated in the sta
tute is one where men might easily con-
gregate and would meet to hide from
the public; but manifestly room
where men might for a brief time be
hid away like casks and barrels is not
prohibited. The refrigerator was legal
and Donahue gets "a new trial.
A sinlilur interesting question stated
by the supreme court to be one entire
ly new to this court relates to signals
OF railroads at crossings. 1t arose in
the case of Defriese VS.. the Illinois
Central, where Il woman had been
struck by train at a private crossing
which was near a public crossing.
There was a great dea. of evidence
somewhat conflicting as 10 whether any
signals were given, but the discussion
turned on the matter of signals to warn
one at a private CROSSING. There is no
law to require such signols and no rule
of common law making such signals
necessary. But the question: was raised
that inasmuch as the private crossing
was near a public crossing where the
co,nr,a,,v jS rea,lirfnd TO give SIGNALS. to