Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-07
School Board Puts Responsible
ty For Absences and Tardi-
ness on the Parents
OLD RULE WAS INSUFFICIENT
Suspensions Will Result Hereafter in
Cases of Chronic Hardness or Abb
sence Until Parents Give Satisfac-
tory Evidence That Children Will be
Present in School.

The school board, at Its regular
meeting Tuesday night, took import
ant action on cases of hardness and
absence by pupils, and adopted Il new
rule whereby parents are held respon-
sible for the presence of their chill
dren in school. In some Of the schools
the work has been seriously handicap
ped by habitual hardness on the part
of children. The board proposes to see
what can be done to remedy the mat
ter, and suspensions will result, under
the new rule, unless parents can give
satisfactory evidence that their chill
dren will be prompt in attendance.
One OF the most serious cases of hab-
itual hardness, which has grown to be
chronic, comes from one family where
the children are pupils In the Arnold
school. The report OF Superintendent
Crane, to the board, announced that in
the case of the family in question
there had been record Of fifteen tar
illnesses in two months. In this case
it is claimed the parent, is shown to
be plainly neglectful, and will contin-
TALLY write excuses without reference
to the truth of the excuse. The old
rule governing tardinesses and absence
es does not allow the suspension Of q
pupil unless there are four unexcused
absences. A new rule was presented
by the committee on rules and discip-
line and the board took immediate ac-
fhA v-,s1A
ing the new rule, as proposed by the
committee, The rule follows:
"1n case the absence or hardness OF
the pupil is due to neglect of duty in
sending the child on the part OF the
parent or guardian, the superintendent
has power to suspend the said child.
regardless of excuses until the said
parent or guardian gives satisfactory
evidence that the pupil will be prompt
in attendance"
Will Investigate Insurance.
The buildings and grounds commit
tee, thru Chairman Moore, brought up
the matter of readjustment Of insur-
ance on school buildings. In the opin-
ion Of the committee there ds not en-
ough insurance carried on the Click
and Arson schools, new and modern
buildings, neither is there a sufficient
amount carried on the high school
building. The committee thinks that
less insurance hight be carried on
some Of the older buildings and more
placed on the more modern structures.
The law allows insurance OF 80 per cent
of actual value to be carried, and the
committee thinks that insurance IN the
full amount should be carried. The
committee will investigate the insur-
ance, also the matter Of boiler insur-
ance, Of which the board is not carry
ing any at the present time. Mr..
Moore believes that especially where
the heating plants are located IN the
school buildings boiler insurance should
be carried, in order to protect the dis
trict from loss Of property by reason
of possible explosions. Indemnity
from loss of life is also covered In boil
err insurance.
acquisitions for supplies for different
buildings, including kindergarten ana
primary supplies for holiday work IN
manual training, were allowed by the
board, as presented by the different
heads Of departments. A requisition
for several text books was also allow
ed.
All OF the members Of the board were
present at the meeting Tuesday night
with the exception Of Mr.. Church. VINO
is not in the city.