The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-10-05
Board OF Education Discuss
This Matter.
WHOOPlNG COUGH IN SCHOOL
Special Committee Will Make an In.
vestigation; the Treasurer's
Bond Approved.

From Thursdays Daily.
A special committee of the board of
education will look after the health of
the pupils in the city schools hereafter.
The subject was preached at the special
meeting of the board last evening, by
Mrs. Smith, and met with a hearty re-
Spouse on the part of the other mem
bers The matter would have been
brought up year ago, but for the at
titude of one or two members then
serving on the board.
Mrs. Smith said that there are a
number of cases of whooping cough in
the schools, and that there has been
some measles. She moved that COM
mittee on health be appointed for the
ensuing year, to have special charge of
the health of the district.
Mrs. Koke seconded this and said
that at the Franklin building there
is pupil who suffers from epileptic fits
every few days and creates great dis
turbance when he has these fits. He is
not fit person to be attending school.
Another boy has tuberculosis quite bad
", and should not be in the school.
DIR. Holbrook said that state law
provides that no scholar or teacher who
has tuberculosis shall be allowed to re-
,,o:,, +bo cohool b,s1d;poc
Mrs. Smith said that she had been
asked whether pupils suffering from
whooping cough could be allowed in the
buildings.
DR.. Holbrook read from the rules of
the state board of health, which include
cases of whooping cough, tonsilitis, etc.,
among the contagious diseases which
must be excluded from the schools UNI
til the local health officer gives permits
to those who have recovered from them
mht mht fra init fra hit fra hit RIA
to attend again., The children who re-
side in the houses where there are such
cases are also to be excluded. He
thought that the rules went too far in
some cases.
Mrs. Smith said that people in West
Mankato fear that the school there will
be so broken up that little will be ac-
complished. She suggested that pupils
living in houses where there are the
minor contagious diseases be watched
to see whether they are coming down
with the disease The board is now well
constituted to have a committee to do
this.
Superintendent Mcconnell said that
whooping cough can disrupt a school very
quickly. To refuse to admit those pupils
who admit having this or other di-
sease and to admit those having them
but who deny that they have, would not
be fair.
DR.. Holbrook said that it would be
well to isolate all who are suffering
from severe coughs. Some who have
whooping cough never whoop in school.
Mrs. Smiths motion was carried
without opposition. President Hughes
named DIR. Beach as chairman of the
committee, and said that he would fill
the committee later.
DR.. Holbrook for the committee on
property and expense reported that eigh-
teen primary department chairs had
been ordered, as there was shortage,
the couch for use of sick pupils at the
high school had been purchased, and
that two carloads of coal had arrived
and been delivered.
The matter of making the tax levy
came up, and it developed that the
finance committee had not been appoint
ed. The levy must be made before Oct.
10, and special meeting will be neces-
sary for this purpose. President Hughes
appointed Dr. Beach and Messrs. Cough
Ian and Davies as the committee. He
also filled up the other committees by
naming Mrs. Koke and Mr.. Hughes on
the school and text book committee, and
DIR. Snow and Messrs. Davies and Cough
laE on the committee on property and
expense.
Curious Attendance Figures.
Superintendent Mcconnell gave a re-
port of the attendance, compared with
that last year at the same time, as fol