Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-01-03
Commission on School Laws.

SuAOuASSu tuC4 dppOiutlueuC VI L lOA
Frederick E. Bolton of Iowa City,
William H. Baily of Des Moines, and
Arthur Springer of Columbus juno.
ton as members of the commission to
recodify and revise the school laws
of the state. This commission was
created by the last legislature and
will report to the assembly of 1909.
The creation of the commission
was recommended by State Superin-
tendsnt Riggs The law under which
1t has being provides that it shall be
composed of one educator and two
practicing attorneys. Professor Boil
ton is one of the most prominent edu.
Gators in the state. He is at the head
of the department of education of the
state university. Baily and Springer
have been long in the practice of the
law and each has had more or less
experience in connection with the
school laws, as members of school
boards, and in other capacities. The
three have a deep interest in the vel
fare of the schools.
The law provides that the commits.
zion shall meet at the capitol and
organize before Jan. /, 1908. The
commissioners will receive SO a day
Ind actual expenses while in session
and be In session at their own pleas
are. They may employ clerical as
sistance and the superintendent shall
print their report The cost of the
tecodification is fixed at not to ex.
seed $4,000.
The law fixes the duty of the com,
mission IN hn col Ucho
nave power to rearrange, revise and
rodify the existing laws relating to
she public schools and recommend
additional needed legislation"
1t has been the opinion of the edu'
Gators of the state that the commits
sion would devote its attention chiefly
D the work of defining the high school
In Iowa and determining the char
acter of its work.
Under present statutes the high
school has no legal status in this
state. 1t has grown into it's present
proportions in response to popular
demand ON one side and the demand
of the higher educational institutions
on the other. The courses have been
expanded more and more until the
high school has become a college pre-
paratory.
There now is a demand that the
high school shall become the effective
agency for completing the education
OF children. 1t is the final schoo
which nine-tenths of the pupils of the
school attend.
1t is understood that the commits
sion will have before it the task o.
devising the reconstruction of tht
high school to meet the popular de
mand and to make its work Of a char
acter which will fit the girls and boy.
which graduate from it, and most O
whom never go to college, to carr
! their living.
The second important problem be
fore the commission will be the re
construction of the rural school sys
tenn.
VIII Show UP Well.
Iowa life insurance companies, &C
cording to statements of officials will
make one of the best showings il
their history Jan. 1, when they report
on the 1907 business to the audito,
of state. Some of them may not show
as large an increase in new bushes.
written during the year as in former
years but their condition will, it /,
claimed, show up much better,
A novel feature OF the report, II
comparison with the statements O
companies of other state, will be tina
the securities of the Iowa compapie.
Will show practically no shrinkage ii
value, while the others will. TIL,
Iowa legislature a few years ago enact
ed law restricting the investment o
insurance funds to high class securi
ties, principally farm mortgages, ant
at the time this was generally cen
sured by insurance officials, whit
claimed that the growth of the HON,
companies would be Handicapped b,
the restriction. They pointed out tina
the foreign companies, over which
the Iowa legislature had no control
| would have greater leeway in invest
Ing their funds and consequently nigh
earn greater profits and make Difficult
competitors. Now, however, it 1.
shown that the outside companie.
are feeling the financial furry severe
~ while the Iowa companies are no
| affected at all.
Against certification Law.
President Lark of the State Teach
ers' association has put on the com
mittee on resolutions of the organi
cation several bitter opponents of the
new teachers certification law Edu
Gators say that a majority of tbs
members of the committee are OBJ
posed to it. The committee is headed
by Superintendent F. L. Smart Of
Davenport and other men understood
to be prepared to fight the statute
have been added to support him.
1t was in Davenport that the origi
nal fight against the certifcation Law
was started. 1t was bitter contes,
and got into the last session of the
teachers association.
Think Have Postoffie Robber.
Lige Edwards, alias Charles Nun
son, alias Dutch" supposed to be the
man who robbed the Decatur CITY
postoffice last week, was captured al
Linwood, Mo-, by Deputy United
States Marshal G. 3. Bidwell and
brought to Des Moines. The fedora,
authorities regard Edwards arrest as
one of the most important in many
months, for he is known to be a
desperate character. He pleaded moi
guilty before Commissioner Macarthur
but asked for an attorney and will be
given formal hearing.
Life Of Polk Wells.
The state board Of parole is in re-
ceipt of information to the effect
that the widow of Polk Wells has