Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-27

Echool SITUATION IN Rlcnland township,
which has grown quite complicated in
recent months, is made by ]. I. Grit
fths, township secretary of schools:
On the 10th of February, 1905 the
school house In sub-district No. Z,
known as the "Tindell' school house,
of Richland school township, was
burned, presumably byNa tramp.
The house and furniture. was insur-
ed at $475, and the loss was promptly
adjusted and the insurance in due
time was paid into the school township
treasury, and still remains there. AT
the sub-district meeting No. z, held
on the first Monday in March follow
ing, proposition was presented to
vote tax on the sub district No. I,
of $500, above the insurance carried to
rebuild the school house. Some parties
contended that the sub-district, not
being a corporation, could not legally
vote tax upon itself. In any event,
no tax was voted at the meeting.
On the day following, a petition of
Heber Parker, ct al, residents of No.
z, mostly, was filed with the board of
directors of the school township Of
Richland, praying that proposition
be submitted to the electors of the
above insurance. upon the school!
township to rebuild the school house
In No. Z.
At special meeting Of the board,
on the> 9th of March, the petition was
granted, and an election Of the school
township was ordered for March 2lst'
upon the proposition. At this meeting
of the board Chas. Bluhm ct al, ma
jority of the petitioners. filed an
amended petition leaving out the last
paragraph of the original petition ask
ln. for $500 above insurance carried.
This amended petition left the amount
to be voted upon by the electors of the
founcbin for tho hoard to fix as 1.-The
necessary means to build school
house in sub district No. I, to replace
thu one burned down." However the
board rejected the amended petition
and adhered to It's order for an cleo
ton on the original petition, the $500
above insurance.
And at the election on March Fl,
pnly one of the signers of the original
petition voted. The vote stood fol-
the tax and 40 against it.
On March 49, Chas. Bluhm, ct al.
filed a re-amended petition with the
board asking that a special election OF
the school township be called ito vote
tax for the erection of school
house in said sub district" (No. ~
On the same 2Sth day of March, the
board rejected the petition. thereby re-
fusing to call second election. From
this action of the board. Chas. Bluhm
ct al. on. April 9Th, appealed to Emma
S. Ny,e county superintendent who
ordered a hearing before her on May
22nd.
At the hearing, j. w. Lewis appear
ed for appellants and J. l. Griffith
secretary of the school township, ap-
peared for appellee. Appellee moved tt
dismiss the appeal for want of juris.
diction, as there was no allegation o.
abuse of the discretion lodged in the
board. Ruling on motion reversed ant
hearing proceeded on merits Wit
6n1 al
lants. Appellee filed receipt for in
surance money S475, in hands o
township treasurer, and transcript II
evidence containing copies OF tn
school records of Rchland township
showing that since the re- organization
of the township, in 1868, into sub
tricts, the several school houses haV
been built or rebuilt. at the expens
of the respective sub districts in Yer,
instance. except one. the Keb schoo
house.
On the Eth Of June the superintend
ent rende led her decision, finding, tina
the township as the school unit mus
furnish equal school facilities to all tn
pupils, the manner resting with tn
board, that a sub district may legal
vote a school house tax on the sub
district; that the matter of ordering
sIccial election in the township
discretionary with the board: and i
the absence Of proof of malice, passio
or prejudice on the part of the board
its action should be sustained. Actio
of the board affirmed
On the 1st of July. Allen Marshal
ct AL, presented petition to the boar
praying that a special meeting of tn
voters of the township be held, as 500
as may be held, for the purpose {
voting a tax upon the township
raise the necessary money to build
q in Nd 4
On the same day, the board rejecte
the petition. and on the 3rd day {
July. Marshall appealed to the count
superintendent. filing lengthy aft
davit in support thereof. and allegin
six errors, including self-interest ,bia
passion and prejudice. The hearin
before the county superintendent wa
held on the 18th day Of July, Lewis
Smith appearing for appellants, an
j. /. Griffith for appellee. Appellee file
lengthy answer to appellants affidaV1
and submitted transcript in evidene
in previous case of Bluhm VS.. Towr
ship. Witnesses sworn and examine
plots filed, exhibits filed. Decision rer
dered by superintendent on July 25t
finding, in addition to previous fint
ings, that "the claim of the board thu
it can do nothing without funds, ar
that it can not procure funds witho,
the consent of the people is Who'll
Just" That the only wav in which
could be determined that the Peep
would not vote reasonable amount
tax would be by another election; TIL
in the absence of school house, the
were only two ways of schooling chile
ren,. of the spb-district either rent
building, or transport the pupils
another sub-distirct. or districts; tn
no suitable building could be rent'
in No. 4, and that pupils cannot secu
Increased advantages by being tran
ported to another school. and there CT
be no saving of expense in transpor
ing to more than one. Action of t
board reversed. At special meetii
of the board on August Bird, anoth
special election of the township w
ordered to be held on August II {
proposition to vote 1925 on the tow
shin to rebuild school house.