Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-12-18
JOHN +. RIGGS
SETTLES CASE
LONG DRAWN.ouT SCHOOL FIGHT
in HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP
REACHES END,
BOARD REV Frs s D
Action of County Superintendent and
Directors Observation-Disclosures
Wins and Children Wit be
Hauled to Classroom.

County superintendent Eliza
beth Burgess reversed the action OF
the school board of Richland township,
overruled, the pupils Of sub-district
No. to be hauled to school, the lease
of temporary school house, entered
into by the board, set aside, sweep
ing victory for the patrons of the sub
district. Such in brief is the effect Of
a decision Of John F. Riggs, superin-
tendent of public instruction, handed
down yesterday in the case entitled,
Appeal Of w. c. Arnold ct al. vs..
School Township Of Richland." This
is the last chapter in a school house
controversy in Richland township
which has been raging for the past
two years and which has occasioned
dozen special board meetings in that
township, three special elections, four
appeals to the county superintendent,
no end Of discussion and now the state
superintendent has laid down the law
applying to the conditions present in
that district.
No. Wins Victory.
Richland township has some eight
school districts, operating under the
sub-district plan. About two years ago
the schoolhouse Of sub-district No. Z
was destroyed by fire. When efforts
to rebuild were undertaken the
trouble began, the patrons of No. z
claiming that the entire township
should bear the cost while the taxpay-
ers outside maintained that No. Z alone
should rebuild its schoolhouse. They
based this on an alleged usage or Gus
tom long prevailing in Richland town
ship. Accordingly the township has
voted down all propositions looking to.
ward the rebuilding OF this school
house. Last year the board caused the
pupils of No. to be hauled to adjoin-
ing districts, but this year they refused
to haul them because of the heavy ex-
pense and instead leased room OF
Thomas Vanderpool and ordered the
children of No. to go there to school.
From this action Of the board the pat
rons of No. appealed to the county
Superintendent. who sustained the &C
ton of the board. Appeal was then
made to the state superintendent,
with the result above stated.
Points Of Interest.
The points decided are of more than
local interest. They are:
First. 1t is the plain legal uutN OF
the township of Richland to rebuild
the schoolhouse in No Z.
Second No custom or usage can
excuse or relieve the township of this
duty.
Third. The Vanderpool room is, on
account of its location and surround
ings, unsuitable for schoolhouse uses.
and, therefore, the acti n Of the board
In leasing it is reversed and set aside.
Fourth. The board shall permit the
pupils of No. 7 to attend school at ad-
joining districts, and all who are over
az miles distant shall be hauled TO
school at the expense of the township.
Fifth. Until the electors of the
township provide a suitable school,
house. properly located, they must
school the pupils of No. in other dis
tricts by hauling them, if over l u
miles.
This controversy was twice before
Miss Emma Nye in her term as county
superintendent on appeal. and has
oeen twice before Mrs. Burgess on ap-
zeal and now once up to State Super