Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-24
A FURTHER HISTORY.

| Q 4
A FURTHER HISTORY.
Editor Courier
| will you allow me to submit an
! other installment of the history of thu
school controversy in Richland town
ship for the information OF your read
ers here? / submit this as furthel
history of the matter from the RECORDS
to the present time, not as an argu-
ment.
| In my last communication to the
Courier noted the appeal of w. G
Arnold, ct al, from the decision of the
county superintendent in that case e
| the state superintendent. The case was
heard by Superintendent Riggs or
Dec. 18th, 1909, on arguments byEJ. W
Lewis for appellant, and j. /. Griffith
for appellee. The state superintendent
reversed the decision of the county
superintendent, and ordered that thh=
township discontinue the school IN
sub district No. 7, and transport the
pupils of that sub-district to other
schools in the township. The school
township was already under contract
for the rent of a temporary school
room and teachers wages for the
school in No. for whole year. Follow
ing the decision of the state supern-
tendent, on Dec. 21st, the appellants
ton before the state superintendent to
tax costs against the township in the
sum of $126.55, incurred in the hearing
before the county superintendent. This
motion was by the state super1ntend-
ent remanded back to the county sup
erintendent for determinations: and
was finally heard by her, on Feb. 18th,
Lewis appearing for appellants and
Griffith for the township. The super
int n 1v1 hn q MI 1111 u
against the township.
Meantime on Jan. Sth, the board OF
directors of the school township OF
Richland were served with an alterna-
tive writ of mandate from the district
court to comply with the decision Of
the state superintendent, writ return
able Jan. 18th. On the return day the
directors, except Chas. Bluhm, sub
director of No. Z, answered by Chester
w. Whitmore, attorney. On January
%. hearing upon amended answer be-
fore Judge M. A. Roberts; Smith and
Lewis for REALTORS, and Whitmore for
respondents. Testimony was submitted
by respondents as reasons for nom
compliance with the decision of the
state superintendent. Decision by the
court, ordering the discontinuance ct
the temporary school in sub district
No 7, and the hauling Of the pupils
therein to other schools until per-
manent school house is built in No. I,
and peremptory writ issued accord
ingly. On the 29th, respondents moved
the court to tax the costs of this trial,
amounting to s96.25. against the in
dividual members of the board, except
ing Chas. Bluhm, and not against the
school township. This motion was de-
MED and the costs adjudged against
the township.
Meantime on Jan. Gath, the board In
special session, in compliance with the
peremptory writ, employed two wag-
ons to haul pupils of No. Z; one at $3.50
per day to haul to No. 9, and one at 81
per day to haul to No. 5: $3.50 per day
for the remainder of the school year.
Later the board settled for rent Of
Temporary school room and teachers
wages in No. at three fourths Of
contract price for the whole year. At
the same meeting, March 14th, the
board by a vote Of to l Of those
present, voted that the township APP
peal from the decision Of the district
court to the supreme court. Notice OF
appeal was served April 18th.
On May 14th, petition of A. B. Young
and thirteen other voters and tax pay
ers of sub district No. Z was presented
to Chas. Bluhm, sub director of No. I
lpraying that a special election be held
in sub district No. and proposition
be submitted to it to levy tax of $30(
on the sub district to build a schoo
house in it. one-half to be levied ii
1910 and the other half in 1911. Instead
! of doing this, Bluhm called a specia
election for May 31st, and submitted {
proposition of his own to levy tax o
$500 upon the sub district to aid thu
school township in rebuilding tn,
school house in No. z, and providin:
that the tax voted by the subdistric
should be null and void unless tn
Ischool township should vote Xix
amount of $500 upon the township To-
the same purpose, on or before the frs
day of July.
AS this materially changed the prop
was presented to the board asking TIL
board to order a special election in M
Z to vote levy Of $500 on that sub
] district. At special meeting. of tn
board on May 2Sth, the election wa
ordered to be held on June 18th, t
vote on the proposition as prayed for
At the election held on May 31st t
vote on the proposition submitted b,
Bluhm, 10 votes were cast, 9 for it, an
against it. But at the election OF
June 11th the tax proposition wa
defeated on full vote by small ma
jority. Aid as the township voted n
tax, and held no tlaction before Jul
list, the school year ended without an
provisions for a school house in No.
and the township, under the order ?
the district court, provided for tn
hauling Of the pupils of No. Z durin
the present school year. One wagon
employed to haul to No. s (Comstock
lat s3.75 Der day. a saving Of SAFE pc
day over last years hauling expense
iAlso the teachers wages and conting
ent expense Of maintaining school i
No. is saved over last year. And tn
board provided for the prosecution G
the appeal case to the supreme cour
which will come up for hearing at tn
January term. In this case. the decisio
Of which is awaited with interest, tn
township becomes the appellant, tn
adverse parties the appellee. Whitmor
attorney for appellant; Lewis and Cor
nell for appellee.
J. /. Griffith, school secretary
quite popular in all the social circle