Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-16
ENTERS new FIELD
Son of F. o. Lowden Under
takes to Rout Cannonism
from School.
FATHER SPEAKERS FRIEND
Youngster Drafts School Constitution
Putting Teachers cat Mercy
of Pupils.

insurgency has broken out in a new
place, much to the dismay of Repre-
sentative Frank o. Lowden of Illinois.
ers of Speaker Joseph G.. Cannon and
the house rules. Mr. Lowden's four
teeD-year-old son, George NJ Pullman
Lowden, who is in the sixth grade in
Washington school, has revised the
school constitution along lines which
make 1t impossible for teachers to ex-
ercise arbitrary power.
In the recent fight over the house
rules Mr.. Lowden took his boy to the
capitol to listen to the debate. The
yOungster was deeply impressed with
the victory of the insurgents over
Speaker Cannon and after the battle
pestered his father with questions
about the speaker and his methods.
Shown to Speaker Cannon.
For several days the little fellow
was busily engaged in the preparation
of a paper, but would not tell his IA
Their what he was doing. He was
drafting a set of rules for the govern
ment of his school. These rules are
nOW III DOoSCSSlOn VI MI. l<O"dCh,
who has submitted them to Speaker
Cannon as an example OF what full
f1edged insurgency means. They are
as follows:
Article Al. That II any unjust law
ur too hard work be imposed on the
scholars they may rebel on the teach
ers.
2. They may also fine and arrest him.
3. Hereafter the pupils may elect
committee on rules for the school. The
teachers are ineligible.
4. The teachers won't have any right
to make any laws whatsoever.
Article B-1. The pupils may refuse
the work if they wish, anl the teach
ers may insist, but not to any good
purpose.
.. The highest fine that can be made
Is $50, the lowest SO. No warrants
are necessary for the arrests.
3. Cross teachers are compelled by
the pupils to leave the room without
complaint or words of any kind. If
they do that fine can be imposed on
the teacher or teachers.
Have No Vote on School Questions.
4. The teachers or parents are not
allowed to cast a vote on any subject
applying to school questions. If they
do they are liable to be fined or put
under guard.
B. The committee on rules shall con-
sist of seven students of the third
grade, six from the fourth grade, nine
from the fifth grade, eleven from the
six grade, seven from the seventh
grade, eight from the eighth grade and
one from the second grade, the whole
committee consisting of forty-nine
members. If more than one-seventh
agree to a certain question it is car
ried. no matter how much opposition
there is.
6. A pupil can be withdrawn from
the committee or school if he relents
to teacher or teachers or to anybody.
T. The school shall begin when the
committee wants it TO and end when
the committee wants it to, and no 9th
er time.
We've been beaten at our own
game" remarked Representative Vic
tor Murdoch of Kansas, one of the
insurgents of the house, when he saw
a copy of the school constitution" re-
vised along insurgent lines by Master
George Lowden, who is now busy per
fecting. his insurgency.
Young Lowden is a bright faced,
rosy checked youngster who does not
look as If he had sacrificed any of the
diversions of boyhood to burn the mid
night oil on his rules. He is tall for
his age and remarkably well informed.
He is already good mixer and appar
emily feels the best of good viii for
every one but schoolteachers. He ex-
planned, somewhat reluctantly, that his
grievance against this class is not al
together impersonal, adding that there
was a certain instructor whom he did
not care to name who was sometimes
too obstreperous. Young Lowden is
named for his maternal grandfather,
the late George NJ. Pullman, the rail
way magnate.