Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-09-10
widows' Allowance slll.


lature and Is planned to meet the
objections OF its opponents. The law
provides that a widow who is the
mother of a dependent child or chill.
dren under the ages Of sixteen,Hears
and who is a fit person to have the
care and custody of her children may
apply to the state board for yearly
pension. The state board of control
through It's authorized agents may IN
vestigate all facts in regard to the
mother, including her character. The
state is to pay her an allowance not
to exceed $40 month. one-half of
which amount must be borne by the
county in which she lives.
The promoters of the law argue
that inasmuch as the state pays out
large sums of money for the mainten
ance of children in state institutions,
1t would be far cheaper to keep the
home intact and help the mother to
raise her children under their own
rooftree. AS an instance they quote
The cost Of $12 q month to maintain
a child in the Soldiers Orphans home
at Davenport when for less sum the
child could remain at home.
Should Appraise Counties.
A movement involving the employ
ment of ninety-nine civil engineers
has been inaugurated by N. s. Ketch'
UNI, chairman Of the state board OF
railroad commissioners.
According to Mr.. Ketchum's plan,
soon to be presented to the board OF
supervisors of every county, civil en-
gineers are to be appointed to ap
praise the amount of taxable proper
ty in each county. The engineers are
to be instructed to pay particular at.
tention to the railroads in order that
the total number of miles which they
maintain and all other taxable prop.
erty may be exactly appraised for the
benefit of the state officials Ac.
cording to the plan, which Mr.. Ketch-
UNI proposes graduate engineers are
to be given the preference.
"That such an innovation is almost
absolutely necessary is certain. Elk
act appraisement of railroad property
for instance is almost impossible un.
der the present method. 1t is
astounding how little the county su-
pervisors know about the amount of
taxable property within the borders
OF their own counties. Those who
could tell you the amount of mile
age within their counties are excep.
tons rather than the rule"
lowans Join Geological Tour.
Prof. George F. Kay, state geolo-
gist and head of the department Of
geology of the State University of
Iowa, has joined party of the
worlds most noted biologists in a
trip through the United States. There
will be fifty of the most prominent
and geographers from
abroad, as well as several of the best
known Americans. The start was
made from New York on Aug. %.
The trip ends Oct. Is.
The transcontinental excursion of
famous scientists is the first of its
kind ever attempted.
1t will be held under the auspices
of the American Geographical society,
and commentaries it's sixtieth ami
versary. w. NJ. Davis, director of
the society, and one of the most
widely known authorities in the
United States, will be in charge.
During two hours stop to be
made at Baraboo, Wis, Prof A. c.
Trowbridge of the University of Iowa
will be the guide. He is now at Bara-
boo with a party of Iowa biologists
studying the formations near that
point.
State Calls for Blind Children.
In letter received from the Sec
rotary of the state board of educa-
ton, the county auditor has been
asked to assist in requiring the at
tendance of all blind children between
the ages Of II and 10 years at the
State College of the Blind at Vinton.
According to the state law, all blind
tend the college unless exempted for
some special reason. The state pays
the entire expense OF the pupils and
in addition to giving them a general
usually trains them in
some trade or vocation that will en-.
able them to become self-supporting.
The auditor has been asked to
forward a list of all blind children in
the county, and to take a hand in
seeing that they enter the college
when it opens it's doors for the fall
term.
for Short Course.
Exceeding all past demands for
short courses, twenty-three such
courses were arranged for this week
at the regular meeting of the short
course representatives for next win.
ter. The demand has been so great
that but one more weeks course can
be booked A number of shorter
courses will be arranged for by the
Ames agricultural extension depart
ment, however, and many more coun.
ties can be accommodated this way.
The short courses will include lee.
lures on animal husbandry, farm
crops, soils, domestic science and
general subjects, and will last for
week at each place. The car of col.
ege stock will be used at all short
New Ideas In Schools.
For several years advocates OF