The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-07
New Law Provides Better Way for
Nominating School Directors,
One Member Of Old Com
mittee Says.
PRIMARY PLAN INSTEAD
There Seems to be Little Sentiment
in Favor Of Having Meeting
When Other Way is Really
Better.

In the opinion Of C. F. Mcfarland
chairman of the committee named
! two years ago, to call a mass meeting
| for the nomination of school direc-
tors, there is no reason for calling
any such meeting this year. The
law for presenting the names OF
school directors has been changed
and for that reason no meeting was
called last year.
| One Of the three members of the
committee suggested that meeting
ought to be called He claimed that
while there was new law in regard
to this, it did not prohibit calling
meetings under the old system. The
sentiment however, is with Mr.. Nc
Farland in this matter, what is the
use CT the old mass. meeting, when
there is newer law which provides
a way as satisfactory?
Mr.. Mcfarland states his ideas in
regard to this matter of nominating
directors in the following statement:
Since the publication Of an article
in one Of the papers a few days ago,
saying that there was some senti-
ment in the community favcring the
calling of a meeting at the court
house for nomination. Of school direc-
tors as was done for so many years,
number of people have asked me
/ if l was going to call such meet
ing, noticing that l was named at
the last meeting, held two years ago.
as chairman of a committee to call
the next meeting. The committee
did not call a meeting last year be-
cause the law in regard to the nomt-
mating of school directors had been
changed and another way provided
which was used at the last election.
In view Of this fact, do not feel that
| it is incumbent upon the committee
appointed for last year to call a
meeting a year later, at the same
iii any considerable number Of voters
| Just as well as l can.
| Here is the new law-Any ten
voters can nominate candidate for
the board by signing a petition to
have tn candidates name put on the
/ ballot, and filing said petition with
| the secretary of the school board at
least seven days before the election.
The secretary must put such names
on the ballot, and this ballot has to
be gotten up in certain form, parti-
oular kind of paper and type being
used and other forms complied with.
The old way of holding the nominal
ing convention three days before the
election and having a dozen, kinds of
ballots at the polls will not 60 any
more. ,sts4
There are two places to be filed
this year and Mr.. John A. Dunlap
and Mr.. C. F. Skirvin will doubtless
be nominated for the places to sue
coed themselves. If any voter in town
thinks he knows a man he would
! rather see on the board than these
gentlemen, he can get his candidate
on the ticket by drawing up a petit
ton, getting ten qualified voters to
sign it, and file it with Mr. Archer
Miller, secretary, at least seven days
before the second Monday in March
If you think there should be a pub
lie meeting, as of old, it should be
called at least ten days before cleo
ton. 1t need not be in the court
house, you can call it at your house
and invite in ten of Your neighbor
and nominate as many candidates as
you want. There could be a dozen
of these meetings If anyone wanted
them and they would all be perfectly
regular if they complied with the law
in nominating their candidates Per
sonally. see nc use in the old fash
toned nominating meeting, as l think
the new way is better and will re-
suit in having more suitable candi-
dates, but if the community wants a
general meeting it is easy enough to
get it.
c. F. M'FARLAND.