Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-17
FORT DODGE BUSINESS MEN no
ACT AS ADVISERS TO EDu-
CATION BOARD.
COMMERCIAL CLUB TAKING
II INTEREST IN AFFAIRS
Commission Of Fifteen Named to As
sist City in Solving Housing condi-
tions and Procuring Revision Of Laws
-"ConeIomeration Of 6iunders" on
Statute Booka

Fort Dodge. Feb. ia commission
of fifteen members, appointed by j. R
Mulroney, president Of the commercial
club, to investigate the needs of the
public schools and recommend to the
voters whatever action Is needed was
sanctioned at the commercial club
luncheon. The vote was unanimous.
This commission will be composed of
five members Of the Woman's Club
and ten members Of the commercial
club, including representatives from
the Retailers Association and from the
Trades and Labor Assembly.
J. F. Russell in putting the motion,
named ]. r. Files, member of the
board Of education, as chairman Of the
proposed commission. Debate on the
ACCESSIBILITY Of having a member Of the
board Of education on this commission
caused MT. Files to withdraw his name.
The commission is to Cooperate
with the school board in its investiga-
ton but will be absolutely Independent
OF that body.
This action was taken following a
discussion by Mr. Files Of the present
congested condition Of the schools. A
general discussion Of the plan proposed
by the board q year ago but rejected
by the voters also was given by Mr..
Files.
Councilman C. n. Smith observed in
introducing tho speaker that every
citizen should take a keen interest not
only in the schools but also in other
branches Of public work.
School AVN CoF,fuHed Mass.
MT. Files in opening declared that
the tariff question formerly was a
political one but that the leaders IN
the big political parties now are adj
vocatinG the appointment OF non
partisan tarif commission. Ldiqewtse,
the school question IL ono IN which
every person 10 an expert with IDEAS
different from those held by others.
AS result, no legislature meets with
out adding to or subtractine from the
present school laws
James Bryce in his American Com
mouw eaath, Mr. Files said. investigated
the school laws of a western state. he
found 800 statutes on the books, rep
reaenting. Mr.. Bryce observed, Abooe
nine and one-haif ideaA-
"The school laws" declared the
speaker. form tho greatest ana1sn~
mated conglomeration OF plumbers on
the statute books today.
In all tho mass Of school laws, there
is no power directly given authorizing
The building of school buildings.
Everything that has been done tn that
line for the last nfty years has been
done by Inference. Four funds are Pro
vided into which school money must be
divided but no law provides for tho
payment Of money out Of any one
fund for a particular purpose
"It is high time" Mr.. Files en-
phas1zed "tr,at the people demand bet
ter school laws. 1t would be much
better II all Of the school laws were
wiped OF the books and II We started
over again"
Mr.. Files discussed the plan ad-
vocated by the board Of education two
years ago. the plan Of buying an extra
half block Of ground and Of building
a twenty room central grade school.
The board, he averred, was trying to
look into the future