Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-12-15

arranged at the reopening OF the
schools two weeks ago.
Saturday morning he notified the
seven teachers of the white schools
who live elsewhere that they might 20
to their homes at once and remain
there until he telegraphed them to
return.
Arthur Rylander, who is a member
OF the board of education, declared
himself in no uncertain terms as be-
ing of the opinion that the action of
the board in closing the schools and
not the pool rooms was at least most
inconsistent.
Il am very loathe to see the whole
schools closed" he said. "Disorgan-
iZing the schools is like disorganizing
an army-it is hard to get back to-
gtther and organized again However,
because of the recent Reorganization
If the schools, owing to so many being
kept out, we will not lose anything by
closing until after the holidays. Of
course, the board does not pass on
health matters, but it certainly is in
consistent to close the schools, where
we have the most modern sanitation
and ventilation and take every pre-
caution to protect the children's
health"
Albert j. Harris, who is a member
OF the board, stated that in his opin
for the board of health got the cart
before the horse" in closing the
schools before everything else was
closed first However, he expressed
himself as DESTROYS of following the
advice of the health authorities, and
approved the closing.
George R. Ellis, another member of
the school board, expressed himself on
the closing order as follows:
1.-THE epidemic shows some signs of
increasing, and the board Of education
could not afford to keep the schools
open, even were it within it's power.
and as a result hazard the life of any
child or any one else by having the
disease communicated to them through
the child. But to be consistent, it
would seem that all public gatherings
should be prevented or put under
strict regulations, and that proper reg
ulations should be made as to crowd
ing in stores, this statement being
made upon the principle that the
I health of the people is more import
ant than temporary business sam"
| ". W. Dykes, also a membes of the
board of education, approved or the
closing order because of rhe danger
to the health of the children "WhIn
SctC Of is in session the children and
teachers are under more or less com
pulsion to attend he said and when
one child has it all are in hanger of
taking it. Several men have told me
within the last few days that their
Ct Ildren are now sick with influenza.
without doubt contracted at school,
DR.. George F. Brown, pastor Of the
Central Baptist church, last night ar-
! thCrized the following stateRe = voic-
/ ing protest against any restriet'crs
uron the church activities
Il have been, and am still in per-
! feet sympathy with the efforts of the
health board to stamp out y cpl
demic of flu among us The criticism
| have to offer is not that tl:eY nave
exercised too much, but rather too lit
tie authority They have closed some
things and allowed Others to remain
open.
ITO me, the two most vital institu-
tions in any community are the church
and the school. Personally ] am :iot
in position to say what the chances
of spreading the epidemic are IN tie
schools, but l do not believe that there
is sufficient reason for closing the
churches. This may be true in the
case of children, but what reason is
there for saying that the chGrches
shall be open in the morning AMI not
at night?
Recently the churches of Americas
have been closed for seven weeks. In
the opinion of the writer if every
other kind of gathering in our city
had been prohibited as were the
Sc hools and churches we would not
|