Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1920 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. RULING HITS SOME SCHOOLS i Stansbury Decides Children Attending Certain Private Institutions May Be Classed as Truants—Studies j Must Be of Wider Range. Indianapolis, Feb. 13.—Ele Stansbury. attorney general, in an opinion submitted to L. N. Hines, state superintendent of public instruction, held Jn substance that all private and parochial schools in Indiana must have a course of study “substantially equivalent” to the course prescribed for the public schools. Attendance of children between the ages of seven anti sixteen years at a school having a lower standard than the public schools will not be a compliance with the Indiana compulsory education law, the attorney general held. In asking for the opinion, Mr. Hines said: “A certain private school, supported either by private op church funds or both, is in session from 9 a. in. to 3 p. in., during five days of the week. The subjects taught in the school are: Bible and catechism, arithmetic, reading, spelling ami writing. These subjects are taught in the English language. The subjects of history, geography, physiology, grammar, agriculture, .domestic science, included in the prescribed state course of study for the elementary schools, are not taught. “Dol pupils between the ages of seven and sixteen, attending this school meet the requrements of the ■compulsory school-attendance law of Indiana?” The conclusion reached by Mr. Stansbury after a review of the laws bearing on the subject, is as follows: “from an examination of the authorities herein above cited and the compulsory education statute, it is my opinion that pupils do not comply with such statute by attending a private or parochial school wherein is taught only arithemtic, reading, spelling, writing and the Bible and catechism and wherein history, geography;, physiology, grammar, agriculture and domestic science are not taught. “It is my opinion that attendance at a school having a course of study substantially equivalent to the course prescribed for the public schools, will alone be a compliance with the Indiana compulsory education law.”

News of Sister’s Death Fatal. Lafayette, Feb. 13—-Misses Clara and Laura Honer, daughters of Mrs. Catherine Honer of this city, were stricken last week wth pneumonia. Laura succumbed to the, disease Sunday night, but Clara Honer showed signs of improvement and was believed to be on the road to recovery. The fact that her sister had died was not revealed to her, Wednesday when (she looked from her bedroom window and saw a florist’s wagon stop in front of the house and a man carry In several boxes of flowers, she realized her sister had died.. She became excited,

hemn to cry nn<l ruptured a Mood vea gel In her lungs, canning a hemorrhage. She died hi 30 minutes. A double funeral will be held for the two sisters, who are thirty-four and thirty-fire years old.

Says Miners Are Slackers. • Indianapolis, Feb. 18.—The statement sent ou from the bituminous coal operators’ headquarters in Washington. D. C., *to the effect that “absenteeism” has been shown to be prevalent among the mine workers is emphatically denied at the headquarters of the United Mine Workers of America here. The assertion that there have been many “slackers” among the bituminous miners during the past two years is pronounced by Ellis Searles, editor of the Mine Workers’ Journal, to be uhfouqded. Tomato Interests Meet. Indianapolis, Feb. 13. —A committee of tomato growers representing the Indiana Federation of Farmers’ Associations held an all-day conference with a committee representing the Indiana Canners' association for the purpose of arriving at an understanding of the cost of production and cost of operating plants. By checking up on these costs it was hoped that an agreement relative to the price to be paid for tomatoes this season might be agreed upon. Taggart Not a Candidate. Indianapolis, Feb. 13. —Thomas Taggart, whom many Democrats are urging to accept the nomination for United States senator, has “in no way changed” his mind, according to a letter sent to an Indianapolis newspaper man. Mr. Taggart declares that he has repeatedly stated that he would not become a candidate for the office and reiterates his determination not to accept the nomination. W. H. Whittaker Is Dead. Indianapolis, Feb. 13.—William H. Whittaker, fifty-nine years old, nationally known as an authority on prison management and superintendent of the Indiana state reformatory at Jeffersonville during the administration of Governor Durbin, died at his home, 2540 Broadway. Death was due directly to pneumonia, which followed a period of enfeebled health extending over some months.