Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1903 — School House Trouble at Brook. [ARTICLE]

School House Trouble at Brook.

The neighboring town of Brook is badly wrought up over troubles incident to the building of a new school hpuse. They had a big brick school building only a few years old, but it was so rottenly constructed that it was condemned and torn down, last spring, to prevent its falling down itself. Opinions differed as to building a new one right away, and after one was contracted for and under way, opinions differed still more over the way -it was being built, over the material and its cost, who it was bought of, and other matters; until now the town is practically divided into two hostile camps, with the different business houses ranged on one side or the other. As one. result of the trouble Newton county grand jury at their sessions last week, made presentments against Ed Zook and

John Fox, two membera of the Brook school board, demanding their removal from the board. It, seems that Zook has been selling the brick4hat are going into the walls of the new building, and that Fox has been doing the <&rpenter work. Whereas there is an explicit law prohibiting all such officials from selling material or labor to themselves as officials. There are penalties provided for such actions on the part of officials but it is understood that all that is sought in this case is remova fro m office. *