100 years ago
MAY 1, 1903 — A remarkable wave of weather struck this county Wednesday night. It had rained nearly all of Tuesday night and Wednesday, several inches of rain falling. Wednesday afternoon the wind shifted to the north, and the thermometer dropped to twenty-eight degrees, or four degrees below freezing. A mantle of snow covered the earth yesterday morning, ice was formed, and there is much speculation as to the damage done to fruit, gardens and field crops. It may be that we have forgotten, but it seems to us that there has been no such storm, this late in the season, during the thirty years we have lived here. Since writing the above, Mr. I.E. Myers, Marion's official meteorologist, hands us the following record of "cold snaps," which is interesting:
May 20, 1894, 29 degrees
April 2, 1895, 29 degrees
April 1, 1896, 26 degrees
April 5, 1898, 25 degrees
April 15, 1899, 27 degrees
April 30, 1903, 29 degrees
May 1, 1903, 25 degrees
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Frank Kieferle is having a large porch built to his residence on the hill.
Superintendent's Notes
Section 1 of the new truant law provides that all children between the ages of 8 and 15 years, inclusive, shall be sent to some school taught by a competent teacher for such period as said school is in session. Children over 14 who are able to read and write English and who are necessarily employed for their own support or for the support of those dependent upon them shall not be required to attend more than eight consecutive weeks in any one year. Graduates from rural school or 8th grade in city schools are exempt from these provisions. Children mentally or physically incapacitated are also exempt. But school officials are required to have those claiming physical or mental exemption examined by competent physicians employed by the authorities for that purpose.
Section 2 provides for the appointment of not more than five truant officers by the County Commissioners whose duty shall be to see that all the provisions of the act are complied with and provides for a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $25 for any parent, guardian or other person having control of such child who shall be found guilty of violating this law.
Section 3 provides that in case a pupil becomes an habitual truant or becomes a menace to the best interest of the school it shall then be the duty of the truant officer to report such facts to the parent or guardian and he shall be held liable for the regular attendance and good conduct of the child or if such parent or guardian shall state in writing to said truant officer that said pupil is beyond the control of said parent or guardian, then the truant officer shall proceed against such pupil as against juvenile disorderly people.
Section 4 provides for the pay of truant officers at the rate of $2 per day for time actually employed, their report being approved by the County Superintendent.
Section 5 provides that officers shall make all reports required and that teachers before receiving salary for any month shall report to County Superintendent the names and addresses of pupils who have been habitually truant during the previous month, with reasons for same if known.
Section 6 provides that those having control of children shall swear or affirm to their place and date of birth.
The law now requires Kansas History to be taught in all schools and that the legal term shall hereafter be at least five months each year.
The right to vote on the sex of the teacher for the coming term has been taken from the annual meeting which hereafter will be held the third Thursday in June instead of July, as heretofore.
The inhabitants of a school district adjacent to a graded school may vote to disorganize and have their district attached to said graded school.
House bill 402 states conditions under which school house site may be changed. Some other provisions relative to certificates for teachers will appear in my next notes.
J.M. KNOWLES
County Superintendent
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Realizing that there are in nearly every home articles of clothing, hats and shoes that for various reasons are not used, and that owners would be glad to place them where they would do good, arrangements have been made to receive them at the Rest Room and to forward them to needy missions, orphan homes, etc. Don't hesitate sending things suitable for carpet rags and quilt pieces so they can be sold here to pay freight on the rest.
Mr. W.H. Carpenter is putting in cement walks in front of his handsome new residence.
The handsome white bronze monument over the grave of Dr. and Mrs. Bouse in Highland cemetery has been used as a target by some miscreants whose identity, when established, should subject them to the full penalty of the law. Four bullet indentures have been made in the monument, disfiguring it considerably. It seems incredible that any one in a civilized community would do a thing like that.
A Hutchinson firm is manufacturing the Coble Hay Stacker, and it will be put on the market this season. It is a great machine and we hope will make its inventor rich.
While Mr. Abe Smith and wife were out riding Monday afternoon, their team became frightened and ran away finally breaking the buggy tongue and throwing Mr. Smith violently to the ground, bruising him up so badly that he had to hobble around town on crutches His wife was unhurt.
Walter Sharp, the boss stone arch bridge builder of Kansas, has recently contracted to erect a stone arch bridge in the city of Raton, New Mexico.
A traveling man, who visited Marion for the first time last week, strolled around town for a while, looked at the two rivers which ran through the town, saw the stately trees, now donning their foliage, which adorn the town, went on "the hill" and got a birds eye view of the town nestling in a bower of beauty, rambled through the natural Park right in the heart of our little city, drank from the spring in the Park, and then came into this office and said "This is the prettiest town in Kansas." That's the verdict of strangers. And the more we travel over the State the more we think it is true.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
