THE SCHOOL LAW

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 22, 1896.

THE SCHOOL LAW.

Important Changes Made by the Recent Law Signed by the [New York State] Governor.

   The Nixon bill recently signed by Governor Morton makes decided changes in the school law.

   This law takes effect 30 days from the 16th of April. After this takes effect no person can be admitted to the teaching force who is not 18 years of age. The age limit for pupils has been changed from 21 to 18. You have a right to exclude pupils who are 21, but they can be permitted to come.

   In any county having less than a million population the school board has a right to organize a free kindergarten. No legal school on Saturdays or legal holidays. Public money is not appropriated on the average, but on aggregate attendance. For finding the attendance of institute week put down the last week's attendance or that week.

   One trustee has the same authority as a school board. A trustee has a right to hire a teacher for a term of school beginning after his term expires.

   A new code of laws will be furnished each school and should be carefully preserved. Each school must be taught 100 days between October 1 and June 1. All pupils between 8 and 12 years of age are required to attend school 160 days, from 12 to 14 must attend 80 consecutive days, providing they have regular employment; from 14 to 16 they may be excused entirely from school, but must have a written certificate that they have regular employment.

   The town board has a right to put in an attendance officer, but he must not be a penal officer. One half the public money is lost by not having a flag. It is not necessary to raise the money for a flag by vote of district. The new holiday is Lincoln's birthday; plan to celebrate that day. Arbor day is not a holiday. It is the duty of a trustee to hire a janitor; this is a mandatory law. The law in relation in regard [sic] to trustee and teacher has not been changed; trustee cannot hire a teacher that is related to him by blood or marriage.

John Marshall Harlan.

MUST HAVE SEPARATE CARS.

U. S. Supreme Court Affirms the Louisiana Racial Law.

   WASHINGTON, May 18.—The Supreme Court to-day, in an opinion read by Justice Brown, sustained the constitutionality of the law of Louisiana, requiring the railroads of the state to provide separate cars for white and colored passengers. There was no Inter-State commerce feature in the case, the East Louisiana is operated wholly within the state. The opinion states that by analogy to the laws of Congress and of many of the states, requiring the establishment of separate schools for children of the two races, and other similar laws, the statute in question was within the competency of the Louisiana Legislature, exercising the police power of the state. The judgment of the Supreme Court of the state, upholding the law, was therefore affirmed.

   Justice Harlan announced a very vigorous dissent, saying he saw nothing but mischief in all such laws. In his view of the case, no power in the land had the right to regulate the enjoyment of civil rights upon the basis of race. It would be just as reasonable and proper for states to pass laws requiring separate cars to be furnished for Catholics and Protestants, or for descendants of those of the Teutonic race and those of the Latin race.

MOUSE DOWN HER THROAT.

Mrs. Monahan Slept With Open Mouth and the Little Rodent Jumped In.

   SUSQUEHANNA, Pa., May 17.—Mrs. Martin Monahan of Pine street, Scranton, ejected from her stomach a few days ago the body of a mouse, which had been causing her pain during three weeks. One night about three weeks ago Mrs. Monahan, who is a large woman, and the mother of a large family, woke from her sleep with a choking sensation, and before coming to full consciousness felt herself swallowing some large obstacle.

   She was greatly alarmed. She recollected that when beginning to awake something touched her face and caused her to half unconsciously make a pass with her hand to brush it off. She was fully awakened by the choking sensation and subsequent gulping, which relieved it.

   Mrs. Monahan supposes that she was breathing with mouth open at the time of her odd experience, and that the mouse, startled by her attempt to brush him away, jumped into the nearest aperture which, unfortunately, was her mouth.

BURNED TO DEATH.

A Woman in McDonough Burned to Death in a Horrible Manner While

Starting a Fire in a Stove.

   Mrs. Doing was burned to death at her home about one mile north of McDonough village yesterday morning.

   Mrs. Doing, who lives alone, arose as usual at about 6:30 yesterday morning and prepared to start a fire in the kitchen stove, which she did, and noticing that the blaze had somewhat subsided she went out in the yard to get some wood chips to replenish the same. Mrs. Doing did the same as is customary with most women, and got her apron full of chips.

   In putting the chips in the stove her apron and dress caught fire. She ran out doors, then into the house where she tried to smother the flames with bed quilts, but all to no avail.

   All her clothes burned up in spite of all she could do, and at this time being horribly burned as she was, she rushed out into the yard where she remained until help came, which was about fifteen minutes.

   Finally Addison Saufelt, a farmer living near by, hearing her screams, came to her rescue. Saufelt carried the screaming woman into the house and at once sent for a doctor. She died before eleven o'clock yesterday morning and remained conscious until the last. What she suffered while gradually burning to death, being alone most of the time, can never be described.

   Mrs. Doing was a widow and fifty years of age. Her husband died less than a year ago, from which time she has lived alone on the farm up to the time of her death yesterday.—Norwich Sun, May 12.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.— It is understood that Alonzo Kiney, proprietor of the American Hotel, Norwich, has closed his bar and hereafter will run the hotel on the temperance plan.

   The Norwich Driving Park Association are to hold three days' races, July 2d, 3d, 4th, and $1,200 is to be given purses. The [trotting] classes are as follows: 2:50, 2:40, 2:35, 2:30, 2:27, and free for all.

   There were 100,000 pike fry received last week by our local fishermen, part of which were placed in the Chenango river and the rest in Round pond. Smithville Flats also received 75,000.

   MADISON.—Preparations are being made for celebrating Independence Day at DeRuyter.

   Thirteen nets were confiscated from the waters of Oneida creek and Oneida lake, during the past week by Game Protector Hawn.

   TOMPKINS.—The Brookton skunk farm is having a success.

   Cornell University expects to graduate a class of four hundred this year.

   The Dudgeon property, adjoining the Ithaca High school, has been purchased with a view to using the land to build an annex to the school building.

   Last Saturday dogs killed fourteen valuable sheep belonging to F. C. Cornell of Ithaca, and one sheep in trying to escape fell over a cliff of Fall Creek ravine landing on a ledge midway between the brink and creek bed. The Journal says this sheep was saved by Mr. Cornell's son, who with a rope around his body, was lowered down the bank. A second rope was fastened around the helpless animal and both it and its rescuer were pulled up to the top of the cliff. Mr. Cornell said that when his son reached the place where the sheep had fallen it sprang into his arms as though it realized help had come; and it was some time before the young man could disengage himself from the frightened animal, so frantically did it struggle to keep close to him.

Cortland Hospital.

North Main-st., Cortland, N. Y.

   The hospital is in charge of a competent trained nurse and is prepared to receive patients upon the following terms: Private rooms from $7 to $10 per week. Ward beds, including medical and surgical attendance, $5 per week. Patients of limited means are charged according to their ability to pay.

   Extras, special nursing, surgical dressings, personal laundry and stimulants.

   Accident cases may be taken immediately to the hospital. Contagious or infectious cases are not received. Application for admission may be made to any member of the executive committee or to the matron of the hospital.

   Mrs. M. E. Doud, 21 Tompkins-st.

   Mrs. J. E. Hyatt, 182 South Main-st.

   Mrs. W. H. Clark, 31 Prospect-st.

   Mrs. W. H. Crane, Homer.

   Mrs. A. P. McGraw, McGrawville.

   (1tf) Executive Committee.

HERE AND THERE.

   Sunday fishing is not one of the lost arts in this vicinity.

   Mahan's music festival opens June 1st, and lasts five days.

   The Normals play the Truxtons at the latter place to-morrow.

   Read Mahan's festival advertisement to be found in another column.

   The annual reunion of the 185th Regt. will be held in McGrawville June 25.

   The medicine show attracts large numbers of youngsters to its vicinity every evening.

   Dan Kernan gives a May party at his hotel to-night. McDermotts orchestra. Full bill, $1.

   The Cortland cycle meet will he held on the fair grounds in this place on Wednesday, May 27.

   The Ithaca High school beat the Normals on the fair grounds last Saturday.

Score 14 to 13.

   Melvin S. Wright has been appointed special policeman for June 5th, when a circus is to exhibit in this place.

   Trains from the east were delayed a few hours last Friday on the Lehigh Valley road. A broken axle derailed several cars.

   W. H. Hall, proprietor of the hotel in Virgil, gives a Memorial party at his house on Friday evening, May 29. Be sure and take it in.

   Lovers of dancing will remember the party to be given at the Lake House in Little York on Friday evening. May 29. Good music in attendance.

   Excelsior Hook & Ladder company will have a grand picnic and dance at the [Traction Co.] park on the afternoon and evening of May 30. The City band will furnish music.

   The Cortland Standard has put on a new dress of brevier type and its columns are greatly improved. The paper now presents a very neat and tidy appearance.

   At a meeting of the board of trustees held last Monday evening Sidney N.

Gooding was appointed a member of the police force. He began his duties Tuesday evening. Officer Jas. Smith was appointed to the night force.

   While riding a bicycle on Main-st. last Friday, conductor Dresser was hit by a 200 pound chunk of ice that slipped off from the Little York Ice company's wagon as he passed it. He was thrown to the pavement and somewhat bruised.

   It is probable that the Barnes [bicycle] racing team with trainer Strowbridge will leave their training quarters this week. They may be in Syracuse next Sunday on their way to enter the Eastern circuit and if so we shall have a call from "Ham." [Nickname for Mr. Strowbridge among newspapermen--CC editor.]

   A very successful operation in removing a tumor was performed last Monday by Dr. F. I. Ramous of New York city, who is now in Locke, assisted by Dr. L. A. Strowbridge at the home of the latter. The patient, Mrs. Minnie Merchant of Groton, is now doing nicely.

   Messrs. R. Bruce Smith of Cortland, Lyman H. Heberd of Homer and Peter D. Muller of Truxton, who were appointed commissioners to determine the need of a new highway at East Scott and ascertain the damages to be paid to those who contribute land for the purpose have awarded the following sums: Byron H. Bierce, $322; Mrs. Jennie S. Taylor, $343; John Gillette; $110 and Nathan Salisbury $25.

Li Hung Chang.

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Binghamton Odd Fellows are to erect a $25,000 temple.

   Moravia has 1,476 inhabitants—fourteen less than last year.

   The citizens of Fulton last week voted for a $60,000 sewer system.

   Oneida county farmers are plowing up their hop yards. Hops are selling at 5c. a pound.

   Brother Kenyon of the Register says Moravia is a dry town, No [Raines excise tax] licenses there this year.

   Cayuga lake, it is said, contains sixty kinds of fish.

   John McPhee pulled the largest trout of the season from Owasco lake last week Tuesday. It weighed nearly nine pounds.

   Twenty five licenses have been taken out in Seneca Falls under the Raines law. The total revenue from them will be $6,700.

   Port Byron has four licensed hotels, one saloon and three store-keepers. Pretty well supplied for a village of less than 1,200 inhabitants.

   Li Hung Chang is going to visit the United States, after all. He will travel through this country on his way home from the Czar's coronation.

   The bill which the National Horseshoers' Protective association has been striving to have made a law in this State has been signed by Governor Morton. The bill requires a four years apprenticeship to become a master horseshoer.

   A receiver was appointed for the New York Times, May 1. The stockholders differed as to the paper's financial policy. The paper is issued regularly by the receivers, and the reader would hardly know that anything unusual had happened.