Scarlet Fever, Schools, and a Turf War Between Two Boards

Developments in the relations of the boards of health and education yesterday show plainly that the existing differences will be settled in the civil courts. Charges of resisting an officer in the discharge of his duty were dismissed in the municipal court against Principals W. D. Grant, of the Rainier school, and C. A. Taylor, of the South school. It might be said more properly that the city refused to file charges after the arrests had been made.

Corporation Counsel Scott represented the city and W. H. White the two principals. The former said that the difference between the two boards could not be settled by a prosecution of the principals of the schools; the matter should be adjusted by civil proceedings. If it could be shown that the schools were not responsible for the spread of scarlet fever, he would withdraw from his position.

Mr. White entered a protest and said that if the school board had thought there was an epidemic of scarlet fever it would have closed the schools. He then gave the board of health a hard knock by declaring that the spread of scarlet fever was due to the inefficient quarantine of infected households.

After the proceedings at the court the board of health met in special session and adopted as the general rules and regulations of the department in scarlet fever and diphtheria cases the rules set forth in the circular printed in the Post-Intelligencer of January 19, 1896. A resolution was adopted asking the city council to pass an ordinance giving the board of health power, when in its opinion any contagious or infectious disease is prevalent to such an extent that the public health is or may be endangered, to close any building, public or private school or schools for such a period of time as it shall deem proper.

Five new cases of scarlet fever were reported yesterday. One was an unreported case in the First ward and another was that of a Mercer school teacher.