Wulfkuhl v. Galehouse
Wulfkuhl v. Galehouse
Opinion of the Court
Appeal from the district court of Ward county, North Dakota, Honorable K. E. Leighton, Judge.
This appeal is from the order of the court granting an alternative writ of mandamus upon the hearing of the petition for the issuance of such writ. This proceeding was brought to compel the officers of Donnybrook School District No. 24 to establish and maintain a school, and to erect a schoolhouse in the southwest corner of township 150, range 87, Ward county, North Dakota, the lines of the school district in question being coextensive with the township lines.
The petition filed with the school board for the establishment of said school and the building of the school building was signed by six purported residents of such school district, and the names and number of children of school age were set forth in the petition. The petition filed with the school board contains the names of fifteen children of school
There were no specifications of error in this appeal, and this being true, it would seem that this court can review nothing excepting the judgment roll. If we confine ourselves strictly to the judgment roll we must hold that it amply sustains the findings of fact of the trial court and its order made thereon, but even if we consider the testimony as found in the transcript, we think it fully sustains the trial court. Testimony shows that Mr. Bland lived in the district at the time he signed the petition. He had two children of school age, and these with the four Halden and four Wulfkuhl children would be ten children, whereas only nine are required in the petition. The qualifications necessary to sign such petition for establishing a new school and the building of a new schoolhouse are that the petitioner is a resident of the school district and is charged with the support and having the custody and care of a child or children of school age who lives not less than 2-J miles from the nearest school. The petition is sufficient after it is signed by persons having these qualifications at the- time such petition is signed and filed with the school board.
We think there is no question from all that can be ascertained from the judgment roll that the petitioners had shown themselves entitled to the establishment of a school and the building of a school building
The fact that there may be another school building in another school district less than 2£ miles from the residence of the children in question avails nothing. The children in question, by securing permission, might attend a school in another district, but such other district could not be compelled to admit them. See State ex rel. Johnson v. Mostad, 34 N. D. 330, 158 N. W. 349.
The order appealed from is affirmed, with costs.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring specially). Under the rule laid down in State ex rel. Bickford v. Fabrick, 16 N. D. 94, 112 N. W. 74, this court cannot consider the sufficiency of the evidence in this case, but the facts found by the trial court must be accepted as correct. No error appears upon the judgment roll, and the facts found by the tidal court justify the decision which is made. Hence, that decision should be affirmed.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). This is a mandamus proceeding to compel the officers of a township school district to erect a schoolhouse and to establish and maintain a school in the southwest corner of the township. It is brought under Laws of 1911, chap. 166, § 82, Comp. Laws, § 1188. The statute is to the effect that on a certain petition showing that nine or more children of school age resided more than 2-|- miles from the nearest school, the school board shall, within 2-| miles from the residence of the children, lease or construct a schoolhouse, and therein establish and maintain a school with a competent teacher.
When the petition was heard several of the eight or nine children were living in the villages and going to the village schools on the railroads. This they might well do, even if they had a school within a mile of them. The petition is a little defective in that it fails to show the tract of land on which either or any of the children resided. The chances are that by a straight-line measurement they do not reside more than 2-|- miles from the village of Aurelia, and also that the parents of these children would pay but a small part of the expense of constructing and maintaining a special school for them.
Certain it is that on the hearing of such petition the school board must have had some discretion, and in this case it appears they used their discretion wisely. If a schoolhouse had been constructed at an expense of $1,200 and a teacher employed at $600 a year, it is probable the school would not have had more than an average daily attendance of six pupils. Then there is no showing that the school district was in a position to incur and pay an additional expense of $1,800. Mandamus is not a writ of right. -It should issue only when the facts and circumstances make a strong appeal to equity. It issues to compel the performance of an act which the law specifically enjoins as a duty resulting from an office, trust, or station. It does not issue to compel performance of an act which is in any way discretionary, unless in case of a gross and manifest abuse of the discretion. Hence, the writ should be denied and judgment reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- JOSEPH WULFKUHL v. E. GALEHOUSE, P. A. Johnson, and Will Workman, School Board of Donnybrook School District
- Status
- Published