Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-05
PASSING THE KEYS.
The New School House In the Fourth Ward
Dedicated with Interesting Exercises-An
Excellent Address by Hon. C. ii. L,enau-
School to be Opened To-day.


School to be Opened To-day.
Monroe school house. on Vine street. near
Fort street. lately completed by the builders,
is a six-room building. red brick, corresponding
to Humboldt school building, except that the
Railways run through in both stories. It is
built of red brick and is one of the most beau
tiful of the school houses of the city. It was
dedicated yesterday. preparatory to opening
the school to-day. with interesting exercises,
consisting Of singing lin which Professor Priem
assisted at the organ) and the addresses men,
toned below. The exercises were attended by
members of the board of education, teachers,
residents Of that section of the CITY, few friends
of; education from other parts of the city,
and a largs number of the children who will be
enrolled to-day.
Ladies and gentlemen who formed a ohsir
for the occasion sung "When the Light of
Memory" aud Dreaming On" and DR. e. J.
Abbott, chairman of the committee on proper
ty of the board of education, began the cere-
mony of passing the keys, prefacing the act
with description of the building and state
ment ss to the inability Of the board to pro-
vide for the fast increasing need of school
room. He congratulated the city and the par
ents and children of that part Of the city
upon having SO fine school building, there
and then presented tho keys of the binding to
hon. @. 81. Lienau, president of the board of
education, who addressed the assemblage as
follows:
PRESIDENT LINEAU's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: The re-
ception Of these keys marks the transfer of this
building from the hands OF the architect to the
hands of the educator. The builders work is done
and say well done. In saying this, think I ex
board OF education. The committee on property,
and especially its efficient and painstakng chairman,
DR. Abbott, under whose supervision this structure
planned, erected and completed, Is entitled to
the thanks of the board and the public.
When. on satur day last, drove up to the building
for the drst time after its completion, my mind re-
verted back to the time when first arrived in the
city st Paul, to the year 1857. The neighbor-
houd, where this magnif sent building now stands,
then almost q wilderness. The few school
buildings then In the city were of such character
the average parent OF to-day would refuse to send
his or her children to. How different to-day! I!
Nothing marks the progress Of city more clearly
than the quality Of its school houses. The ntelli
gence of q people can be rightly judged by the
school facilities they offer. beautiful school
house in a strange city. surrounded by tsstily ar
ranged grounds and furnished in the style this
building s, tells you at that the inhabitants of
the place are an intelligent people.
Any one who knows what influence the surround
ings have on the young and owing mind will admit
that to furnish the rising generation with beautiful
school houses, surrounded by nicely arranged
grounds, with well lighted, clean school rooms,
means to furnish them part of their education for
which no teacher is needed. child that has attend
ed school for number of years In building and
rooms like thess will not in after years consent to
live in a dark and unclean howell but will strive to
make his surroundings cheerful and pleasant, to
have home where vice and chronic dissatisfaction
are strangers.
am glad to be able to say that the board of edu-
cation of St Paul realizes the importance of these
facts and will do all in its power to advance the
Of education III this respect we'll In every other
if-yes, If the mesns are furnished them. Taxpay-
ers should bear in mind that the more schools aud
the better the schools the less prison cells the all
or the police force necessary to keep the evil doers
in check, and the less expenses and taxes.
st. Paul needs many more schools her 30 rapid y
increasing population demands more school facili.
building. If our people desire that those who value
education higher than money should settle among
us; If they desire that the Door man should have
chance to give his child education good as that
the rich will obtain for his child by sending it
abroad if they do not desire to the capital city
OF the State bear the dsgrsoe Of having tho poorost
high shool, rather high school at all, they
should to It that the means to build such in
stituton forthcoming at once.
fact has struck me often when visiting the
schools of the city, to which should like to refer
at this time. It is the wonderful capacity of the
public schoo to mould the fferent nauonalitIes
into one great nation. You might call the schools
the great national moulding vessels. In this school
you will find tomorrow children of American Eng
Ilsh, Irish, German, Bohemian, Swedish. Norwegian,
French, Polish sud other parentage, many Of the
atternot even understanding word Of the language
q
years, and il will be difficult for you select the
children of the different nationalite in everything,
except perhaps 10 the Dames, they are fully Ameri
caniZed, and with the instruction they receive or
sho I'D receive in the PRINCIPLES Of free government
they will, after leaving school, go forth into the
world good and liberty loving citizens If they
were the descendants OF these who landed at Ply
mouth Rock. The public schools are the great
equahz-rs, and this important fact should NOT be
overlooked.
In dedicang this bui ding to the use was erect
fnr yrn fO niv n hu uxuhia
may be distinguished from the many other buildings
of similar character. 1t has been customary to
name the school houses after distinguished Presi-
dents not now living. We have Washington, q
Lincoln, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin and
Adams school. The board of education has selected
for this school the name of President who is dear
to the memory of every American cit zen, who was
not only scholar himself but had also the cause of
education at heart, the name Of Monroe. Teachers
and pupils 1 enjoIn to honor this name by making
the school worthy Of It.
have said before, 1.-THE builders work Is done;"
will now ada: The teachers work commences
your work, Mr.. Superintendent, aud that of your
sistants and to You now turn the Keys of the
building By doing 80 commit in great measure
to you and your assistants the formation of the NOR
ais the discipline of the intellect and care for the
health of those who will attend this school. I am
sure could not give the same to better hands
SUPERINTENDENT WRIGHT.
When President Lienau passed the keys to
City Superintendent Wright, the latter was
promptly called upon for aspeech and respond
ed by saying:
He considered this custom of transferring the keys
from the builder to the president of the board aud
thence to himself, and 80 to those In immediate
charge, as exceedingly appropriate. This splendid
structure had supplanted old and unsig ghtly build
ing, in which he commenced his career as teacher
in this city thirteen years ago. 1t will prove an en-.
during memorial of the public school system Of St.
Paul. He was glad that Minnesots had accepted the
dogma the property of the State was chargeable
with the education of its citizens. He referred to
the rate bill system In New York years ago, by which
the schools were supported instead Of which day
we fad Minnesota dedcating two sections in every
township to the cause Of popular education. Yet
there are here people who complain of the enormous
expense of our school system. If judiciously in
Cured school expenses never xtravagant. They
do not ipjure properly. What are corner lots worth
in Mexico or in South American republics? Is not
their poverty because they have there no system of
common education?
In conclusion, the superintendent passed the
keys to
MISS LIZZIE WRIGHT,
principal of the Monroe school, with the re-
mark that be hoped the Monroe doctrine of
this city would be the good training Of chill
dren in all branches of popular education.
Miss Wright in accepting the keys promised
that it would be the aim of herself aud assist
ants to place Monroe school in the front rank.
'The Old Familiar Place. was then sung and
Mr.. GORGE Benz, of the board of education,
called upon
CHARLES z. OTIS, ESQ,
"a &c Il.