The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-28
ST. CLOUD NORMAL SCHOOL.
Legislative Examination of the Charge Of
Sectarianism.

tCC dppOluCcutl tlldU pun pOScs L lldC
committee has recently completed it's
examination and made the following
report thereof to- the governor:
To His Excellency, Gov. John s. Pillsbury:
The joint committee appointed by the legis
lature to investigate the charges of sectarian-
ian preferred against the management of the
Third State Normal school at St. Cloud,
Mimi, beg leave to report that on the 22d and
23d days of March, A. D. 1881, they inquired
into the subject matter submitted to them for
Investigation, and on such inquiry find the
facts to be as follows:
w. B. Mitchell of St. Cloud is the resident
director OF the school, and Prof. D. H. Kiehle
is the superintendent, he having taken charge
of the school in September, 1875, at
which time the faculty consisted of himself
and six teachers. Prof. Kiehle was ordained
minister in the Presbyterian church in 1865,
and devoted himself to pastoral labor for four
years thereafter, and afterward until his APP
pointment to his present position, a space of
about six years, was county superintendent of
public schools in Fillmore county, in this
State. -..s.rt .....-...s Z i
At the time Prof. Kiehle first took charge of
SobcAoeSSS
and five teachers, viz: Messrs. Gray and
Bickford, and Misses McComber, Gunderson
and Murray or this number Prof. Kiehle and
Miss Murray were Presbyterans, Mr.. Gray
and Miss McComber were Methodists, and the
Others not members of any church.
From that time until the present the follow
ing changes IN the constituent members of the
faculty have Occurrcd-that is to say, Mr.
BckfOrd has been followed by Mr.. Gales, a
Baptist, and he by Mr.. Hyde, the incumbent;
Miss McCumber was followed by Miss Stewart,
and she by Miss Lawrence, a Baptist and
incumbent; Miss Gunderson has retired, and
her place has been taken by Miss Higgins,
Presbyterian; and Miss Murray has been sue
ceeded by the following persons, in the order
named: Miss King, a Methodist; Mr.. Childs, a
Presbyterian, and Miss Truman, incumbent.
and Miss Guernsey, q Methodist, an additional
teacher employed in 1876, has been succeeded
by Miss Warner, incumbent and Presbyterian;
and the following members of the faculty have
Joined the Presbyterian church by letter from
other churches during Prof. Kieble's admins.
tratiOn OF the school, viz: Mr.. Gray and Mr..
Hyde.
The present faculty consists of Prof. Kiehle,
Messrs. Gray and Hyde, and Misses Hig-
gins, Truman, Lawrence and Warner of whom
the first five are Presbyterians, Miss Truman
a Baptist, and Miss Warner q Congregation
alist
Messrs. Gray and Hyde joined the Presby-
terrain church in 1879 by letter, the former
from the Methodist church, and the latter by
letter from the Congregational church. Miss
Truman joined on profession of faith.
At the time of Prof Kiehle's appointment
and since, there has been no exercises of a re-
ligious character, other than what is called the
"mOrnng exercises which consists in the
singing of hymn, reading of passage of
scripture from the bible, ard prayer, usually
the Lords prayer, supplemented occasionally
by an admonition to the pupils,
touching their relation to God
and their fellow men, and their duty to
attend divine service in accordance with the
wishes of their parents, or their own inclina-
ton, leaving them, however, perfect liberty of
thought and action in that regard sse..,s.
Besides the school building, the school
property includes an adjacent building known
as the Home presided over by a matron,
where lady teachers and girls attending the
school are boarded. From some time since
about the middle of last school year until
about last January, has been held at this
Home, in the parlor, on Sunday afternoons,
prayer meetings to which the female teachers
were Unfortunately welcomed. These
proved by Prof. Kiehl, but not organized,
directed or attended by him. No one was re-
quired to attend these meetings, although the
interference with the free use of the parlor by
occupants of the "Home," who were non
attendants, was subject of complaint to the
ALoVAoh W wv SatuOllC SIIlo In the
"Home, and who have since, for other rea
sons. left the school. These complaints were
not.communicated to Prof. Kiehle until some
time In january last, when the prayer meet
ings were discontinued. Prior to these pray
er meetings, similar meetings for singing had
ings were wholly voluntary. The morning
exercise heretofore spoken of, has never been
objected to by any teacher or pupil, although
it is expected that all will attend, following as
it does, Immediately after roll call.
Wednesday meetings of female teachers and
pupils for missionary purposes ,sO-called, have
been held in the parlor of the "Home," at
which members would read for mutual in
struction, some collection of facts touching the
history, work and status of different religious
denominations. These meetings have not been
the subject of complaint, except as an occa-
siona! interference with the domestic labors of
the "HOme," and free use of the room in
viii CHI they have been held.
The male students and professors of the
school have organized a Young Mems Chris
tlan Association, which has held its meetings
IN the chapel Of the Presbyterian church from
considerations of convenience.
The various accessions to the Presbyterian
church from the faculty or pupils of the
school, of members of other churches, are
shown to have been without any solicitation
or influence of Prof Kehle, or Director Nit
chell.
The Presbyterian church has been open and
under the leadership OF an active pastor dur
ing the whole of the period involved in our in
quiry, while the Methodist, Congreg ational
and Baptist churches have been closed very
considerable portion of the time. Prof. Kiehle
has preached for the different congregations
affected by loss of membership through ac-
cessions to the Presbyterian church, about as
often as he has OBLIGATED in the latter church.
AT no time has lie undertaken the duties of a
pastor of all the churches affected by change
of membership. The Presbyterian church has
been foremost in numerical strength and con-
tinuous, systematic UNCONVENTIONAL labor.
Considering the tendency to an
assimilation of thought and action
necessarily resulting from close personal re-
lationship, and the inequality of the various
UNCONVENTIONAL influences and consequently
social ties affecting the nonresident teachers
and pupils of this school, it il
not difficult to understand that the
various changes in church fellowship
made or contemplated by teachers, pupils and
attaches, including the matron, resulted from
the social and religious environment in which
the individuals were placed, rather than the
improper solicitations of anyone.
No instance is disclosed by the testimony
70 cbo %bof