St. Paul daily globe., 1884-08-31
OUR YOUNG IDEAS.
Planning How to Make Them Sing as
Well as Shoot.
German and Music Make Rather Interest
ing Meeting of the Board of Edu-
cation.

The board Of education met in special session
last night, with Inspectors Murphy, Minor,
Willis, Giesen, Officer, Gilbert, Athey and Ber-
landi present. and President Schitfmann In the
chair.
After the meeting had been called to order the
president stated that the object was TO near the
reports of committees and to transact general
business. The superintendent offered his re-
port, stating that at the meeting OF the city
educational interests last week nearly all the
one hundred and seventy-one teachers or the
force were present. There are now, he said
forty -four teachers on the list, that Is, that
number not having been in service last year.
Thirteen of the teachers who had dropped
from the force had done so for matrimonial
reasons.
Mr.. Gilbert, of the committee on real estate
offered report Of the work done by the com
nittee, stating that while, from the magnitude OF
he task, it was not possible to have had 1t mn
shed by the present time, much had been done.
Two rooms in the old Neill school were already
finished. A discussion ensued relative to the
fitting of the rooms with seats, Mr.. Gilbert hav-
ing given some idea Of the needs OF the schools
in this respect He stated that there were one
that after selling three or four hundred of those
in the Neill school it was hard to procure just
the kind required. Mr.. Gilbert stated that the
committee had not as yet placed the insurance
on the new buildings, but would do az soon
as possible. Drainage for the Madison school
had been let to Mullen, Knapp s. O'Hara for S125,
and Z. F. Osborne had received the contract for
the heating Of the high school building. The
report was adopted.
Inspector Dreher offered the following resolu-
ton: That the committee purchases and sup
plies be and is authorized to purchase a new
organ for use in the Jefferson school and to make
such disposition OF the old organ now in that
building as may be to the best interests Of the
board. The resolution was adopted after the
word 'piano'' had been substituted for ''organ. -
Inspector Dreher, Of the committee on German
reported as follows
We have the honor to report herewith that we
have filled the vacancy, to do which you have
granted US the time, by the appointment Of Miss
Lena Schurmeier as teacher Of German, at a
salary Of seven hundred dollars per school year,
and ask your approval and confirmation Of our
action We would also report the following as
signment to duty Of teachers under our charge,
viz: Mr. George Rink superintendent OF the
corps of German teachers and as instructor to
Franklin school, Mr.. Auton Jurka teacher to
jefferson and Munroe schools; Mr.. F. Propping,
for the Humboldt and Rice schools Miss Lena
Schurmeer, for the Webster and Neill schools;
Miss Josie Pfaender for the Madison and jack
son schools; Miss Ella Scheffer for Van Buren,
and Lincoln schools, for which assignments we
also ask your approval.
The report was adopted,
Inspector Officer read the report of the COM
mittec schools, as follows:
That Miss Yeaton, teacher of the third grade,
be released from her engagement at her request
that Miss Zahonyi be transferred from the Hum
boldt school to the Franklin school as primary
principal; that Miss Anna Southwark be appoint
ed as teacher in the Garfield school, Miss T. c..
Dougherty in the Humboldt school, Miss Clara
Matthews in the Lincoln school, Miss Isab ella
Bowie in the Franklin school aud Miss Statia
OHalloran in the Oakland school; the said sew
eral teachers to be assigned to such grades as
the superintendent may determine
report Of Superintendent Wright had been
read to the committee, recommending the ap-
pontment of Mrs j. s. Bailey as superintendent
OF music, in the place now occupied by Prof f.
W. Priem. The text is herein given:
To the committee on schools: Believing that
music, as taught in our schools, has not resulted
in making our pupils good readers, good singers
or good hearers Of music, and that musical in
struction, after four years trial, is practically
failure, it seems to me that change in the con.
duct OF this department Is demanded by the best
interests of this branch of study and popular
sentiment on the subject Among all the candi-
dates for the position OF superintendent of music
whose applications on file, am strongly OF
the opinion that all things considered Mrs. j
5. Bailey would be likely to give the best salts
faction to all concerned and l therefore take
pleasure In recommending her for the position
Desiring that my position may be understood by
the public, in justice to myself l ask that thit
statement may be made part OF the report oi
the committee on schools.
This matter brought on long and somewhat
animated discussion, Mr. officer stating poin
blank that he did not believe Prof. PREM capa
bic Of giving such management to teaching o.
music rs he would subserve the best interests o.
the public.
Mr. Gilbert arose to question of privilege,
and stated that he did not think it right to cal
up matter of that kind except in an executive
session.
Mr.. Willis answered Inspector officers argu
ment stating it rs mis- opinion that any failure
attending Prof. Prem's efforts the result
not OF poor teaching, but was caused by the poo
quality of the material instructed.
The matter finally put to vote and the re
port of the committee adopted, while Mr.
Wrights communication, which had appeared al
minority report, was rejected
The rect of the session was devoted to the
discussion OF matters OF minor Importance
among which were the leasing of building fo
the erection OF u new building.