The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-15
A VISIT TO THE NORMAL.
Legislative Committees and Clti-
gems Spend the Forenoon There.
some Speeches.

. The House and Senate Normal school
committees arrived in the city by special
train over the Northwestern at 1000
o'clock Thursdaynight. They were met at
the depot by committee of citizens and
escorted to the Mankato House where
they spent the plight. The party in
Guided Senators Albert Scheffer of Ram
sey, 4. N. Dodge of Dodge, A. X. Fins.
eth of Goodhue, 7. T. Hayden of Vino
ma, 4. M. Pope of Blue Earth, J. s.
Shields of Meeker, A. q. Anderson of
Carver, +. q. Holmes of Becker, L.
Swenson of Hennepin, and the follow
ing Representatives: House-H. B.
Perrin of Blue Earth, M. F. Greedy of
Stearns. r. ]. Farley of Scott, A. T. Sim
clair Of Winona, P. II. Hagney of Dako-
ia, ALI. Davis Of Blue Earth, w. E. Poe
of Goodhue.
Hon. w. S. Pattee, of Mortified,
chairman of the State Normal Board, &C
companied the party.
Friday morning the committeeman, ac-
companied by about score of our prin-
cipal business men, visited the Normal,
arriving in time to listen to the very in
teresting morning exercises. The entire
party was seated upon the stage, COM
pletely filling it, with the faculty. At
ter listening to the exercises, consisting
of music, reading of scriptures, prayer
by Rev. w. Whitney and reading of the
Lords prayer, President Soaring review
ed the r,any reasons why large addi-
ton is necessary to the building and in
creased facilities for doing the work OF
the school required. An hour and a
half was then devoted to visiting the
various recitation rooms and inspecting
the work of Normal department and OF
the pupil teachers in the model depart
ment. To do this the party divided into
small squads and took in a rapid but
comprehensive view Of the intensely
crowded condition of the building and
the real necessity that exists for increas.
ed Accommodations. The members showed
much interest in all that was shown
them and made many inquiries.
At eleven O'Clock having thoroughly
inspected the building, the party, in.
Guiding the citizens who had accompan.
led the members of the Legislature in
their rounds of the building, assembled
in the chapel and INDUCED in little
speech making.
Hon. w. S. Pattee was the first speak.
er. He stated that he was thoroughly
convinced that larger buildings need
ed. 1t should be permitted to broaden
its influence over the whole of south
western Minnesota. He said that if the
bill for the appropriation failed it would
be because of the condition of the State
finances, but he expected to see it pass
and the school made the pride of. the
whole State.
Hon. Daniel Buck, "the father of the
Mankato Normal" was introduced, and
spoke of the present crowded condition
of e-bfiIding. Twenty years ago he
IVES severely criticised because he had
favored building as large as this is,
The pupils come largely from the farm.
ing and laboring classes, and carry home
with them the consolation and pleasure
of cultivated minds and bodies, spread.
Ing their influence throughout the State,
He closed by appealing for an enlarge
ment of the building and its rooms, and
thought that the appropriation would be
secured.
Judge M. j. Severance was the next
speaker, and he appealed strongly for the
more general education of the people.
The people must be educated from one
eud of the country TO ne other, or pas
sion will triumph, destroying national
pride and national existence. Rome
fell for the want of education among her
lower classes, though the leaders were
well educated. Without education, cor.
ruption will step into every avenue OF
social life; and passion will assert its of.
fee again and again unless the public
mind is clarified by education. Rum
blings of discomfort and disorder are
now heard between the plebian and pa
trician classes of this country. The lat
ter is not safe yet, and can only be made
so by the proper education of the public
mind and conscience. There cannot be
too much education, if it is in the right
direction. Political corruption cannot
be met by ducation-morality cannot
be ground out of any machine man ever
made. Impurity of elections has arisen
long before-it is not found at the ballot
box, but before.
The legislature will never have reason
to regret any appropriation for educa-
ton made within the limits of reason or
propriety. We do not ask what is un-
reasonable-only enough to allow this
institution to exercise its powers rightly
and freely. He felt confident that the
committee would go back and do what
is just.
Mankato feels proud of this institu-
ton, not because of merely local preju-
dice, but because it is successful, and is
making its way up to the very highest
educational success in the country. 1t
furnishes the means of education in all
directions around us.
Senator Swenson stated that he was
glad that the Scandinavians were 30 well
represented in the school and took such
an interest in education.
Representative Farlcy was called upon
but asked to be excused.
Senator Scheffer was the last speaker.
He opened by begging pardon for any
reputation he had, based on newspaper
reports. This was his first visit to Nor
NAL schools, but he had never been
prejudiced against them. He thought
that all our citizens needed to do was to
bring members of the legislature to visit
this school and its needs would be 80
pressing that they would vote whatever
was asked. 1t was grand institution,
and every right minded man would sup
port it in the legislature. He was will
ing to pay his share, and vote that other
people should pay theirs. Since the
contest he had lost infiu-
ence, and could depend on no ones vote
but his own, but that he pledged to the
school. He believed that the appropri-
alton asked for was needed. The venti-
alton of the building was terrible, and
mad made him sick. He was astonished |
hat others could stand it SO well. When
t could sicken member of the legisla-
,ure, and one who had stood all the
newspaper attacks he had, there was
radically wrong. Among the
stacks referred to he had never been
allied dude. A Mankato editor had
aid of his appearance last Fourth of July