The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-02-22

The bonds generally bear 2 per cent. BY a
little calculation 1t will be seen that the time
of the sums borrowed will range from one and
two months, to nearly a whole year. Fou
months seems a fair average estimate.
1t is therefore q legitimate question whether
1t be an economical step to continue borrow
ing on an average $1,000 yearly for four
months, or to levy enough to pay cash as debts
are made.
While it is a change in Sect. Is In specifying
that tho Board may levy for the erection of
schoolh houses nj the purchase of sites there
for, it is not q change in the powers of the
Board. In Sec. ID of the present charter 1t
states that .'The Board of Education shall have
full power and 1t shall be their duty: First, To
purchase. lease or erect such school buildings
as may be necessary, keep the same in repair,
purchase sites therefor, and provide for the
payment of the cost of the same"
AS things are now had the Board been SO
disposed they might have increased taxes
even though their project had not met the APP
probation OF the voters.
What has been said answers the objection to
allowing the Board to issue bonds for any ie-
Ultimate school expenditure which the voters
of the district may by their votes declare good
and proper.
This article is already too long to take up in
a fuller manner the grounds for these propos-
ed changes. The suggestion as to the publica-
ton Of the financial reports Of the Board is
good, and in this connection it may be well to
say that the Board regard their affairs and
business as open properly. Every citizen is at
ali times welcome to their meetings and TO the
inspection OF such papers as may properly
concern him.
canno close without a general reference
to our school needs. It has come very forcib-
iy to the knowledge of the Board IN the past
two years that the capacity of our school
buildings is insufficient to the wants of the
public, and that in some respects the location
of the buildings is unfortunate.
noticed in the proceedings of the Board of
Trade recently that it was suggested that trus-
tees be chosen VIII would investigate the
schools and change the boundaries. 1 wish to
say that the present Board has wrestled with
this problem of boundaries, and has lone It's
best TO expand the capacity Of the buildings,
but brick walls are not elastic and we are of the
opinion that whoever undertakes to solve the
boundary problem finds himself after a close
study thereof at about the same position the
present board occupies with respect to that
QuC5tiOus II hi Tue NOtere Vi the ulsttlCt
could serve u term upon the board, | believe
the needs Of the district as to additional build-
ing would receive more generous treatment
at our elections. The present Board will not
do any more log rolling for additional build
ings, but have endeavored to treat all the pa
irons of the school with equal justice as to
the facilities at their command. The amend
ments proposed meet the unanimous approval
of the members from all sections of the city.
1t Is not a pet measures. 1t has 40 personal
interest to any of them beyond the interest Of
any citizen, but SIS they see 1t will conduce to
the better management of the schools. I can
not overlook the fact that some of them, (I do
not mean the editor Of the Revie,o) who oppose
these amendments are always In line to oppose
any measure for the benefit of the schools. II
is to be lamented that our city has been so
heavily taxed before 1t has been sufficiently
supplied with schools. with sewerage and 9TH
er needful Improvement. But can we now do
any differently than as though 1t had not?
Must we not go ahead with such improvements
as are necessary to the demands OF such a city
and with prudent management endeavor to
leave to those who shall follow better than was
left to us7
Very respectfully,
J. L. wAsHBURN.