St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-07

SlSl,245 50 S1S1, 245 IS
WHERE DEPOSITED.
Bank of Minnesota. st. Paul.. S131 80
Respectfully submitted.
GEORGE REFS,
Treasurer Board of Education.
Received, adopted and ordered placed
on file.
From the Superintendent
ST. PAUL. Mimi, Feb. 8, 1890.
To the Board of Education.
GENTLEMEN: l have the honor to
submit for your consideration my report
tor the month of January, 1890.
The first month of the new year finds
the schools seriously suffering from the
prevalence of la grippe, both pupils and
teachers being affected. In some schools
from this cause the attendance has been
reduced nearly one third, and, notwlth-
standing the new admissions, the num-
Der of children belonging to the schools
has been cut down about 1000 since De-
cember. LII one week substitutes were
required for more than fifty teachers.
Under these adverse circumstances
the most that could be done was to keep
the schools running smoothly, avoiding
all unnecessary loss. To this end she
teachers were required to postpone the
visiting days" allowed them by the
Board until the prevailing malady had
abated.
Matters are, however. improving, and
l hope that soon the absent teachers
will be again at their posts. and the
work of the schools proceed without
farther interruption.
There is one matter to which desire
to call the especial attention of the
Board, and,as it seems to fall within the
Nc nrfi
take the liberty of mentioning it here.
mean the expense of our schools.
Doubtless the members of the Board
are more or less aware of the criticism
passed upon our school management by
the public at large because of its Sup
posed extravaganza. Indeed, your
Superintendent, although not directly
concerned with the expenditures of
money, has had to- come in for his share
of this criticism; hence possibly his eS-
pecial interest in it.
Certainly no one desires to be wasteful
OF public funds. Our schools are eX-
pensive. This is as undeniable as it is
inevitable. The best things must al
ways be paid for. Are they too expen-
sive? 1t is not to be forgotten that in
always the first of institutions to feel
the public cenSure. 1t is almost pro-
verbal that in case of public retrench-
ment the schools are the first to
suffer. They, the most valuable, the
most vital of our institutions,
must first have their efficiency i'm
paired, while other departments of gov
eminent UNNECESSARILY less important
are allowed to go untouched If the tax
levy is to be cut down it is the school
board that must bear the loss. This is,
of course, all wrong. And yet, valuable
as education is to the state, there should
always be an equivalent for every dol
lar expended. The expenses should
never exceed the requirements of JUS
tice and efficiency, and in times of bust
ness depression even desirable things
should sometimes wait for asmOre ia
vOrable time. In such times as the
present there should be Ietrenchment
wherever it is possible without doing
injustice to the servants of the public
or injury to the schools. And the Board
of Education should be the first to as
certain where, if anywhere, such re-
trenchment is possible.
There are, possibly, some. of the de-
partmentS which can stand retrench-
ment.
One item of considerable cost is the
renting ana furnishing of rooms outside
vi tliC oCHOOl LIS lids U6CII
absolutely necessary this year, but with
the enlarged facilities already planned
this now necessary expense will be done
away.
Certainly if such possibility exists
the Board should be the first to find it
out, and no one will more gladly and
honestly aid in this than your Superin-
tendent.
Certainly no body of employees were
ever more untiring or more honest in the
performance of duty than the teachers
and other employees of this Board. 1t is
i'll beha1f of these that l speak. If the
cha les of extravaganza are true i'll any
degree, their grounds should be re-
moved, and if they are false they should
be SO proven.
l therefore recommend that special
committee be appointed, whose duty it
shall be to examine into the expenses of
the various departments of our schools
and see if a proper balance is observed,
and also if any restriction can be made.
1t such a committee is appointed, I
promise my most earnest cooperation
in the interest of such economy as is
consistent with justice and efficiency.
Ii in this matter / have in any degree
transcribed the bounds of prudence or
wisdom, trust that the Board will par
don it and ascrlbe the fault to OyerZeal
in its interest and in that of our schools.
Appended is table of statistics.
Respectfully submitted.
C. B. GILBERT,
Superintendent of Schools.