St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-05
proud monument to the wisdom of
the able LAWYER who framed it.


the able lawyer who framed it.
ut also appears by the secretary's re-
port that the board owns some eighteen
or twenty vacant parcels of land OF
value of perhaps $4,000 to $4,000.
Some of these came to the board by the
extension Of the city limits, and others
by gratuitOuS transfer from k. j.
Mendenhall to liquidate what was not
legal claim, but what, morally, he felt
himself obligated to discharge. Efforts
should be made to exchange these par
GELS for other suitable building sites or
for materials for building, unless ia
vOrable offer shall be made in cash. 1t
is no part of the duty of the board to
hold vacant real estate for speculative
purposes.
I'm Conclusion.
the president says:
'The members of this board receive
no compensation for the expenditure
of much time. Few citizens have any
just conception of the labor necessary
to properly supervise the machinery
which operates this extensive school
system. or of the numberless, intricate
and difficult questions they are almost
daily called upon to decide. 1t is a
pleasant reflection, however. that the
work which has for its object the lead
ing along gently the innocent and the
young IN the direction of good citizen
ship is one which makes stable and Sc
cure the pillars upon which society
rests"
The report of Supt. Bradley is very
long, and embraces good deal of statis-
tical detail, most of which is summar
lied in President Ankeny'S report. In
treating of the scope of the school work,
he says:
''The past year has been one of wide
spread agitation and discussion con-
corning the place and function of the
public school. In several states i'm
pOrtant questions relating to its per-
petuity or the scope of its work have be-
come involved III political issues; and in
all parts of the country appIehensions
have been aroused lest our time hon
Ored school system should be over
thrown or submitted to unwise and I'M
patriotic ends"
lie then proceeds to review the
History of the American School,
which he terms ''dIStinctIvely a product
of American soil," beginning with the
schools held in the colony of Plymouth
and following the public school through
all the phases of its evolution to the
present day.
Referring to political influences upon
the schools he SAYS:
mo sane man would even venture to
contrOvert this great fundamental prin-
ciple of republican institutions, and it
is unfortunate that it should have be-
come clOuded and confused with pOliti-
cal issues. The right of the state to ex
ist implies its sovereignty; it must have
power to make and enforce laws; to
levy taxes and to direct how they shall
be expended; to maintain schools and
determine who shall attend them. 1t is
Impossible for a free state to presume
its existence unless the people who con-
Stitute it are Intelligent and laW-abld
ing; any large infusion Of ignorance
or laWIessneSs into such state must
ultimately result in its destruction. a
controlling sense of justice and fair
play, disposition not only to accord to
every one his rights. but also to yield to
constituted authority, must prevail.
Ability to gain information and to judge
wisely concerning public questions and
interests is also essential"
The superintendent then argues at
great length upon the improvement in
school, and the great moral influence
exercised by that factor. In conclusion
he says:
In concluding this report I wish to ex-
press the hope that sufficient funds may
be secured from the tax levy the ensu-
ing year to enable the board to provide
suitable accommodations for all pupils
in the public schools. The temporary
provision made for the overflow in GER
tain schools should be replaced by per-
manent school rooms as speedily as pos
sible, and the new South side high
school. referred to in another part of
this report, should not be delayed. Too
much credit cannot be accorded to the
board for the large additions to the
seating capacity of the schools made in
recent years. desire to acknowledge
the hearty cooperation and assistance
of the principals and teachers in carry
ing forward the work of the schools dur
ing the year. To the board and its sew
eral committees, as well as to its indi-
vidual members, desire to express my
high appreciation for their cordial sup
port.