St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-27
Serious Charge Leveled by
Mr.. Foley Against Promi-
nent Coal dealers.
Alleged to be Swindling the
Board Of Education in It's
Coal Supply,
Mr.. Rodgers Wakes Right
eously wroth, and the Lie
Direct is Passed.
Drastic Reforms to Be in
augurated in the Con
duct Of Public Schools.

Teh
The special meeting of the board of
education which was called for last
week, but postponed owing to the alb
sence of several members of the board,
was held last evening. The meeting
was called for the purpose Of hearing
the reports of the various committees,
as to the recommendations made by the
finance committee on the subject of re-
trenchment and reform in the eXpend-
iture of the board. When President
Haas raped for order the inspectors
seated themselves with an air of de-
termination and business which has not
been visible for manya long day. Those
present were Inspectors Croonquist,
Foley, Giesen, Keogh, Kuhles, Merrill,
! Nettletou, Rodger, Scheffer, Wright
and President Haas. Two communica-
tions were first presented by the secre-
rary. one from the Building Exchange
of st. Paul commencing the
policy of retrenchment and re-
formt as dvocated by the board, and
| heartily indorSing the work of the man
ual training school, which now has
eighty-fiye pupils, and is increasing rap
| idly. The other communication was
from the painters and decorators union,
of st. Paul, who protested against the
proposed closing OF the night schools.
| Both letters were received and ordered
| to be placed OH file. The various COM
mittees then presented their reports as
follows: ----..e
Supplies Shnt Off.
The committee on supplies recon-
mended that the purchase of supplies
| for the drawing department, libraries,
| supplementary reading. penmanship,
| continued for the present year. The
committee also recommended that all
acquisitions for supplies emanate from
the secretary of the board. The report
| was adopted. .a-e5@ r..
The committee on fuel and janitors
| reported that no change be made in the
schedule of salaries of engineers and
| janitorS. except the janitoI of the high
school, who has been allowed IS per
month which the committee recommend
be discontinued after Feb. 1. Also that
j. G. Schnacke, janitor of the Rice
school, against whom charges have been
preferred, that his services be dispensed
with and James White appointed i'll his
place at schedule salary. The report
was adopted.
The committee on music reported
that in the matter of the Recommended
ton OF the finance committee THAT the
superintendent of music be. dropped
from the rolls" that the interests of the
schools require the retention of musIc,
and that the perintendent be retained.
The report was adopted.
The committee on manual training re-
ported that, after mature deliberation
and investigation, they are averse
to the closing of the manual training
school, and that the commercial de-
ferred to the manual training school, by
which $1,700 can be saved per year.
The board adopted the'report. - -
The committee on high schools re-
ported that substantial reduction in
running expenses of the high schools
can be accomplished without interior
ing with the efficiency of the schools,
by increasing the number of pupils to
the teachers from twenty to thirty. In
comparison with the five cities
of Albany, Milwaukee, Mime
apolis Chicago and s Cincinnati,
their average was found to be thirty,
four pupils to the teacher, and it was
on this line the committee thought re-
duction could be made rather than by
the reduction of salaries. Ghe commit
tee recommended that in the Central
and branch high schools the average
of pupils be thirty to each teacher.
Where there are branch high schools
with less than thirty pupils the COM
mittee recommends the schools be
PlOCad NhnU alCn lna ndnd thot
the study of French be dropped from
the first years course of the Central
and all branch high schools, and that all
the studies in the branch schools be
taught by the teacher or principal of
each school. and that all itinerant
teachers be dismissed. By these means
the committee stated that S13, 100 would
be saved annually. The report was
adopted.
German Teachers Cut.
The committee on German recon-
mended that reduction of 10 per cent
be made on all salaries of teachers of
German, by which 81, 200 would be saved
annually. The board adopted the re-
port.
The committee on schools submitted
long report and recommended the con-
Solidatlon of grades and classes in
schools so as to give teachers below the
high school an average of forty pupils.
Also that no higher grade than the fifth
be opened in any school unless class
of at least sixteen pupils is prepared to
enter this grade, and that no class of
less than sixteen pupils be continued in
the highest class of any school. This
reduction Of expenses is recommended
rather than the decrease of salaries of
teachers proposed by the finance COM
mlttee, because the retrenchment can
begin at once. AS the question of re-
ducing salaries might give rise to legal
points, the committee asked for further
time to consider the matter. The change
recommended will reduce the number
of teachers and effect an annual saving
of SAT, $50. The committee also recon-
mended that all night schools except
Cleveland, Franklin, Monroe. Humboldt
and high schools be closed at saving
of $1,000. Also that all rented apnexes
be closed and pupils accommodated in
the new buildings, and no new
rooms to be opened. The committee
also recommended that no supplies be
purchased during the year except as alb
Solutely necessary, by which an esti-
mated saving of $4,000 will be made.
The committee recommended that the
department of domestic economy be
dropped, that there be but one superin-
tendent of penmanship at salary of
$1,000, and that the salaries of the super
intendents of drawing and music be
$1,000 each. This
VIII Save
the board $4,000 annually. The commit
mittee further recommended that for.
the next school year principals of build
ings be paid as follows:
Four-room buildings. .......-........ $3.50
Six-room buildings ............... 900
Eight and ten-room buildings 200
Twelve and fourteen room buildings. .1500
Sixteen-room buildings. 160O
Eighteen or over. Observation-Disclosures. .1S0O
This will save S1,S5O per year. But
~ of tho