St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-30
A RADICAL CHANGE.
Proposed in School Methods
to Meet the Present
Emergency.
1t Is Sprung Suddenly on the
Board, and DR.. Smith
Protests.
A Red-Hot Debate, and FL
nally the Plan Is Carried
Through.
Miss Taylor Will Be Given a
Hearing Next Wednes-
day Week.


icy of the present common council pre-
cipitated more than a modicum of eXcit-
ing and interesting phases at last even
ing's meeting of the board of school
inspectors. Everybody is familiar with
the attitude assumed by the council at
the inceptive suggestion of the reform
mayor. The council accepted his
horor's recommendation with alac-
rity, and the whole led a MEM
Der of the board of inspectors
to give an oral diSQuisltion of the
theme, greatly to the edlticatlon OF those
in full sympathy with the sentiments
expressed. Among other drastic criti-
cisms offered by this member was the
allegation that the great common coun-
Gil that holds the school board in con-
tempt, and by implication, at least, adj
vises the citizens of st. Paul that they
are incompetent to pass upon the re
Quirements of the schools, is large
~ composed of men who never
in their abbreviated scholastic
career were introduced to a high school,
and mighty few ever had an Intimate
ACQUAINTANCE with the erudition of the
graded schools. This particular mem
Der was rather heated. and at the con-
cluSion of his cauStic arraignment he
requested that his structures be passed
by the reporters. But the question OF
the appropriation that the council had
agreed upon came up in a peculiar
fashion. AS was confessed by
President Scheffer, the procedure had
was irregular and not in strict accord
ance with the code in vogue; still. he
held, the eXigencieS demanded heroic
treatment, and he had timidly ventured
the appointment of of special com
mittee to consider the action of the
council, and to formulate solution of
the problem. Since the council, taking
advantage of technical charter pro-
visions. had arbitrarily reduced
the sum of money asked for
by the board, it was potent to the presi-
dent that all the plans had been sum-
marily and peremptorily upset, and he
explained that inasmuch as the schools
open next week, he considered it abso-
lutely necessary that some medium
ground be assumed by the board, and he
saw there was no better way to arrive
at this than to have special committee
go over the field and figure out just
what can be accomplished with the
money left available. Therefore he had
appointed the chairman of the commit
committee on finance as a special COM
mittee to present report. This COM
mittee reported:
The Committee Report.
TO the Board of School Inspectors,
Gentlemen: Your special committee,
appointed by the president to consider
ways and means of meeting the reduc-
ton in the estimates of the board of
school inspectors made 10y the common
council, beg leave to submit the follow
lily report.
The members of the common council,
to whom were submitted the estimates
of the board of education of the neces-
sary expenditures for the coming year,
have reduced the sum needed for teach
erS' salaries in the amount of $4,000,
and the sum needed for salaries of
other employees in the amount of
$1,000. In taking this action the
council is entirely within the limits
of its legal rights as contained in the
recent amendments to the city charter.
The board of school inspectors does not
doubt that the council is animated by
worthy motives, and is sincerely de-
sirous of retrenching municipal eX-
penditures in all directions. 1t is. how
ever, matter for regret that he
apparent allowance was made in
dealing with the estimates, for the
fact that the board cut down the actual
expense of maintaining the schools last
year nearly $4,000 from the cost of the
wear previous, with all extra enrolment
of pupils, which makes the actual re-
ducton nearly 100000. The board
having been the first to move III
the direction of economy, and
having made, year ago, a saving
SO considerable, believed that the in
terests of the schools required the APP
preparation of the full amount asked fol
at this time. and that any sensible re
duction would be a public misfortune
The people desire economy, but we d(
not believe that they desire the perma
nent injury of the schools, which would
be the inevitable result if ali the recon-
mendationS of the council were to bt
complied with.
The practical situation to be deal
with is found in the fact that we have
to make reductions of 5000 in eXpend
itures, and we desire to do this in Sucf
manner as will cause least damage t.
the educational interests of the people
TO do it according to the recommended
tions of the mayor and the council
Is Entirely Impracticable;
as an intimate acquaintance with thu
work of the schools would convince an!
of these gentlemen. From our knowl
edge of the situation, based upon
study of the schools of st. Paul an(
those of other cities, we are convinced
that a reduction in the salaries
of our teachers. the most hare
working and poorly paid of all thu
city'S employees, would be grave in
Justice, serious mistake, and not i'm
probably an illegal act. The teacher
of st. Paul, as a body, are not bette
paid. many of them are worse paid, thai
those of other cities of similar size. 1t i
not without difficulty that teacher
can be obtained, suited to thei
positions, with salaries at The preSen
figures. To make the reduction sug
gested would be to lose, either imme
diately or within the year, PRACTICAL,
every teacher of large experience ant
value on the force. 1t would be to com
pei the entrusting of our educationa
interests to teachers of inferior quality
and to sanction the deterioration
and degrading of our schools. Such
result we do not believe the peopl
of st. Paul desire or would approve.
seems to be the first duty of the boar,
of school inspectors to save the publ
schools of the city from decentralization
which would necessarily follow an,
sweeping reduction of salaries below
the level of what is commonly paid TO
similar service. We have, therefore, t.
consider where we can cut off expendi
lures to the amount required by the &C
ton of the council, SO that the injur,
done to the schools will be least Sc
Tere.
1t must be distinctly understood a
the outset by the people that the follow
Ing changes are not IN themselves de
sirable, in cur Judgment. We can ad