St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-27
Cost Per Pupil Figured to Re
Low Under the Proposeds
System.
Practical and Wise Sagyes-
tons Made Touching
Many Points.

-.
show cOnfmendable progress.
There are several interesting topics
which more particularly concern the
ordinary district or common school
than thoseso higher grade. One of
those is the subject of textbooks. The
superintendent notices that the contract
which has existed for fifteen years be-
tween the state and ID. d. Merrill has
now expired. His books show thai
1888. S24.33 have been expended fol
books during these fifteen years. Ii
now becomes necessary to adopt some
other plan of furnishing these schools
with books.
The superintendent recommends, on
account of both finan cial and educa-
tional interests. that plan of free text.
books be followed out. He gives rea.
sons for this as follows: From the
financial side, purchases are made di-
rect from the publishers at lowest rates
1he experience of other states and OF
many cities has been that
The Cost Per Pupil
is reduced to about 40 cents, so that the
average Gus W q tlotll VI ulGy
would be about $50 annually.
From the educational side there ap-
pear the following advantages: First
There is absolute uniformity for the
district. which is all the uniformity that
is necessary, the books being part OF
the apparatus of the school. Second
The books are ready for all the pupils
at the opening of the school. This is a
great gaiu. 1t is no uncommon thing
for days and even weeks of the short
term of country school to be
made almost useless because children
have ITO books. Third, by this plan pu-
pills can be put into classes best suited
to them. Fourth, the attendance is much
increased. 1t is not uncommon for
parents of large but poor families to
keep their children at home because
they do not feel able to equip them with
the necessary books.
In the execution of this plan,sayS Mr..
Kiehle, provision must be made by
which teachers will be held strictly re-
sponsible to the district for the care |pi
books, aud exact reports made by DIS
trict officers of the condition and
cost of the textbook library.
The superintendent also notes
that much of the efficiency and
pTO1ItSS So jdT dlLdiutu III VIC
schools is due to the zeal and efficiency
of many of the county superintendent.
He. however, notices the weakness of
our present plan of eIecting these SUI
perintendents; for it often happens thai
political complications remove such
efficient officers and place others of less
skill in their positions.
A system of examinations of teachers
has been adopted for the whole state,
and many of the evils that have at
tended the old. irregular plan have been
done away with.
High Schools and University.
The work in the state high So
shows great advancement. Iii >
schools are coming more and more int
good repute among the people at large
and they have shown themselves to Dt
benificent institutions for the poorer
class of citizens who are unable to send
their children away from nome tC
school. as well as for those who are bet
ter able to educate their children.
The university has made remarkable
progress during the past few years, but
at no time has it been greater than dur
ing the past two. The enrolment has
increased 400 in that time, making the
grand total of enrolment 1874 students
for the last school year. Or course this
rapid growth implies greater needs in
the way of more instructors. buildings
and facilities. This need has been in.
creased. too, by the partial destruction
of the main university building by fire.
President Northrop urges upon the leg
islature the Importance of making pro-
vision for new building. This should
be fre-proof. and serve both as library
and assembly hall.
Normal and Summer Schools.
Like the other educational institu-
tions, the normal schools show remark
able advancement. The reports of the
presidents are full Of interesting matter
of statistical character. These schools
need still further aid in extending their
work aud for the better accomplishment
of that which they already. have in
hand.
Perhaps the most important phase of
work during the past two years has
been that of the summer training
schools for teachers. Fourteen of these
were held in 1891 and sixteen in 1892.
The largest Of the latter was held at the
state university. Seven hundred and
forty-three teachers were enrolled in it.
These schools have held for four weeks
each, and have accomplished much in
advancing the professional work of our
teachers. The superintendent recon-
mends that $4,000 be appropriated
from the one-mill state tax for
the support of these schools in the fut-
ure, this to be an annual appropriation.
He shows that this would not subtract
materially from the amount to be APP
portioned to the public schools. AL
ready the amount apportioned the pub
lie schools annually is over S1,000,000,
and wiser expenditure could not be
made than the expanding of $4,000 of
this amount for the improvement Of the
teachers of these schools.
Public School Ideal.
The superintendent has great many
interesting things to say In regard to
the public school idea, and he also dis
cusses at length the question of moral
instruction in our public schools. In
this last particular he-ShOWS what has
already been provided>for by law. and
suggests several things that may be
done to advantage in addition to these.
Supt. Kiehle notices several defects in
the sanitary condition of our school
houses and their surroundings, and
urges serious movement for the rem-
edying of these. For the improvement
of the rural schools in particular the
superintendent suggests: A continuous
and efficient SUPPLEMENTARY; length
eniug of the school year to seven and
eight months; annual engagements of
well-selected teachers; improved facili-
ties for instruction in supply of black
boards, libraries, maps and globes.
The superintendent urges legislation
in the following respects: Laws provid-
ing for the support of summer training
schools, for free text books. for state
teachers certificates, for uniform,
teachers certificates and requiring the
county superintendent to inspect
school houses and to order necessary
repairs and outbuildIngs.
Summary and. Comparison.
The following summaries for the
years 1882 and 1892 respectively show
remarkably uniform and rapid progress
in all departments of educational work:
The State 1882. 1892.
Assessed valuation S522, 157. els S5SS. $40, 215
Population. 1885,. 7sO.77s Q9SO) 1901, S26