St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-02

PRESIDENT Schener IN the chalr.
Present-lnspectors Auerbach, Bridgman,
Keane, Pyle, Smith, and Mr.. President.
| Absent-Inspector Stamm-1.
On motion, the reading of the minutes OF
the preceding meeting was dispensed with,
| and the same approved as published.
COMMUNICATIONS.
From the City Clerk
| Enclosing insurance policies on steam
boilers, and requesting action of Board as to
! renewal of same.
Referred to Committee on Real Estate.
From City Clerk
Giving notice of regular meetings OF Board
of Aldermen-hrst and third Tuesdays of
| each month at 1870 p. M; ail business re-
| curing action of said body to be presented to
City Clerk prior TO IL o'clock noon OH pre-
ceding day.
Received and ordered filed.
From the Corporation Attorney
Returning bill for S11 covering charge Of
d. d. Merrill! & Co. for a record book ordered
by the committee indicated by section s. page
15S, of the city charter, i'll use in The office d
the City Treasurer. and informing the BoarC
that same should not DO paid from the schoo
maintenance fund
Referred to Committee on Supplies,
From the City Comptroller
Enclosing bill for S3S. Is in favor of Otto
Abramsky; states he is an employe of the
Board. and deems the bill an improper charge
Referred to Corporation Attorney.
Inspector Stamm here entered ana as
sumed his seat.
With the unanimous permission OF the
Board there was introduced the following
resolution:
| By Inspector Smith
| Resolved, BY the Board of School Inspect
| ors of the City of ST. Paul. That in MI peti
! tons for redress of grievances the appropri
ate committees shall hear the parties. but nc
| formal trial with counsel shall be granted.
| Approved and confirmed by
Yeas-Inspectors Auerbach. 6ridgman,
| Keane Pyle, Smith. Stamm and Mr.. PreSi
| dent.
| From the Residents of the Van Buren, School
District and Pupils of said School, 643 sig
| Requesting that Miss Rebecca Taylor be
reinstated as Eighth grade teacher in said
| school building
| Referred to Committee on Schools.
| From Miss Rebecca Taylor
| Petitioning the Board to grant her hear
| ing under the petition of the residents of the
| Van Buren, school district Tor her relnstate
| ment as Eighth grade teacher in said school
building, and that she be permitted to be
| present with counsel.
| Referred to Committee on Schools. with in
structions to grant Miss Taylor hearing,
subject TO the rules of the Board.
| From Mr.. Andrew SchOch-
| Appealing for hearing for Miss Rebecca
| Taylor. recently dropped from the teaching
| force of the Van Buren, School, and urging
| the needs OF the school and the conservation
| of justice in the premises.
referred 10 the COmmlttee on SCHOOLS.
REPORTS.
| From Special Committee on Rules
Submitting list of revised rules for the
government of the schools for the ensuing
year
Adopted and confirmed by
Yeas-Inspectors Auerbach. Bridgman.
Keane, Pyle, Smith, Stamm and Mr.. Presi-
dent.
From the Special Committee on Ways and
Means
To, IL. I,NTC Tn
GENTLEMEN: Your special committee, ap-
pointed by the President to consider WAYS
and means of meeting the reduction i'll the
estimates of the Board of School Inspectors
made by the Common Council, beg leave to
subject the following report:
The members of the Common Council, to
whom were submitted the estimates of the
Board of Education of necessary eXpendi-
lures for the coming year, have reduced the
sum needed for teachers salaries In the
amount of $4,000 and the sum needed for
salaries OF other employees in the amount of
$500. 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 In
spectors does not doubt that the Council is
animated by worthy motives, and is sin
cerely deslrouS of retrenching municipal eX-
peuditnres IN all directions. 1t is, however,
matter for regret that no apparent allowance
was made i'll dealing with the estimates for
the fact that the Board cut down the actual
expense of maintaining the schools last year
nearly $1,000 from the cost of the year
previous, with an extra enrolment of pupils,
which makes the actual reduction nearly
SiUn,00O. The Board having been the first 10
move i'll the direction of economy, and hay
ing made, Il year ago. saving SO consider
able, believed that the interests of the
schools required the appropriation of the
full amount asked FOR al this time. and that
any sensible reduction would be public
misfortune. The people desire economy,
but we do not believe that they desire the
permanent injury of the schools, which
would be the Inevitable result If all the rec
concentrations of the Council were to be
complied with.
The practical situation to be dealt with is
found in the tact that we have to make re-
ductions of 900 in expenditures. and we
desire to do this in such manner as will cause
least damage to the educational interests OF
the people. 70 do 1t according to the rec
| concentrations of the Mayor and the Coun-
cll IS entirely impracucable, as an in
innate, acquaintance with the work OF
the schools would convince any of these
gentlemen. From our knowledge of the sit.
| uatioD, based upon study of the schools OF
St. Paul and those of other cities, we are
| convinced that reduction in the salaries OF
| our teachers. the most hard working and
| poorly paid of all the city's employees, would
| be grave injustice, serious mistake, and
| not improbably an illegal act The teach
| ers OF OF. Paul, as a body, are not better
| paid, many of them are worse paid
| than those of other cities of similar
| size. II is not without difficulty that teach
| ers can be obtained. suited to their positions
| with salaries at the present figure. To make
| the reduction suggested would be TO lose
I either Immediately or within the year, prac
| tically eVety teacher of large experience and
value on the force. 1t would be to compe
! the intrusting of our educational interests tC
| teachers of inferior quality, and to sanction
| the deterioration and degrading of oul
| schools. Such a result we do not believe
| that the people of St. Paul desire or would
| approve. 1t seems to be the first duty of the
| Board of School Inspectors to save the pub
| lie schools of the city from decentralization
| which would necessarily follow any sweep
| ing reduction of salaries below the level o
| what is commonly paid for similar service
| We have. therefore. to consider where w
| can cut off expenditures to the amount re
| quired by the action of the Council, so tina
| ,he injury done to the schools will be leas
| severe.
1t must be distinctly understood at the out
| set by the people that the following change
| are not in themselves desirable, in our judg
| ment. We can advise or consent to then
only with reluctance and regret Every re
| ducuion suggested here is an impairment 0
| the public school system. Every one
| against public policy We desire to place tn
| responsibility for them where it belongs
| with those who have refused to make tn
| necessary appropriation. All that can b
| done. within the law, by the Board is to max
such changes in the scheme of the schools a
| promise TO be least hurtful. Those who Suf
| fer from them-and every one of them viii
cause suffering and harm-are reminded tina
| the Board acts in this matter of necessity, an,
| that it will restore what hiss been sacrifices
| whenever the funds arc provided.
In considering ways and means of cutting
| our next years expenditures $50, 600 beloy
| our estimates, we reach the following con
| illusions:
l, Our schedule of salaries was alread
fixed, and teachers were engaged under it, a
| provided by law, before the estimates wer
| reduced. We can, therefore, do no more thai
to stop the increase of salaries provided TO
in the schedule, to COMPENSATE increased
length of service and efficiency. If no teach
er in the public schools who is paid S55 pc
| month or more snnuld receive salary great