The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-01-27
URGENTLY REQUIRED.
Reasons why the Local Normal School
Asks Aid from the Legislature.
A Well Attended Meeting of the Git
liens Arranges for the Recep=
ton of the Visiting Com
mittees Tomorrow.

From fifty to sixty of the business
men of the city met at the Normal
Spouse to request from Director
Clark and President Soaring, to take
steps to properly entertain the legis-
latiYe committees on Normal schools
which will tomorrow visit this city
A great deal of interest was manifest
ed and a general desire to cooperate
with and support the school author
tiles in the effort to secure a $50, OOO
appropriation was shown.
President Soaring stated the case to
the meeting saying that an addition
to the building had been needed for
nine years past. An appropriation of
$4,000 had been granted by the legis-
lature eight years ago, but was vetoed
by the governor on account OF lack
of funds. If an addition was needed
then it would be hard to find word
to express that need now. We have
been trying to obtain from every leg
islature since then an appropriation
tie enlarge the building. This time
we thought that it would be more
business like policy to seek an appro-
priation separately from the other
schools. An agreement was entered
into twosyears ago with the State Nor
NAL Board whereby the schools of the
state were to be taken in order and
one school supplied by each succeed
ing legislature. At our request a
commission visited the schools to see
which needed the Appropriation most.
We did so, expecting that it would
recommend this school first, but it
placed st. Cloud first, Mankato Sec
Ond and Winona third. We acQuiesc-
ed and assisted St. Cloud to get its
appropriation, and expected the aid
of the other schools this year
If ever distinct agreement was en-
tered into it was made at that time.
But we were informed some time ago
that the bargain was not to be adj
hered to this year, to our amazement
and indignation. A special meeting
of the Board was held two weeks ago
at our request, and we presented our
claims, but it gave US no reason to
anticipate any special assistance.
Each school called for large amounts
and the Board recommended an ap-
preparation for each. 1t was breech
of faith that the speaker had not pro-
per language to characterize, or that
he did not care to characterize in its
proper language. He was not an
enemy of any other school but was the
friend of all. But justice and bust
ness-like principles he thought were
violated and disregarded by the
Boards action. If the entire S150,0GO
asked for by the Board could be OBJ
tanned he would be glad, but if it can
not and it comes to scaling down the
figures, then it will be impossible that
we fail. if anything like a reasonable
The state has in all appropriated to
the Winona school, for buildings and
grounds, S141 1881, ST. Cloud Sl13,2 70,
Mankato S9l 900. The excess of the
appropriations for Winona over Man
kato has been S50,33l and for ST.
Cloud S22,270. OF the aggregate for
Mankato, $1,000 was for repairs rem
dered necessary on account of injury
done to the building by storm, and
should not come properly in the COM
parative statement. Winona, with
50per cent.or more greater amount of
room, wants $780, 900 for two additions.
st. Cloud with an addition just COM
pleted, wants an appropriation for
another addition of the same size.
The enrolment in the Normal de-
partment of the Winona school is 800,
st. Cloud 226, Mankato 376. In the
Model school Winona has POT, st.
Cloud 145, Mankato 270. In the Mod
Ell school during the past seven years
MankatO has gained 40, while Vino
no has lost IA. Yet Winona is basing
its claim for larger appropriation on
the necessities of it's Model school. 1t
has 81 in it's kindergarten school, an
institution which the Mankato school
does not have. This would leave 1856
pupils in its Practice department..
Our total enrolment in all depart
mencs is larger than last year In the
Normal department there are 40 stu
dents without desks. Many students
have refrained from coming to the
school on account of it's reported
crowded condition, as frequent letters
show, and many have gone by US to
Winona.
The graduating class numbers about
50, or about one-third of the entire
department, and of these IS are grad
yates of the High schools. The &c"
class is the best that the school has
ever had. AS the grade of admission
can no longer be raised, the only RENE
dy is more room.
The Model 6apo rf, M ay+ :, loo