The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-15
HAVE BEEN WISLED
MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
STATE THEIR POSITION QUITE
POINTEDLY
IN THE LETTER TO THE MAYOR.
aIR. D0RAY REFUSED TO MAKE 1T
PUBLIC, BUT HERE IT Is
ANYWAY.
SHOT AT COMPTROLLER NEARBY.
President Zimmerman Gives the
Council Something to Think
About.

The mayor seen again yesterday
| afternoon regarding the budget for
warded to him by tie board Of school
inspectors stated that he had neither
consider ed nor d'Ces ed the reformation
contained in the budget and until he
had done so would not care to make
the contents public. He thought. if he
could spare time from his duties, he
would take the matter up with him
self this afternoon. Asked if it would
not be possible to get a look at the
budget for the purpose Of publishing
some of the facts, and particularly the
letter which accompanied it from the
president Of the board, Mayor Doran
said he thought not at the present time.
1t was stated by persons who ca med
4 to know what they were talking about
| that Mayor DOran was not at all
| pleased at the letter sent by President
| Zimmerman along with the budget.
! The mayor, it is stated, has an idea
| that it reflected on the administration,
and for this reason has refused to give
out the letter. Some so so far as to
say that the reason the letter has not
been made public is that President
Zimmerman is being labored with to
withdraw the original communication
and replace it with another which
would be less offensive to the mayor
and Comptroller McCardy.
Below will be found the letter which
! for some reasons the mayor has chosen
| to keep from the public. President
Zimmerman said the mayor was the
proper person to give out the letter,
and his honor simply refused to do So.
If there is any reflection on the mayor
or the administration in the letter the
! public can judge for themselves, for
here it is:
st. Paul Mimi, June so, 1S97.-Hon. F. B.
! Doran, Mayor of st. Pau-Dear Sir: In de-
! fning the duties of the beard of school in
j spectOrs city charter provides that the
! first day of July of each year a full and COM
/ prehensive report be made to the mayor of the
! condition of the schools, showing the require
! ments of the system and giving information
concerning the management Of the same
! In compliance Herewith, we submit the fol-
| lowing statement:
| The school year of 1895 and 1897 witnessed a
! continuance Of the rapid growth Of the pre-
| vious years. The average daily attendance
| was 1S0S9, and increase of 937 over the prior
| year. The continual overcrowding of our
| schools and the unusual complications which
! have arisen from various causes Is a serious
problem which confronts the board at this
| time. The lack of funds for school mainte-
| nance for the ensuing year will not allow the
| erection of new buildings, which appear al
most absolutely necessary to meet the require
mentS OF our constantly increasing school
| population. This continual overcrowding is
seriously interfering with good results from
school work. We trust however, that the
| present condition Is of a temporary nature and
! that in the near future the requirements of
our school system shall be amply provided
for IN matters pertaining to financial sup
port In the interim the board proposes to
rearrange the districts, the teachers and
classes in order to accommodate, if possible
aid pupils entitled to the benefits of our
schools. We must expect that this "omnt-
! bus system will meet with some disfavor
! but TO those who consider that they have
| just cause for censure we can only say that
we desire a full and unbiased investigation
Of the causes which have led to our present
financial condition.
This matter has been given a great deal
OF careful attention by each and every mem
Der OF the board The policy outlined, the
recommendations made and requests asked
are hereby submitted after long and laborious
consideration of all questions that affect in
| any way our educational system. There have
| been given to the public, in various ways
| during the past year, statements and fig
! ures relating to the financial affairs of the
BOARD, which. to use mild phrase, have
| been misleading. We do not mean 10 charea
the actions Of parties SO doing as being in
| territorial, perhaps these statements have been
made through hasty examination of the mat
knowledge Of
| relative facts. 1t Is to make all matters clear
! that we present herewith our recommends
tions Tor your convenience and consideration
| From a careful examination of this sub
! ject in all its details 1t is evident that the
! discrepancy in school funds has been caused
! by the general reduction in the valuation of
the assessable property in this city without
making proper provisions for the mainta
| nance of our educational system The nroner
| means to avoid our present difficulty won d
nave been to secure such legislation as would
permit the board to meet the conditions fair
| ~, and honestly raise each year the money
needed for school purposes
| The city cannot afford to take any backward
| step in matters of public education From a
business standpoint 1t would be ruinous and
| fatal policy; there should be no difference of
| opinion between the public spirited. progress
sive and patriotic citizens as to the necessity
| OF maintaining the public schools upon the
! highest and broadest plane.
AS partial remedy we consider that 1t Is
not advisable to follow out the recommended
! lions OF the common council in relation TO the
! construction of new buildings and ask that
the amount appropriated for that purnose he
applied to the school maintenance fund for the
| ensuing year. We realize the seeming neces
| sity and the logical arguments put forth NV
! the members Of the city council why this
| should not be done, but the present stringent
| necessity will permit of no other policy E'It
| is a condition. not a theory. by which we are
| confronted" Whether it is good Judgment
| to build new school buildings when we have
| but limited amount available for educational
| purposes, or try to preserve, so far as possi-
| Bile, our present system intact, and make the
| school buildings habtable and fit for occu-
| pancy. Many of the buildings at the present
| time are in deplorable condition and greatly
| in need Of repairs in order to preserve them:
| therefore, in our judgment, it is poor policy
| to consider the construction of new buildings,
| at this time. Past economies of the board
| and council make 1t imperative that relief be
| afforded in this-that the buildings and prop
| erty be not longer neglected.
In addition to the items submitted we de-
| sire to request an additional amount of S25-
| 600 for necessary sanitary improvements made
| apparent by the unsanitary condition of some
| OF our school buildings. The department of
| health had occasion to close the Douglas
school for short period during the past year,
and have recommended that all schools hav-
| ing the "Ruttan or dry closet" system be con-
nected with the general sewer system, and