The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-01
HE is THE PRESIDENT OF THE
STATE EDUCATIONAL ASsO-
CITATION FOR 1897.
MRS. CRAYS7s ON DISCIPLINE.
MINNEAPOLIS WOMAN MEMBER
READ PAPER ON SCHOOL
MANAGEMENT.
respective Merits of the School
hoard Selection Schemes Are
Considered.

BEFORE completing it's labors yester-
day, the Minnesota Educational as
ISOLATION elected the following officers
Tor the ensuing year:
versity.
Permanent secretary-Mabel Peck. Of
Rochester.
Treasurer-S. B. Rose of Redwood Falls.
superintendent H. c. Merrill, of Hut
Crimson, read a paper ON THE School
View of Subjects as Contrasted With
the Ordinary View" He divided his
subject into three parts, the grammar
school, high school and college. Said
he:
Teach the children to read better, write
petter' add better, subtract better, multiply
peter, divide better, to love the history Of
lnelr country and tell the truth-these are
oid-fashioned, but they will coTrelate SPLEEN
Qldly with any new subject that is taught.
we are doing great things and are making
cannot but believe but that the ordinary.
view is right in asking that we do a few
things better and that during the grade
period along with the butterfly Should be in
troduced little of the ant element.
Mrs. Jennie c. Crays, member Of the
school board of Minneapolis, chose for
her topic, What Can Be Done to I'm
prove the Popular Management of
Schools?"
Many of our school lows are not sufficiently
posltlVe and mandatory. For instance the
law nowhere demands that school shall be
held so many months in the year, but merely
WNhholds the state apportionment if school
is not held for certain time.
L think our laws should be so amended as
10 PROVIDE for and compel the maintenance
Of school or schools in every district in the
state for not less thsnHseven months in The
year, and perhaps smore. This might he
deemed a hardship ii sa1ne parts of the state
but surely there are enough brains among
our legislators andaeduEators to devise some
p iiiIa 10 SO frame pin that the weak. strug-
ghnd districts may be encouraged and helped
TO provide for longer term of schools with
out Increasing the appertonment
Mrs. Crays suggested a change in the
compulsory act law. changing the peri
od required by parents in sending their
chlIdren to school from twelve to TWEEN
ty weeks.
come, Tor the substitution of the township
5or the district as unit. Instead of three
u tHt ~ trustees, one or more of which are
not ihtrequently G. choice Of evils there would
De that number Of township trustees provided
1or by the law in independent districts. viz.
SIX: think it is safe to adopt the township
1 urrit as the golden mean. Much is said and
Wrltten IN these time about the corruption
ignorance and dishonesty Of school boarde
ana, sad TO relate the evidence all tends to
snow mat such condition prevails to
School board should be elected by the neonle
ana not selected by the mayor / believe the
american system, with the power of control
resting largely with the people, is the hest
system for training future citizens of the
American republic. 1t adds dignity and re-
sponsibility to the Office to be elected bv the
people, instead Of being appointed by the
peoples representatives. The claim adj
Vanced by those favOriRg the appointive svs-
tenn that it WILL in a great degree. eliminate
pafus aa11 from school administrations, is
There is crying need for thoroughly edu-
cated and trained teachers for all schools
rural as well as city. believe the power to
certify to the educational qualifications Of one
proposing to teach, in city and country, should
rest with a state board of examiners.
Rev. Samuel G. Smith was next
heard
In the long run" said Mr.. Smith "the
machinery is as good as it ought to be. 1t
makes little difference whether school boards
are apDolntlve or elective, the members are
no better or no worse than the people want
them"
Gustave Scholle, Of the St Paul
school board, advanced a few sugges-
t1Ons as to legislation needed to i'm
prove public school management His
recommendations, in brief, are as fol-
lows:
The board Of education to consist of three
members to be appointed by the mayor re-
gardless of party afiliation. He shall reside
ment, but shall be exempt from Jury duty
and taxation on his homestead. The board
shall not contract for more than $500 on any
one item. yeariySbudset shall be submitted
to the mayor, all school property shall be
vested in the city and the board, the board
shall elect superintendent t6 serve for five
years, with authority tocemploy and discharge
teachers, better enforcement of the truancy
laws; a pension of $500 to teachers and a
minimum tax levy.
The committee on resolutions report
ed recommending a biennial census of
school children, giving names. ages and
attendance at school, to the end that
the compulsory attendance law be bet
ter enforced; that the nominations for
members of the school board be made
public two weeks before the election
an amendment to the law requiring
that books be furnished through the
state superintendent Of public instruc-
ton; setting aside the hours from 10 to
Il for the discussion of certain bust
ness Of the association; creating a state
board to pass on licensing of teach
ers in certain districts; thanking the
press and railroads for courtesies ex-
tended; also the officers and committees
Of the association.
The resolution referring to a change
in the order Of things with respect to
the purchase Of library books created
quite a stir and about every one in the
house was on the floor with a sugges-
ton. 1t was limited that the commits
sion was paying two prices for books,
and that there was a big leakage In
this item. Mr.. Chapman, of Winona,
stood out for the old idea Of letting
the work to a single state contractor,
as at present, but dozen others fav-
ored the idea of having the books fur
nished through the state superinten-
dent of public instruction rather than
through the contractor.
Finally the original resolution slight
ly amended was referred to the COM
mittee on legislation.
A similar disposition was made of
the resolution relating to the license
Of teachers. The other resolutions
were passed.
A resolution introduced by Mr.. Lord
prohibiting the use of tobacco by per
SONS under the age of eighteen years
and minor pupils was referred to the
committee on legislation.