The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-16

t1ldl the DOdTO Ids OOWu0U the may
or and ethat the democratic board
would run the schools on their own
plan and let the republican administra-
ton bear the blame.
Three times within six months had
the board announced that 1t would
close the schools for lack Of funds
and yet at the close Of the year it had
$4,000 to it's credit in the city treasury.
Il requested Of the board an inventory
of the personal property Of the BOARD
that might use it in a statement, and
the secretary of the board told me that
he had been directed to say that If I
wanted such inventory 1 might take it
myself. Under fair reorganization OF
the board the income is sufficient to
pay its expenses. The income has been
stated by a committee which looked
into the affair as follows:
1.-Two mills city tax on 500, 000 900, $780,
900; 1 mill local tax, 500, 900; state ap-
portionment, $4,000; total, 1857 ,OOO.'
THE only trouble with the statement
is that it lacks about 100000 of being
correct. A fair estimate of the income
of the board for the year 1857 is as
follows:
Balance on hand Jan. 1st, $40, 1886;
state apportionment, $4,000; county one
mill tax, $93, 900; so per cent of $233, $50
(the 81 tax $1S7, 900; 80 per cent of the
tax Of SO and prior years, $210,375; to-
tai, $5SS,911; less the 1896 tax certifi-
Gates, $120,000; balance, $46S911.
THE amount allowed by the council
for the year beginning Sept. 1, 1895,
was 1856, 00O
THE effect Of the reduction of valua-
ton will not be felt by the board until
the year 1898, when its income will be
about $409, $50. This produces funds
sufficient in view of the reductions sug-
gested above, which can easily be made.
hos IL
troubles?
1T is very simple. Go to the legisla .
ture and get an enabling act passed
putting into operation the Sheehan
amendment which empowers cities
to make their own charters. Then if
any evils exist or more taxes are to BE-
raised we will have the power to wipe
out the evils and raise funds if needed.
The people of this city know much bet
ter what laws should govern our own
business than the legislature does.
Mayor DOran was called for and came
forward amidst applause. Some of
u.s. he said, have been placed in an
embarrassing position. Various ru-
morS of the hostile attitude of the
comptroller and the mayor towards the
schools have been sent abroad, and 1t
has been said that they are very illib-
eral, and willing to sacrifice the high
school. Very many things have crept
into our school system which were not
contemplated by the founders of that
system. A large amount of money is
spent for a comparatively small per
cent of the pupils" He proceeded:
The board has been hostile to the
administration. In two Of the mem
be1s of the board, 1 have had great
confidence, and some new blood has
lately come into the board-men in
whom [ also have confidence. Con-
TO
members of the board, and with prom
lnent educators, meeting with them.
do not believe in abolishing the High
school nor do l believe in changing our
system But there are eXtraVagances. -
The mayor cited the case of the
HighwOod school; With not more
than 80 pupils there are two teachers
at $50 and $50 month, each, and a
janitor at $25 a month" He continued
Il believe that from $50, 900 to $50, 900
can be saved, and not cripple the sys-
tenn. There are some things that might
be abolished. The system of espionage
might be abolished. If our teachers are
competent there is no need of this in
spectiOn by supervisors, who go about
meddling with the schools"
Col. Clough was afraid that the peo-
pie of the city would not be willing to
go as far as the mayor and he were
willing to go. The recommendation of
the committee would, he thought. be
found agreeable to the economies which
the mayor had in mind.
n. p: Langford spoke in the following
terms:
The committee has not deemed it neces-
sary to present in its report the evidence in
detail, upon which its general conclusions
are based; but | cannot forbear referring to
one matter that has been brought to the at
tention of the committee 1t is claimed by the
teachers and the school board that the salaries
OF teachers have already been reduced 20 or
70 per cent. This declaration has been made
so often that nearly the entire press of the
city, and considerable portion Of citi-
zens have come to believe that cuts in teach
ers salaries to that extent have actually
been made | hold in my hand two state
ments made by the secretary of the school
board, showing the total of salaries paid to
teachers and the number of teachers re-
ceiving the same, during the year 1892, and
for January 1897 respectively The correctness
Of these statements | have verified by com
pairing them with the pay-rOlls. They show
that the cash reduction in teachers salaries
from 1892 to 1897 is but is per cent. A few
large salaries have been cut three or four
times as much as this; but these figures show
the average cut of the salaries. The method
of computation, as eucidated by the COM
mittee of teachers last Friday, is somewhat
unique. The city charter fOrbidS the making
Of contract for a period longer than one
year, but the teachers claim that under an
implied contract" each teacher is entitled
to $50 additional annual pay for each addi-
uOnal year OF service up to a certain grade.
To illuStrate-If a teacher received $3.50 in
1898, she became entitled, under this lin
piled contract to $500 in 1894. Now, if any
such implied right ever existed a renewal in
1894, Of her contract at the previous years
rate $500 was certainly waiver of all rights
under implied contract" Yet notWith-
standing this, the failure to receive the ad-
dItiOnal $50 is regarded as a 10 per cent cut
in the salary of that teacher This PROPOSE
ton has neither logic, law, common sense
nor mathematics to support it, and yet on this
flimsy foundation alone, stands the declaration
so constantly sounded in our ears, till it has
hundreds Of our citizens that enormous cuts
have already been made in teachers salaries.
This chamber and the citizens of St. Paul, all,
are entitled to know upon what foundation
such a claim rests. The truth is a matter Of
record. Figures do not lie. The verdict
which they proclaim cannot be assaulted, and
that verdict is that the average cut made
in the teachers salaries during the past five
years, is less than per cent.
The committees investigation has con-
WINGED me that If we can apply to our school
management, the same practical common
sense which our successful business men ap-
ply to their own business, the present 212 mill
levy will be sufficient to maintain our schools
without impairing their efficiency.
superintendent Curtis was called up
on but appeared to be careful to say
nothing by way of argument.
Col. ClOugh moved that the report
of the committee be carried over a
week. Adopted.
SURPRISE FOR DINNER.