The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-08-27

AUhPHREfS' mED. COs III q l1S William 81 new fork
make two SIKH grades the first half of
the year, and two seventh grades the
second half. The board thought best
to wait until Miss Lieberg's re-
turn before adopting the plan ex-
actly as proposed.
Prof. Varney said that schools all
over are adopting the system of verti-
cal penmanship. He had been one of
the latest converts to it. He recon-
mended that it be adopted by the
board for all the grades up to and
including the seventh, which would
take in all of the schools except the
high. He did not approve Of the books
in use, and preferred style uniform
with that taught at the Normal.
On motion of DR.. Davis, vertical
penmanship was adopted for all the
grades up to and including the
seventh, as recommended by the
superintendent. The matter of
change of copy books was referred to
the committee on text books and the
superintendent with power to act
Prof. Varney brought up the SUBJ
ject of supplementary reading, and
said that he had been able to find but
Al books adapted for use in the first
years work, with 200 pupils, only 1O2
books for second grade work, 80 for
third grade, AZ for fourth, 19 for fifth,
% for sixth, and none in the seventh.
There are 402 books in all for 1000
pupils, and 67S more books are need.
ed, which will give total of 1,OSO
and cost 1915. If thelboard would buy
375 new books they be arranged in
| boxes Of forty books each and taken
from building to building and made
to do. These books would Icost $3.50
and would make total of 800 books,
or one for each two pupils. 1t would
permit material change every two
months. The books have been car
ried around with binding Irvine thus
far. The janitors can make the boxes.
The matter was laid over until the
next meeting.
Prof. Varney recommended that a
change be made in the arithmetics in
use in the schools. At present two
books known as the Essentials of
Arithmetic, Nos. and 2, and set of
Wentworth's, are used. The Essen
tials and Wentworth's teach the sub
ject along different lines or ideas,
which results in confusion. He
would like to substitute for these
books the Prince series Nos. 4, 5, 6
and I. These books can be bought
separately at twenty cents each or
bound in one volume. This would
make one book instead of three, as
now. Mr.. Varney said that he was
going to Minneapolis this morning to
attend congress of city superinten-
dents and would talk 1.-THE matter over
with educators in whom he had con-
tidence and see what he could find on
the subject.
DR.. Davis said that he had found a
mixed condition in the arithmetics
in the schools and had conclud-
ed that something would have to be
done in the future to sYstemmatize
the subject.
Mr.. Fletcher said it was ticklish
matter to make changes, as changes
OF books are sometimes hardship on
poor people who have to buy the new
books. He knew that there is a bad
condition in the arithmetics, He sug.
gested that the old books might be
exchanged for new.
| Prof. Varney said that the school
book companies were formerly fight
ing each other and would make the
exchanges, but that they have now
gotten together and formed a trust
and If discount Of five per cent is Sc
cured it is doing WELL
DR.. DAYS. said that he would like
more time to look into the mat
ter and that he might favor the
change, but he was not prepared at
| present to act.
Mr. Coughlan moved that the mat
ter be left to the school committee
and the superintendent to report at
the next meeting, and this was car.
I ried, after which the board adjourned.