The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-29

the ordinary diversions of a den of
uS1tamed lions were but a Sunday
school picnic compared to the Olym-
plan games which the members of the
usually staid and sedate school board
pulled off yesterday afternoon. The
session was open at first for a public
hearing. Then the board shut itself
up, and, when the reporters were let
In in the early evening, a water pail
sat in the middle Of the prize ring, but
no bottles or bottle-holders were Visi-
BILE anywhere. The members of the
board tried to persuade the reporters
that the water had been used in wash
ing up the blood where Director Yoerg
had cut his finger emphasizing a Hum
boldt school speech with an office spin
die, but Secretary Healy did not have
that incident down in his minutes.
The real place where the animals
were turned out, however, was uD
stairs in Assembly hall, to which place
the board adjourned upon finding itself
confronted by crowd of not less than
zoo indignant citizens, of whom a large
proportion were matrons who have
children in the public schools.
The board planted itself on the stage,
while the citizens took their places in
the benches in front. The president
of the board allowed as how probably
every one in the party knew what he
was there for and suggested that, if
there was any one present who knew
more about the situation than the
board did, 1t was time for him to spiel
Natural modesty prevented the citizens
present from indulging in any eloquent
orations.
Then the president explained what
the board had done, and he conjec-
tured that perhaps some of those pres
ent were there to protest against it,
and the board would be glad to get all
the light it could, and would be glad to
hear from any one.
Mr.. Crosby, chairman of the meet
ing which was held at the Commercial
club, opened the ball, and others fol-
lowed with more or less pointed re-
marks, but the real sensation of the
day came when Anthony Yoerg begaa
to tell the true history of the move
ment to abolish the suburban high
schools, he objecting to the appellatiOn
branch" high schools, as each has been
independent in itself. Mr. Yoerg went
back to the appointment of the two
new members of the board, Messrs.
Bernard Zimmerman and E. O. Zim-
norman, after which a secret con-
ference was held in the mayors office,
at which were present the mayor, three
members Of the school board, and
Messrs. Vanish Willrich, Principal
Smith and Rev. S. G. Smith. Il was
not invited to the meeting" explained
Mr.. Yoerg. Il do not know what they
did there, but 1 do know that Mayor
Doran-and 1 dislike to get into per-
sonal matters here-has frequently eX-
pressed himself as believing that the
graded school education was good
enough for any one, and those who
wanted better should be compelled to
pay for it. 1 do not know what was
done there, but it seems that there was
outlined policy at that meeting which
included the abolition of these So
called branch high schools"
President Zimmerman protested
that there had been nothing clandes
tine about the meeting in the mayors 5
office. 1t had been entirely informal =
and nothing had been done there. Two
of those present were new members
of the board and two others were eX-
presidents of the board. The other
non official, Mr.. Zimmerman did not
mention, was a prominent West side
y
belonged. He did explain, however,
that there was nothing in the meeting
in the nature of a star chamber, no
talk of politics, nor no grand stand,
this evidently being aimed at Mr..
Yoerg, whose remarks had been ap-
plauded to the echo by the large audi
ence present.
Mr.. Yoerg went into the matter
further. He was evidently riled. He
DrOPppGpd tO Onofp fiUI1rGS He wont
into Adoniram J. Smith, the principal
Of the high school, who, when it was
proposed a year ago to consolidate the
Mechanic Arts and Central high
schools and put George E. Weitbrecht
at the head of both, insisted that the
Central building was not large enough.
Now, Mr.. Yoerg said, this same man
was not only urging the bringing of
that school, but the Humboldt and
Cleveland scholars to the Central build
ing. Even later than a year ago,
Principal Smith had denied the board
the use of a room in his building for
the purpose of truant school, insist
ing that he needed every inch of space
for Central high school purposes.
President Zimmerman, flushed like
June sunset deprecated the bringing
up of this unpleasant topic. He regret
ted that the incident had ever been
brought up outside of executive ses-
sion where it belonged. He was in
the midst of a lot of regrets when it
occurred to him that the people pres
ent were reveling in this revelation of
the inner political history of the anti
school movement and he sat down.
Lou Wilkes killed little time, and
Inspector May exclaimed that he was
one of those present at the meeting in
question, although it was merely by
accident, Mayor Doran inviting him as
he met him at dinner at the CONNER
cial club. The crowd laughed at this.
Meanwhile the editor of Mayor Do
rams West side organ cantered up to the
stage, climbing out of his bench over
the feet of j. M. Hawthorne, who was
laying out the ground lines of a speech
then yet to be delivered. What the
West side editor said was not loud
enough to be generally heard, but
President Zimmerman nodded assent
and the West side editor went back to
his bench. In few minutes he secured
the eye of the president of the board.
'Mr. President he said.
The crowd, which had been watching
the by-play with breathless inte est,
listened intently.
The president of the board grantea
the West side editor the coveted recog-
milton.
The editor wished to contradict some
erroneous impressions, he declared. 1t
had been charged that the mayor was
inimical to the high schools. This was