The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-12-16
School Board Opposes Single
Sessions.
Supt. Varney Reports Case Of Corporal
Punishment Where Good Results
Followed.

Treasurer Keysor's bond for $780,
900 was approved.
1t was reported that two Of the
teachers had lost the orders for their
October salary, and Secretary Brew
ster was authorized to issue duplicates
and notify the banks not to pay the
original ones.
Supt. Varney presented his monthly
report. He said that the schools
were moving along smoothly. The
matter of contagious diseases was
causing no trouble at present. The
matter of discipline had given but
very little trouble. Mr.. Varney said
that for five years past he had had no
occasion to INFECT corporal punish
ment upon any pupil, until last month.
a case occurred in the fourth grade
OF the Pleasant Grove building where
a pupil sWoIe at a teacher and
threatened to strike her. After in
vestigating the case carefully, he had
concluded that moral suasion would
not do much good, so he had taken a
strap and punished the pupil. TIE
effect had been good, for the pupil
afterwards went to the teacher and
said that he would be good boy
after this.
Supt. Varney said that the total
enrolment in the schools had increas-
ed by Al during November, and is now
1875. The pupils in all of the build
ings are preparing FIR Christmas ex
ercises the last day Of the term. Each
bull ding will have two or three pro-
grams, several rooms uniting. Origi-
nal story writing is being encouraged,
and series Of Christmas and Easter
stories are to be prepared, and the
best may be selected to be put in
pamphlet form.
Mr.. Varney said that during the
coolest days there had been trouble,
with the Union building heating
plant, but he thought that starting
the fires earlier might remedy the
ma tier. There are thirty two stu
dents in the high school who are non
residents, or one-ffth Of the enroll
ment. The majority of these are
from the country, but Norseland,
Lakefield, Lyndon, and Genoa, Texas,
are represented. There had been con-
siderable discussion about allowing
the single session plan in the high
school during the winter months.
Mr.. Varney said that he would like to
have an expression on the matter by
the board. He had thought Of send.
ing circular letter to the parents,
asking their wishes on the subject,
and this could be done if the board
wished. Mr.. Varney also spoke of
the need of telephone in the high
school building and in the ward
schools. 1t was customary in all cities
to have them, especially in the high
school building. They save much
trouble and delay.
Capt. Keysor said that few years
ago the matter of having single ses-
slons in the high school had come up
and letters were solicited from the
parents. Some of the parents never
saw the letters that were sent in, and
many of the replies could be traced to
the teachers who wanted the change
made. II the change was made in
the high school, other schools would
want it, and where would the board
stop?
Mr. Wilson remarked that the
board had better stop before it be-
gins.
Secretary Brewster said that at the
time referred to, the physicians had
also sent letters to the board, advis-
ing against the plan.
Mr.. Varney said that he was op
posed to single sessions as regular
thing, but thought that they would
be all right during cold weather.
Some of the students do not return in
the afternoon, and thirty-tive bring
their dinners with them.o
Mr.. Cray said that he remembered
that when the subject was agitated
before, many of the parents had OBJ
jected on the ground that it would
disarrange things in the homes.
The matter Of heating the
buildings was next taken up, and
Capt. Keysor said that he and Mr..
Parry had called at the Pleasant
Grove building and found the tenn
perature As degrees, with the venti-
lators wide open and the heat going
directly up them without getting in
to the rooms. One stovepipe. was
also disconnected. AT the Franklin
building he had found substitute
ianitor piling on hard maple WOOD,
while the rooms were so hot that the
teachers had the windows open.
Enough fuel is being used 10 the
schools, and unless the teachers use
discretion with the ventilators no
ianitor living can heat the buildings.
Mr.. Cray: "We ought to have one
.oom GET anart to educate the jan1-