The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-12-02
CLEARED UP.
Wrong Impressions Left by the
Globes Article.
Director Clark Replies to Some Criti'
cisims of. the Acts of the State
Normal Board.

Wednesdays st. Paul Globe devotes
a two column article to the State Nor
NAL board, and claims to have brought
some matters to light regarding the
Winona Normal school. The writer
turns the board over for alleged secrecy
of its meetings, claiming that its ses-
sions are all executive. and that the
public must depend upon well cen
sored reports of the meetings, given
out by members after the doors are
again opened. The other state boards
are similarly criticized.
f. The article goes on to state tnat
President Shepard, OF the Wlnona
school. has been allowed to draw a
salary of $500 year as presioent'
and also salary at the rate OF
So. 500 year as secretary OF the Ma
tionaI Educational Assoc. The writer
claims to have discovered that Prot.
Shepard or some of his friends wanted
the state to pay him additional for
the extra three months of labor occa-
stoned by the continuous session plan.
The writer quotes an opinion render
ed June 3rd, 1898, by Attorney Gen.
eral Childs in response to communl-
cation from State Auditor Dunn, in
which the latter desired his opinion
as to his,authorityt to pay to the presi-
dent of the Winona school compensa-
tion for the current year in excess OF
the 80, 500 which he had already re-
ceived as salary. The attorney gen.
eral holds that the Normal board is
prohibited by the law of 1894 from
paying president more than $500
year. In his opinion, Gen. Chllds
says: sit is insisted on the part OF
the Normal school board in effect that
the act Of 1897 modifies the Normal
school law of 1894 so far as to permit
the board to authorize compensation
in excess Of $500" He says that he,
cannot subscribe to this view.
The article goes on to refer to al
legged trouble between Director Morey
and Prof. Freeman, of the Winonai
Normal, resulting in the severing OF
Prof. Freeman's connection with the
school. 5
When his attention was called to
the Globes article by Free Press
reporter, Resident Director Clark
stated that the Normal board never
at any of it's meetings had ever con-
sidered the matter Of an increased
salary for the presidents OF either OF
the Normal schools which have con-
tinuous sessions-Mankato and Vino
ma. He had never understood and the
board had never insisted that the law
of 1897 modifies the law Of 1894. He
had never suggested it, and never en-
tertained such an idea. President
Pattee. of the Normal board, took the
same ground from the start. Mr..
Clark states that never by intimation
or thought had he favored such a
thing. He is at loss to know who
started the inquiry.
In regard to the secrecy OF the
meetings, Mr.. Clark states that the
executive sessions are very infrequent
and are held only when the qualifica-
tions of teachers are being considered.
Nothing of general interest is with
held from the public by the board.
Mr.. Clark states, in regard to Prof.
Freeman, that he rendered his resigna-
tion to the board, saying that he
would not be a candidate for re-elec-
tion, and the board accepted it. The
board at this time knew nothing OF
the fact that Mr.. Freeman had a
grievance and did not know it until
his successor had been chosen. After
knowing all the facts in the case, the
board passed a resolution highly COM
mandatory of Prof. Freeman.
President Shepard's resignation
took effect Oct. 1st, after which he
drew no salary from the state. The
boards endeaYors to fill his position
are we'll known.