The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-06-30

from it a sum sufficient for that pur-
pose.
Third. 1t does this not so much
for the children as for the state, not
so much for their good as for the
states good. 1t foresaw the day
when as at present there would be in
our public schools nearly 10000 0 boys
and girls-practically n fourth Of
the entire population. That as time
passed on these same boys and girls
would be the citizens, and in their
hands would rest our destiny. That
they might grow up ignorant and de-
PRAYED, or intelligent and upright.
That they might allow the state to
fall back in the race for supremacy or
press on vigorously to the destined
goal. That the most potent factor in
a full and free development Of all that
constitutes a state was not indiYid-
ual gain or success, but the general
welfare Of all the people. 1t was such
sentiments as these which possessed
their souls, and today no citizen Of
Minnesota
"Who feels within his free born breast
1.-THE rest
can for one moment hesitate to &C.
cord to them craftsmanship of the
very highest degree. Illustrous
fathers,
How shall we rank the in history's pages"
Ii may be we'll TO remember that
this language is addressed to the
legislature, those who will be called
from every section TO make our laws.
The obligation upon their part rests
wholly in the form of their own con-
science, They may be derelict, and
The only remedy is with the people
and by the ballot. Here as in all
other matters the people at last must
be the rulers. 1t is their duty to see
that the obligation in ever enforced
and the mandate Eve obeyed.
Our permanent school fund is de-
rived from the proceeds of the lands
granted by the general government,
being about three and a half million
acres, or about one. eighteenth OF the
entire area of the state. OF these
about two million acres have been
sold giving US a fund of about twelve
million dollars. The official estimate
is that when all the lands shall have
been sold the fund will reach thirty
million dollars. | believe that with
careful management it may reach
forty millions and perhaps fifty. The
annual income is well on to a half
million dollars, it will some day be q
million or a million and a half dollars.
To this sum the legislature has ad-
ded an annual n mill tax prOduc-
ing about $3.50, 900. This income from
both sources is to be apportioned
among all the scholars In the state
between the ages OF 5 and 81 years.
In addition each school district is -au-
thorized or require to levy annually
taxes sufficient TO maintain the
schools.
We 'have just nOw made an i'm
mense stride IN adding further aid TO
the high schools and the common
schools. Under the wise recon-
mendations Of the present state SD.
perintendenJ the legislature at It's
last session enlarged the provisions
Of these schools. They are now to be
allowed, when meeting certain condi-
tions, sums as follows: To high
schools, $500 each; to graded schools,
5000 each; to semi-graded schools,
300 each; and to rural schools, S75
each. The expenses for this work 1T
is estimated will be nearly 5000, 900
annually. There is also appropriated
500, 900 annually for summer schools.
All this with our present beneficent
free text book law now gives US a pub
lie school system second to none in all
this country.
1 wish, Mr.. President, Icould say as
much for our four state normal
schools. While improvement goes on
in every direction we here stand as
we did almost in the days when they
were first opened. They seem to
have been a sort of waits, nobody's
child. Ignorance, prejudice and par
simony, have thronged about them in
front and flank and rear. They have
been compelled to subsist on the
meager appropriations doled out to
them from time to time by unwilling
legislatures, and to live literally up
on the crumbs that fall from the
table. Their buildings have been
constructed piece meal. Their equip
ments are poor and out OF date. The
salary list has been kept both in mum.
bers and compensation at the lowest
possible limit. Even at our annual
board meeting held two weeks ago
every normal school reported a drop.
ping out of two or more teachers, some
because of insufficient funds and
others because they were in demand
elsewhere at greatly increased
salaries. 1 have no little acquain-
tance with the best high schools o.
our state, and l declare that not enc
of them but is better equipped with
the necessary apparatus, and pays lar
ger salaries to it's instructors. The
grants to the university Of similar
purposes are almost three times as
great. [ attribute this largely to the
fact that university men are now be-
coming men Of influence and abound
In every part of the state. One of
them, to it's credit be it spoken, was
chairman of the university commit
tee in the senate. In spite OF all this
embarrassment the four normal
schools Of Minnesota have gone on
nobly and proudly in their work.
What, Mr.. President, is a normal
school? What does it do, and how
does it do it? The normal school idea
is less than two generations old. 1t is
a growth wholly of American exper-
fence and thought. Twenty years
after it's birth 1t came to US when we
were yet a territory, and it was glad
ly welcomed and incorporated in our
system. The man who first started
the Winona Normal is today and hon
Ored and valuable member of u
state hoard. They ia ko tho t,don+