The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-05
SENIORS LIKE IT NOT
COMMENCEMENT ESSAY IDEA
RAISES "A HUBBUB IN THE
HIGH SCHOOLS
WILLMAR rs AT FEVER HEAT

KandiyOhi County Seat Is the Scene
of ~ Bitter War Between the
Graduating Class of 1890 and the
Local School Authorities-State
Officials Are Called on to Inter-
pref the Law.
Attorney General Douglas and State
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Lewis have been called upon to unravel
an interesting controversy between the
graduating class of the Willmar High
school, the parents and the local board
of education.
The board of education made rule re-
quiring the class to give essays on com
mencement day and the class registered
vigorous protest against the rule. The
matter was taken up by the parents of
the members of the class last week and
a meeting was called resulting in formal
petition being addressed to the board re-
questing that this feature of the school
exercises be done away with. The claim
was made that the state university had
done away with the graduating essays,
the graduating class should have option
in the matter.
The school board took no notice of the
protest and notified the principal of the
school that the class would be required
to give the usual number of graduating
essays The entire class were threatened
with suspension If they did not comply
with the rule and turn their essays over
for inspection within ten days.
Since then the principal of the Itch
field high school has held out induce
ments to the class, intimating that he
would be willing to issue diplomas to the
class If the Willmar school officials car
ried out their threat, upon an examina-
ton being taken by the class.
The question which now confronts the
state superintendent and attorney general
is that of the right of the Litchfeld prin-
cipal to graduate scholars who have been
suspended by another school for non-con-
pllance with the rules. Attorney General
Douglas is of the opinion that matter Is
purely one for the state high school board
to decide Several conferences have been
held between Mr.. Douglas and Sput
Lewis. and a voluminous correspondence
has been carried on with the state officials
by all parties concerned.
They have been called upon to referee
the controversy and both gentlemen are
at loss to know what position to take in
the matter, as decision upon the ques-
ton will be widespread in its effect, as It
seems that the same conditions which
prevail at Wilmar are duplicated in
many other localities of the state
In several cases which have been re-
ported to the state superintendent the
seniors as body refused to comply with
the rule. On the other hand, the school
omclals with few exceptions, are 10th
to give up the time-honored custom of
holding platform graduation exercises,
with the seniors as the principal contrib
utors to the programme
The rules of the high school board do
not at present prevent one principal grad
uat1ng the pupil of another high school
upon the proper examination being taken
superintendent Lewis Is a strict dis
cfpi1narfan and believes that a suspended
student should be unable to have recourse
from any school except the one from
which they are suspended. There are
others, however, who maintain that the
high schools should be open to all Min
nesota students, and that any one who
passes successfully the prescribed exami-
nation should be given diploma.
In the case of Willnar controversy,
a. great deal Of public sentiment has been
stirred up, and it is quite likely that a.
special meeting of the High School board
will be called within few days to dis
posesof' the matter. The Wi1lmar people
do not want the, I4itchfielda school to have
the credit for work done by the Willmar
school, yet many sympathize' with the
parents and believe that the board has
acted arbitrarily in the matter