The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-10
PRESIDENCY At ST. CLOUD
1T IS A BONE OF CONTENTION At
STATE NORMAL BOARD
MEETING
KLEEBERGER AGAIN CHOSEN
After a Spirited Debate, Reminls-
cent of Old Days in the Star
Chamber Annals of the
ROGTd.

The state normal school board held its
annual meeting yesterday at the state
house. 1t was strlkingly similar to for
mer meetings in that II was held behind
closed doors, and a number Of warm pas
sages occurred between members Of the
board. Indeed, some conversation with
the gentlemen who guide the destines of
the norInals around the hotels last night,
would indicate that no more pronounced
spirit Of harmony exists than in the past,
and to put 1t in the parlance Of the street,
the board had "hot tme. s,4 80
The principal bone of contention was the
election of a president for the st. Cloud
normal school. 1t appears that a fight
is being waged upon President Klee-
berger for just what reason is not
known, but 1t was very evident that Mr.
Kleeberger is not at all popular with the
board. Indeed, 1t was openly stated at
the meeting that it would be bad policy
TO let Mr.. Kleeberger out, in as much
as there was dearth Of educators just
at present, and several good jobs, such
as the superintendency of the public
schools laying around loose and the
likelihood of being able to secure a ca
pable man to fill Mr.. Kleeberger's shoes
was not very great. Prof J. F. Mills
paugh, Prof. Cooper and Prof. F. a.
Weld, presidents of the other three nor
mails, We're elected without dissenting
vote.
Directors Morey and Clark had 1t out
On a proposition which had most
ridiculous ending. MIR. Clark, Of Man
kato, called the boards attention to the
recent fire at the Mankato normal, and
stated that If it had not been for the
heroic action of the fire department the
building would have probably been to-
tai loss He suggested that the board, as
an evidence of it's appreeiaticn,- vote an
appropriation of 500 for the fire depart
ment. Mr. Morey thought 1t IN alto
gether bad taste, and stamped the
scheme as establishing bad precedent,
to say nothing of it's legality, which he
questioned Mr.. Clark urged his point,
and moved an appropriation of $10O for
this purpose Mr.. Morey condescend-
ingly gave his second. Just to get the
matter before the meeting" and to that
gentlemans astonlshment the 500 appro-
priatiOn carried.
Public Examiner E. M. Pope appeared
before the board and explained the uni
form system of accounts adopted by
number of the institutions. 1t was desir-
able, he stated, that all the institutions
should have a uniform system Of auditing
their accounts. He presented a form Of
voucher which was adopted.
All the presidents presented reports:
President Frank A Weld, of Moorhead,
stated that during the past year the
school has been compelled to accommo-
date 321 students, while the seating ca
pacity is 0O. This taxed the class looms
to the utmost, and students were put to
considerable trouble in finding accOmmo-
dations in the town. Many were un-
able to find places at all suited to stu
dent life; the dining room and kitchen
had a capacity of 60, and they had ac-
commodated 100 students there. Under
these conditions it was Impossible to
any of the buildings. The plas, ,ering was
in Wretched condition and .arge sections
frequently fell from the ceilings. One
young lady was badly injured in this way.
faculty-Miss Glenna Smith, of the read
ing department, and Miss Letit.a Nor
risey, the music teaches. The chair of
history was still vacant, and must re-
main so next year for want of funds
The work was divided among the other
teachers. The school graduated seventy
nine
At Winona a class of 105 was graduated.
school, reported a large decrease in the
attendance. They had but 407 students as
against SO1 last year. The abolition of
the "C'' class was charged with the re-
sponsibility for this Then the president
dropped from the school seventy students
who lacked either scholarship brother
qualifications to make successful teachers.
Although the loss in attendance was
regrettable President COODer says it gave
him less concern than the almost com
plete severance of relations between the
normal school and the rural schools. On
account of the raising of the standard Of
admission, the country pupils could not
meet the entrance conditions and the
normal school teachers generally would
not take country schools while positions
in the towns were omen to them. There
were four vacancies in the teaching force
al Mankato.
President Kleeberger. of the ST. Cloud
school. made the strongest bid for ap-
proving the central building. Six mem
hers Of the faculty have RESIGNED during
the year. some of them to accept better
positions ard others to pursue special
lines of study. q ~s--s.- - -.