The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-02-08

would suggest that it is time for us to
begin to make plans for commence
ment exercises. Last year we were a
little later than the other schools
about u.s. thereby finding some trouble
in securing choice of lecturer. l re-
quest that this matter be decided at
this meeting.
81 have to report officially the sus-
pension of Edgar Porter, John Ken
ney and James Akers, who were sus-
pended on the first day of this term. -
| Board Stands Firm.
The paragraph relating to vaccina-
tion was discussed at some length. Mr..
Fletcher was the only member who fav-
ored allowing the two per cent of I'M
vaccinated pupils to be received ba OK
into the schools, saying that the pur-
pose of the board had been accom-
plished.
President Davis thought that allow
ing the thirty-three unvaccinated
pupils to return would be taking the
back track. Since the board had taken
action, a case had come before dis
trict judge in this state and he had held
that the board was justified in requir-
ing the pupils to be vaccinated. 1t did
not appear that there were any cases
of smallpox in that town, either.
Other members thought that the
board should stand firm and not be
swayed by such small percentage of
parents as object to vaccination, who
were not over one per cent of all the
parents.
No motion was made and President
Davis said that by the boards non
action the superintendent could under
stand that it stands just where it did
when it passed the original order.
The question of purchasing mental
arithmetics for the teachers was left
to the committee on schools and text
books with authority to act.
An appropriation of $40 was made
for commencement music.
No Commencement Address.
Mr. Fletcher moved that the COM
mencement exercises be arranged SO
that all of the graduating class may
take part. He declared that he was
absolutely tired and sick of the plan of
paying lecturer to come and recite
an old piece-an old lecture that is
worn out and turned down at the cor
ners.
Supt Uline stated that there are up
wards of twenty members of the gradu-
ating class, and that if they were to
appear on the program they should do
it creditably, and this would inter fere
with their school work.
After some little discussion the
motion was carried unanimously.
Fewer Home Tasks.
Mr. Comstock moved that the course
of study adopted at the last meeting be
reconsidered so far as it relates to
home tasks.
Supt. Uline said that the pupils are
not required to devote much time to
home tasks. President Davis said that
the great mass of references that they
are obliged to look up takes time.
Mr.. Uline said that he did not know
of any "great mass of references that
they had to look up. Mr.. Davis re-
piled that if Mr.. Uline had children
in the high school he would know of it,
A reasonable amount of home task
work would do no harm and should be
required.
! Mr.. Uline said that he did not blame
pupil for being ambitious to do more
work.
Mr.. Davis thought that three hours
day would not be unreasonable, but
the trouble was that the ambitious
pupil did not get off with three hours
day.
Mr. Comstock' motion was carried,
and he then moved that the home task
for the sixth, seventh and eighth grades
be limited to one hour day.
Mr.. Uline said that there was a
great deal of agitation going on over
the country about home tasks At Los
Angeles, CAL, the parents held pub
lie meeting and resolved that there
should be no home tasks below the
eighth grade because it was killing the
children. His own recollection was
that all of us studied nights when we
were young and that it did not hurt
us. He said that the home tasks
affected only a few pupils, as the most
of them are able to do the work during
the school hours, when they have two
hours and three quarters for study. He
did not oppose the one ho1r limita-
| ton, however.
The motion was carried
Slant VS.. Vertical Writing.
| Mr. Nopootool> cold tbot bo ooon;5ox