The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-08-16
MAY CUT LOOSE.
Normal Board to Have q Meet.
ing Saturday.
State Board of Control is Too Particular
In Regard to Some Things, and
Revolt Threatens.

AU OhO LAOOOAAS VI UAO SCQOOI
board to be held at the state capitol
Saturday morning signs of a revolt
against the board of control may be
looked for, says the Minneapolis Jour
nal. Some months ago the normal
board decided to waive the defect in
the. law and leave the financial SUPER
vision of the normal schools to the
board of control. The understanding
then was that the board of control
should superintend the fiscal affairs of
the schools but leave details to the
normal board.
The board of control, however,
seems to have Jumped the normal
schools right in with their other insti-
buttons, having required estimates from
them, and contracts having been let
for all supplies, except those purchased
locally.
In this the board of control attacked
one of the cherished perogatives of the
old board. The members of the board
living in the cities where normal
schools are located have been acting as
purchasing agents. The Office is a
pleasant one and pays $500 year. AS
stated in The Journal Saturday, the
board of control decided to have the
presidents of the schools act as pur-
chasing agents without extra pay.
This was the last straw. At the
approaching meeting, it is understood,
the normal board will issue an ulti-
natum that the board of control keep
hands off, and permit normal board
members to serve as purchasing
agents. II the board of control re-
fuses, the normal board will cast loose
entirely, taking the same stand as the
university regents. Technically, the
normal schools are not under board
of control supervision, and if a break
comes, the normal school board will
hoist the flag of independence.
Resident Director Clark, when asked
shout the above, said that a meeting
Of the normal school board is to be
held at ST. Paul Saturday, but ne pro-
tested his ignorance as to the object of
the meeting.
Mr.. Clark has been completely in the
dark this summer as to what repairs
or improvements were to be made at
the normal school, the board of control
having taken the entire matter, even
down to the details, upon itself
He does not know what is to be. done
in regard to a new sidewalk, further
than that he had heard Indirectly that
some of the local stone men have been
communicated with.
1t was the intention of Mr.. Clark
and the normal faculty to have man
ual training done in the institution
the coming year, and it was expected
that the cost of the necessary articles
and tools, probably not over $500,
would be- taken, from the fund that has
hitertc been used for such purposes.
The state board of control steps in,
however. and declared that the Man
kato normal shall have no system of
manual training, because nothing was
said in the appropriation about man
ual training. The Winona normal
school secured an appropriation from
the Legislature specifically for manual
training, and it is to be permitted to
have the. system.
Thisis sample of the way the.
state board of control works. and it
would not be surprising if Mr.. Clark
joined in, the move by the norma
board to declare independence and run
things as they have been run in the
past, unhampered by technicalities.