The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-28
SENT OUT
AMENDMENT OF BOARD OF
CONTROL BILL
CLASSIFICATION TO BE ASKED
Status of Public School System Re-
quested to BE Fixed So as
to Accord 1t Proper
Dignity.

Inc campaign LOT the amendment OF
the board of control bill by the coming
session of the legislature is on. State
Supt. j. w. Olsen yesterday sent out
to school officers throughout the state a
petition to the legislature to be circu-
lated, signed and returned for early use
before the legislature. Supt. Olsen and
President S. ]. Race, of the Minnesota
State Educational association, also pre-
pared brief statement, which, with DR..
Kiehles circular, published in Sunday s
G 0 b e, accompanies the petitions. The
statement was as follows:
The enclosed article by DR.. I<iehle will
sufficiently explain the occasion of this
circular. The undersigned, representing
the state in the two capacities to when
they have been appointed, are called
upon by the comm on sentiments. of the
state to provide for petitions to the leg
1slature for such action as will remove all
doubt as to the rank of public education
in the state of Minnesota
If you are in accord with this move
ment you will sign this petition, and see
that it has the largest possible circula-
| ton.
Please observe the following instruc-
| tons: First secure the signature of all
| school officers and teachers, all friends
| OF education who believe that public edu-
! cation is a public duty, and not a char
| ity. Second, return all petitions, not
| later than Feb. 10, to the state superin-
],
| communicate by letter with your senat Or
! and representative, requesting to give
this interest their personal attention.
| Hoping to hear from you in due sea-
! son, we are, in the cause of education,
! very sincerely,
Superintendent Public Instruction.
S. j. Race,
President Minnesota Educational
President M. E. A.
! The petitions read as follows:
Text of Petition.
| To the Honorable Legislature of the
! state OF Minnesota:
The undersigned citizens of the state
| of Minnesota in the interests of public
education, beg leave to make the follow
decision of the supreme court of the state
of Minnesota it has been decided that the
| law placing the 1.-The management and
control of charitable, reformatory and
control, Includes the state normal schools
under charitable and that these
schools are therefore subject to said
| board. Second, that in this majority
decision it is expressly stated that we,
| the court. are not required to hold, and
we do not hold that normal schools are
as a matter of fact, as the term is gem
orally understood, charitable institu-
| lions.
Your petitioners represent that not
withstanding this qualification Of the
SOuIL that THESE SCnOOlS- are not IN TACT,
I as the term is generally understood,
charitable institutions" this authorta-
tive statement that they are in some
sense charitable institutions is interpret
| ed by the public as assigning them to this
class of institutions, and accordingly as
| determining the attitude Of the state
| toward them in the support which it
| gives them, as well as in the administra-
ton of the appropria ton which it makes
Your petitioner further represents that
| the historical classification of the schools
| for the people as Charitable" originated
| In the fact that under monarchiaI and
arlstocratic form of government the COM
| mon people were not recognized as be-
| longing to the governing class and there
| fore, that the assistance afforded in the
| education of their children was regarded
as charity
Your petitioners submit that in a gov
| eminent of the people and for the people.
our educational institutions have attain
| ed TO the same honorable rank as other
! departments of government, and that any
seeming degrading of them to the rank
! OF charities would be serious blow to
| their efficiency
| Your petitioners, therefore respectfully
| ask That to remove every suspicion of
doubt as to the honorable rank of edu-
cation in the state of Minnesota. Your
| otherwise make such explicit cIassifca-
ton of the public school system in
Guiding its institutions, as will at once
| accord to them the high rank and dignity
| 70 which they have attained and win
| forever distinguish them from those in
I stltutons that are charitable reforma-
| tory and penal"