Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-26
CRANE HAS GOOD D[AS
New Superintendent OF MARSHALL
town Schools Presents Ideas
to the Board.
Is Going to Make the Schools
Better Than the Present
High Standard.
Merit Alone Required in Teach.
ers.-.Coal Bids Are Again
High.

superintendent Mlll1aln 1. NF'iIie, vi
the city schools, demonstrated to the
school board Friday night that he is a
man of ideas. His ideas are good ones
too, and meet the approval of the
board without exception. The adjourned
let the local contract for the ensuing
year, but that matter developed into
La secondary consideration, and was
postponed for further action until the
regular meeting on Aug ;. All of the
bids We're high. those for mine run be-
ing $..75 to $3.50. and ranging from
those prices UP to s3.25 for lump.
The board took occasion Friday
night to listen to some of the ideas
advanced by Mr.. Crane looking toward
the future development of the Mar
shalltown schools. MIR. Crane has his
ideal schools in mind, and it is this
ideal that he expects. some day. to
attain in Marshalltown Even tho this
is the case he does not intend any rad
ical changes, and the alterations will
come about gradually. The new SUI
perintendent realizes the excellence of
the Marshalltown schools, yet he feels
that there are 10 schools SO good but
that they could be made better. 1t is
the degree of par excellence that he
wishes some day to claim.
The most important of the recon-
mendations set before the board for
consideration was the standard of the
teachers. Mr.. Crane wants the best
assistants possible to obtain, for he
realizes that his work, as superin-
tendent. is not with the pupils them
selves, but instead with the instructors
of those pupils. He announced himself
to the board as having but one prin-
cipal criterion in the selection of q
teacher, and that merit. Merit alone
will win with him, and no personal
feeling will cut any figure, one way
or the other. Mr.. Crane has been be-
sieged with applicants for positions in
the schools here to fill the vacancies
caused by designations. and many have
urged the appointment of certain
teachers on the ground of personal
and that alone. Nh. Crane
is not believer in this manner of Sc
beers of his corps competent in every
way and cares not whether they have
friends in the city or not, so long as
they are teachers in every sense of
the word. Many who have recommends
ed teachers have given as their reason
for such recommendation the simple
fact that they are nice girls or of
a good family" or perhaps "a ,daugh-
ter of very dear friend of mina.'
When asked for qualifications of the
school room those playing middle man
could not give one single recommends
ton.
The new superintendent has before
him some very hard problems to solve.
among which is the taking
care of the pupils of the old Third ward
who will be without a school home un
til the completion of the new Click
building. Another is the old Linn
township school and the furnishing of
proper accommodation for the patrons
of the recently annexed district. Rec
concentrations to the board on these
questions VIII be given at the regular
Mr.. Crane recommended the appoint
ment of two new teachers to fill va
eances. Miss Gertrude Powell is the
choice of the superintendent for the
third grade at the Arnold school. made
vacant by Miss 1.ichorns resignation.
Mr.. Crane recommends Miss Ethyl Ham
lton to succeed Miss Louise Miller
rs Kindergarten at the Woodbury.. The
may be considered as
definitely acted upon. The matter of
he other vacancies went over until the
regular meeting.
The board acted on a number of sup
olies for the high school necessary for
he school year, which We're ordered
purchased by Mr. Crane