The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-08
EDUCATION

Nothing I can say would give you a
more thorough knowledge of the adj
V9nced position taken by our state along
educational lines than the reports of the
superintendent of public Instruction Of
the regents of the university and of the
normal schools. l commend these to your
careful peruSal.
The growth of our schools has kept
pace with the growth of the state We
have enrolled 1851 pupils, a gain of
1 49, e64 t during the past two years. and
period of 2.019.
There Were built during the last BIZ
ennlal period 633 new school houses at a
cost of 81, 264, 756. We now have 8,598
school houses. and these with sites COST
$1,000, 446. 0O''
This large number of scholars and great
amount Of money invested will convey
to you some idea of the magnitude Of
our school system. 1t is a pleasure to
state that the superintendent of public
instruction has made special effort to
rural schools. This is proper, for in these
schools more than rs per cent of the chill
dren receive the only education that they
of citizenship.
Our great university ranks as one of
the foremost institutions of that char
acter In America. Its growth has been
phenomenal; its benefits cannot be esti-
mated, and its influence is constantly In
creasing. 1t has nearly 1000 students.
But 1t is not only great in numbers, for,
Will us elnciSnL- president and excellent
corps of professors, its standard Of
scholarship Is not surpassed by any of the
leading educational institutions of the
country.
It's department or school OF. agriculture
stands at the head of similar institutions
IN the United States. 1t has greatly ben
ef1ted the farmers of our state and has
been one of the factors in our growth and
prosperity. The young men who gradu-
ate from this institution become scientific
farmers and their influence is felt in
every section of Minnesota.
trust that you will carefully look after
the needs OF our university and its school
OF agriculture, and make liberal appro-
prlat1ons for their maintenance.
MORE TEACHERS NEEDED.
Our normal schools are unsurpassed.
They have done such excellent work that
their reputation has gone far beyond the
confines of our state. The success Of our
school system, in a large measure, is due
to them, and While they annually gradu-
ate a, corps of well equipped teachers,
they cannot begin to supply the demand
One-third of the more than II, 600 of our
teachers have received normal training
Educated at the expense of the state,
these teachers discharge with fidelity
the special obligations thus placed upon
them. These teachers have performed
their work in a satisfactory manner, and
they are entitled to and should receive
most liberal treatment at your hands
In this connection l would suggest that
the salary of the superintendent of public
instruction should be increased from
$4,000 to $4,000. 1t seems to me a mere
statement of this should be sufficient. The
former sum was ample in the early days.
but, with our great educational advance
ment and large amount of additional Ia
Dor, the sum asked for is not unreason-
able. The requirements of that Office are
OF such a character that the superin-
tendent of public instruction should re-
ceive fair compensation for his services,
and the sum suggested is not too large.