The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-24
High School Force All Goes in for
Another Year.
The Selection Is Preceded by an In.
teresting Discussion.
Mr.. Fletcher Shows How Teachers
Salaries Have Been Increasing.
President Davis Proves Total Expenses
and Tax Levy Are Low.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
The school board held an adjourned
meeting last night to elect teachers of
the high school, and filled out the corps
by rejecting all of them at their old
salaries, except that Miss Bonetta Cor
nish was granted an advance of S. per
month An effort to raise Mr.. Pierce's
salary failed.
The election was not taken up until
after a long discussion on the subject
of the expense of the schools and the
size of the teaching corps of the high
school. Every member of the board was
present.
The board voted to raise the salary
of Miss Harter, the newely elected teach
er of the fourth grade of the, Pleasant
Grove school, to $40 per month.
Mr.. Fletcher called upon Superintend-
emit Uline for statement of the number
of classes which each high school teach
er has day. Mr.. Uline replied that
Miss Fullerton has four, and all the rest
six. The teachers do monitor service In
the assembly room when not teaching.
Mr.. Fletcher asked Mr.. Uline whether
it could be arranged so as to get along
Mr.. Uline replied that the only way
would be to increase the size of the
classes, which he thought would be detri-
mental to the school work.
MIR. Fletcher said that the board is re-
sponsible TO the public. The expense of
teachers this year is 5000 over last year.
In three years there has been an in
crease of over $4,000 in teachers salaries,
which has not been justified by the in
crease of enrolment. If the expense is
to be added to, it should be done by add
ing to the salaries of some of the old and
faithful teachers, some of whom are
wearing themselves out. They have
reached the $50 limit and cannot get
any higher.
Mr. Uline said that he agreed with
what was said about the pay of grade
teachers, who are a loyal and efficient
body, but it would be an irreparable step
backward to reduce the teaching force
of the high school,
Mr. Fletcher asked whether it would
not be better for the superintendent to
open the high school in the morning and
teach three classes a day.
Mr.. Uline replied that he is frequently
in the presence of the high school in the
morning, and he could be there nearly
every morning. Perhaps he could teach
a class at the close of the day. He had
two classes the second year he was here,
and one class half of last year. To
teach would bring him in touch with a
few scholars, but it was a question
whether his time was not more valuable
elsewhere
Mr. Fletcher said that it was a ques
ton of finances. If the board was to
get behind it would put it to much in
convenience.s This had occurred three
times in the last forty years, and each
time it took some time for the board to
get even. The expenses are increasing,
mostly in the high school.
Mr. Davies said that if it was desired
to get man to teach, this could be done
for less than $l,S00 year.
Mr.. Uline said that the enrolment of
the high school has increased forty
per cent in the last five years, which
would account for the increase in the ex-
pense.
Mrs. Smith said that the increase has
been 10 in the last five years.
Mr. Fletcher said that it was necessary
to teach all of the different subjects be-
fore
Mr.. Uline said that in large school
the classes have to be divided.
Mr. Fletcher said that in the old academ-
les he had seen a hundrer scholars in a
class.
President Davis remarked that the
board could do that if it saw fit, which
led Mr.. Davies to inquire where the high
school apportionment would come from
in that case.
Mr.. Fletcher asked whether all of the
high school teachers were entitled to
first grade certificates.
Mr. Uline replied that every one of
them was, as the getting of these
was mere matter OF form in their cases,
all being university or normal school
graduates.
President Davis said that it was a
mistake to think that the expenses have
been increasing so much in the last five
years.
Mr.. Fletcher said that he had the
figures from the secretary's book. He
said that in 1897 the amount paid for
teachers salaries was $l9,SS2, in 1898
it was Sl9,6S0, in 1899 it was $1,000,
in 1900 it was $20,494, in 1901 it was
S2l 800, in 1902 it was $2l, 594, and this
year it was $22,404.96.
Mr.. Hughes asked whether this
increase in salaries had not been largely
to the old and faithful teachers in the
grades that Mr.. Fletcher had spoken so
feelingIy of.
President Davis called Vive President
Coughlin to the chair and addressed the
board. He said that he recognized the
Importance of this question of expense
and believed it to be the duty of the
board to proceed very carefully. While
Mr.. Fletcher is sincere in his attitude,
and has rendered much valuable service
to the board in the past, yet he believed
that he was now wrong in his ideas and
that his apprehensions were entirely
eroundless. He believed that it was a
great mistake to require the superinten-
dent to do any teaching. If teaching is
wanted, teacher can be secured at less
expense than is being paid the superin-
tendent. The latter is employed to SUI
perintend the schools, and the schools
cannot be seen to properly I'M
less they receive the entire time
of an active, energetic man. Out of
seventeen cities of the state, eleven do
not allow the superintendent to teach,
in four he teaches one class, and in one
he teaches three classes. In no other