The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-07
SCHOOL BID REPORT
It Is Just Off the Printing Press
Shows Receipts Of
$926,492.16.
DR.. Jordan Shows that High Schools
Are Not Schools of the
Rich.

I Fresh from the press, the annual
report of the board of education for
1903 is now ready for distribution. The
Ing July /, 1903, were 1925, 4ss.1e, and
the credit balance $45,132.43. over
$4,000 more than the balance for the
year previous.
DR.. Jordan's report reviews the work
comprehensively. He quotes figures
which completely set at rest the
charges that the high schools are for
the children of the rich and that many
children were taken out Of school be-
cause the work was too severe. Thus.
out of a total enrolment of 39,682.
there were 1000 who left school, and
of these only 81 gave as their reason
that they were unable to do the work.
OF the others, 1875 left the city, 696
left to go to work, 297 for religious in
structions in parochial schools and
others for various causes.
President Schlener's Message.
John A. Schlener. president of the
board, in his annual address. shows
that the percentage of increase in the
enrolment is greater than the percent
age of increase In the expenditures.
He commends the plan for beautifying
the school grounds in conjunction
with the park board, and also ap-
proves of the work of the special COM
nittee to investigate the matter of
purity of the drinking water in the
schools.
Continuing. Mr.. schlener says:
| 1t Is gratifying to note that cooking
and manual training are again a part OF
the school curriculum! They were dis
continued for economical reasons only
during the period Of financial stringency
| Notwithstanding that some few people
may call them "fads'' ! think the re.es-
| tablishment Of these most practical and
L IL.
and satisfaction by the patrons Of the
schools The course in cooking and man
ual training is to be elective and confined
to the seventh and eighth grades. trust
! that the board may in the near future be
able also to re-establish the industrial
work In the fourth, fifth and sixth grades
Another n. s. Course.
! The remarkable growth of the higi
schools system demonstrates the strong
hold the high schools have upon the PEG
pie and the work which is done by then
justifies the confidence. While severa
/ courses Of study are provided for. 1t Is true
that there has not been sufficient pro
vision made for that large, class of boy:
and girls whose school life will close at til,
end of the high school course and who de
:. sire at once to enter upon a business ca
reer. 1t probably would not be wise t
!, establish a purely business school, yet |
would be possible to arrange anothe
course of study for the high schools which
while contributing to the general educa
tional development of the pupil, woul
& also give him a far better preparation TO
a business career. Such subjects as com
mercial arithmetic, bookkeeping, CONNER
cial geography, the elements of CONNER
cial law. business forms. and at least on
foreign language should be embraced 1
such a course. Neither is it necessar
that this course require four years, but
should carry with it a, diploma and shoul
be made strong as far as it goes. Such
course would increase the expense of tn
high schools. but 1t would be money we
invested. as it would be the means of re
Itatning in school many boys and girls swh
now go no farther than the grade school
or possibly one year in the high school.