The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-01
is NOT PLANNING
TO CUT OUT SCHOOLS
Supt. Smith Says Board Does
Not Favor AboIlshing CIeve-
land and Humboldt.

1t Is evident that the board of school
Inspectors will have warm time dur
ing the next month or two relative to
high school affairs, largely because Of
the report recently submitted by the
special committee showing that the per
capita cost at the Central high school
is much lower than is the case at the
other two high schools.
The opinion prevails in the First
ward generally, end to some extent In
the Sixth, that an effort is soon to be
made to abolish the Cleveland and the
Humboldt high schools. In fact, some
of the First warders go to the extent
of saying that the efforts to centralize
high school work has to an extent
been agreed upon by the board or by
a majority of the board.
AT the next meeting Of the First
Ward Improvement association the
question will be considered, and it is
promised that the people of the ward
will speak In no uncertain terms in
favor of the retention of the Cleveland.
The opinion also prevails that Supt
Smith favors abolition of the Cleve-
land and Humboldt high schools.
Supt. Smith Says mo-"
Speaking to The G 10 e, Supt. Smith
said, in discussing the various features
of the question:
Those persons who are of the opinion
that the board of school inspectors has
virtually decided that it would be best
to centraIize the high schools are mis-
taken The question has not been con-
sldered. The report of the special COM
m1ttee that considered the high school
problem was merely to give the facts and
let the people judge for themselves. In
the report it is admitted by the princi-
pals of both the suburban high schools
that they have not sufficient room in
which to bring about the best results.
and this fact alone should be known and
If possible remedied. The object of the
investigation was to bring about thor
question, without any idea of abolishing
the Cleveland and Humboldt schools, and
with one possible exception do not be-
lieve that the members of the board have
decided what action they will take.
By some 1t has been said that the
Cleveland and Humboldt schools were not
treated fairly in the report. I contend
that they were ssod % Of o the Geveand
charged to the high school, whereas it is
my belief that he spends fully two-thirds
of his time on high school work In the
case of Humboldt but one-third Of Prof
Bakers salary was charged to the school
AS understand the matter the members
of the board of school inspectors are anx-
ious to hear from the people on this
question, which not only will cover, pos
sibly, the idea of centralizing the high
schools but also may include the argu-
ments In favor of additional high schools,
in suburban localities. as they are needed.
AT least, the board of school inspec-
tors will likely be the recipients of
great amount of attention until the
subject is passed upon. A majority
of the people of the First and Sixth
wards are known to be opposed to abol-
fishing their high schools, and have
heretofore, with an exception or two,
successfully resisted all efforts of those
who favor one large, centrally located
high school,