The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-12
THURSDAY, MAY IL, 1904.
THE PUBLIC AND THE HIGH
SCHOOL.

SCHOOL.
The gentleman who signs himself
Taxpayer" in sundry letters to the
public press, and who is vigorous in
denouncing administrations and Off
Gals for high tax rates, turns UP miss
ing, as rule, whenever there is an OPP
portunity for him to do real service to
himself or to others, On Tuesday the
st. Paul Chamber of Commerce held a
meeting to consider the several high
public 1t was known everywhere that
the subject would be discussed. 1t was
announced by circular and through the
public press. Expressions Of opinion
were invited by the Chamber of Com
meree, either personally or by letter.
The discussion had been postponed for
a week in order that a more general
representation Of public opinion might
be had. The result was the unanimous
adoption of a resolution favoring the
erection of a great central high school,
and the expenditure and an addi-
ton to the city debt of certainly not
less than $1,OOO,OOO and possibly twice
that sum.
Sometimes, when we find taxpayers
thus Indifferent to their real interests
and so elamorous when talk can do no
good, We are inclined to delight in
every new imposition upon them. We
are inclined to believe that they de-
serve the lash Of scorpions instead of
the whip Of thongs. They are so ut
terly careless, selfish and Indifferent
when plans are under way whose ma
turing will cost huge sums of money.
and so critical, complaining and over
flowing with blame when they are re-
quired only to bear the consequences
of their own acts. Never was there
clearer case of it than this high school
folly. st. Paul is actually upon the
point of being plunged into a sea of
debt which it would well befit her to
avoid were she free of all obligation
today, and which viii compel her to
struggle along desperately for years
under mammoth tax rate, and few of
our citizens seem to care.
Remember that this matter is going
forward rapidly to single conclusion.
A meeting of the board of school in
spectors has been called for tonight to
consider this same question. If the
people of this city maintain their
stupid apathy, if they do not go before
the board with an organized and pow
erful protest, the chances are that st.
Paul will be committed to this colossal
financial folly which will beat down her
chances of renewed prosperity for
many a day, and give her in return
only an actual impeachment to her edu-
cational progress. We no more need
additional high school facilities than
we need ten new bridges across the
Mississippi river. The best thing that
could happen to the school system of
st. Paul today would be the reduction
Of high school population to the limits
of its accommodations. If this were
done by raising the educational stand
ard. the children of the people would
get real instruction. thoroughness
would reappear and the whole mental
tone Of the next generation would
profit. 1t is an educational service as
well as public economy that is at
stake; and in the face of all this our
people are apathetie, where they are
not actually demanding new expendt-
lures more taxes and a further sub
mergence Of the educational level.
he Globe has certainly done its