The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-07-08
High School Chemical Laboratory a
Sorry Locking Place.
LARGE Number Of Broken Articles Will
Have to Be Replaced.
The Award Of a Painting Bid Stirs
Up Little Breeze.
Cutting Trees on Grounds Calls Forth
Expressions Of Opinion.
From Thursdays Daily.

The regular meeting of the school
board last night was attended by Presi-
dent Hughes, Mrs. Smith and Messrs.
Davis, Coughlan and Fletcher.
The school committee made a requisi-
ton for six dozen drinking cups, three
Websters dictionaries and some song
books, and it was granted. 1t also re-
ported a requisition from the science de-
partment for $l64 and enough more from
the chemistry department to bring the
total up to $276, which with the de-
auctions is expected to be reduced to
SlS7. A considerable part of this is to
replace breakages.
President Hughes said that he had
visited the laboratory and that it ap-
peared to be topsy turvy. A great num-
Der of things were broken, littering up
the drawers and tables, and scattered all
over. 1t reminded him of how some peo-
pie leave their rented houses when they
move out. He had been disappointed at
the appearance of things in the room.
Mrs. Smith said that the one who uses
and breaks an article should be required
to replace it, as this is the practice
everywhere that the free use of lab
oratory is given.
Mr.. Fletcher said that the board ought
to be somewhat rigid, as it is expensive
to furnish these articles from time to
time. 1t was question whether the
benefits of the laboratory were equal to
the expense. He urged delay in the
granting of the requisition, that the new
science teacher might be heard from and
bids be secured.
1t was explained that the requisition
had been made by the new teacher after
a careful inspection of the laboratory,
and was endorsed by the new superin-
tendent. 1t will take some time before
the goods can be delivered. The druggists
do not like to bid on the goods, as much
on the list is out of their line, and the
wholesale drug houses refuse to bid, as
that would be competing with retail
stores. AS result, the board has in
previous years been able to get but one
bid
On motion of DR.. Davis, the school
committee was directed to act with Mr..
Culver, the new science teacher, in pro-
curing the supplies on the best pos
sible terms.
Mrs. Smith said that parents have
been complaining of the way report
cards are made out by the teachers,
who have been using letters to indicate
the standing, instead of figures that are
understood by anybody. Many of the
parents, who want to know what the
standing of their children is, have to
go to the teacher to find out, and this is
a bother to both parent and teacher. She
recommended that the form used leaves
out the letters after this and that figures
be used.
This seemed to be the general feeling,
and the matter was referred to the chair
man of the school committee and the
new superintendent to revise the blank
form used.
w. K. Buffham submitted bid for
painting the outside woodwork of the
Pleasant Grove building. President
Hughes said that several painters had
spoken to him, desiring chance to bid
on this work.
Mr.. Coughlan said that he had under
stood Captain Keysor to say that he
had awarded the contract to Joseph
VANDERBILT. after asking one or two
other painters to bid. Mr.. Buffham said
that Captain Keysor had asked him
to. have bid ready and told him he
would call for it, but he did not come.
The board thought that unless the
committee as whole had awarded the
contract it was still in the hands of the
committee, as one member did not have
authority to award it. One of the mem
bers of the committee said that as far as
he knew the committee had never been
asked to take action on bids for painting
the building.
Mr. Buffham's bid was returned to
him unopened.
Mr.. Fletcher said that too many trees
are being cut off of the Union school
grounds, and he had told the men not to
cut any on the Franklin grounds without
notifying him. The trees on the Union
grounds were planted. thirty seven years
ago, and when they are cut down it
takes years to get them back.
DR.. Davis said that some of the trees
we do not want back.
President Hughes said that there is
too great craze just now to cut down
trees. 1t may be that there will be a
craze to grow them again.
Mr.. Coughlan said that we do not want
too few trees.
DIR. Davis said that there should not
be too many trees, as that is bad for
The grounds and the grass and the health
of the children. 1t would be better to
have fewer.
The salary of Miss Mary L. Willard,
principal of the Union school, was rails
ed from $55 to $50 month, to cores
pond with what is paid the new princi-
pal of the Pleasant Grove building.
Before the vote was taken, one of the
members said that he did not like this