The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-13
ARE DRAWING And
MUSIC MERE FADS?
interesting Questions Put to
Superintendent of Schools
City Hall Gossip.

An interesting feature of the recent
consideration by the Commercial club
of the school question consisted of the
questions put to Supt. Smith, and the
professors answers.
If the Central high school was en-
larged, would the per capita cost of in
struction be decreased?" was one Of
the questions.
NO. answered the superintendent.
1.-THE teachers at the Central high
school have all they can do, and an in
crease in the number of pupils means
that there must be additional rooms
and more teachers. The per capita
cost at the Central is as low as it can
be brought
would it not be good policy to abol-
ish the Cleveland and Humboldt high
schools and give the room to the
grades, on the ground that the per
capita cost for the high school pupils
in these schools is so high?' was an
other question.
"The benefits of educational privi-
leges," answered Prof. Smith, cannot
be gagged by the cost. And, besides,
this is one of the very questions that
has been submitted for solution to you
gentlemen present"
care there not too many of the So
called fads and frills connected with
the schools" asked another gentle
man.
'If you class music and drawing
among the fads and frills l will an
swer in this wise: You are invited to
pay a visit to the Lafayette school,
where you will find the children OF
Italians, Russians, Syrians and other
foreign nationalities. For some rea-
son, which 1 do not attempt to explain,
these children sing beautifully and
draw excellently. Should they be de-
MED the privilege of developing the
talents of which they possess the most?
AS to other so-ealled fads l could make
like answer"
Another feature of the meeting was
the almost universal expression of con-
fidence in the management of the st.
Paul schools, the only severe criticism
being the recommendation that the
present absolute rule that the course
of study mapped out be followed to the.
letter should be so amended that the
teacher will have some discretion in
special cases. 1t developed that 7lk
per cent of the pupils in the Central
high school come from the west side
of Wabasha street.
The school question is also before the
Chamber of Commerce, the communi-
cation from the school inspectors hav-
ing been referred to a committee. Ear
ly consideration is expected from this
source.
The action of the Commercial club in
upholding the present arrangement of
the high schools was a surprise to some
of the members of the school board and
to the school authorities. Said a man
holding a responsible position under
the board:
1T was my opinion that the COM
mercial bodies would be in favor of
one high school on economical grounds,
and I was therefore very much sur
prised to read that an opposite con-
clusion had been reached. It is real
lied thoroughly that it will be useless to
undertake a change unless, the school
inspectors have the support Of the
commercial interests, as the people liv-
ing in the affected districts will GER
tainly resist politically the adjustment
of either the Cleveland or the Hum
boldt high schools. This has been
shown upon previous occasions. 1t does
not seem to me, however, that the
school inspectors are getting much
practical advice as a result Of the dis
cussion."
It Is expected that the additional
four school rooms provided for by the
school inspectors for the current year,
which will be added to some existing
school, will go to the Harrison school
in the First ward. Inspector Lindahl,
who is urging that this action be TAX
en-, has the support of the superin-
tendent of schools, and expects that
the plans will be ordered drawn at the
next meeting of the board.
This will make sixteen rooms added
to the schools of the First ward in the
past two years, and even then 1t is
claimed that it will be necessary to
maintain several annexes. The school
population of the ward, based on the
actual population of the district, ac-
cording to the figures of the superin-
tendent, distances other sections of the
city.
"St. Paul has two police officers Of
whom the people have every reason to
feel proud" said DR.. Ohage. These
men have shown their interest in the
city and are therefore deserving of
especial consideration.
"A few days ago I was standing at
Seven corners. The slush was deep
about ankle deep, 1 should judge-and
q couple OF laQ10S STANDING On the SlQG-
walk were making preparations to
wade through when the street car ar
rived. Ben Morse, the policeman, no.
ticed what was going on and was ia
miliar with the depth Of that .slush.
Across the street he marched and in a
few seconds came back with a shovel.
He went to work with a will and in a
short time the waiting ladies and other
persons who came after them were able
to reach the car without soiling their
shoes. Morse persisted until he had
the crossing clean. It was such noble
act that watched the entire proceed
ing and purchased Morse the best cigar
that I could find. Tom Calvin, the off,
Ger at Seventh and Broadway, has also
kept his crossing clean. There may be
others of whom I have not heard, and
If there are they should be, placed in
the honor column with Morse and Cal
VIM
A remark that is not infrequent is
that "smallpox is no worse than bad
cold" but If those who take this view
of the disease will step into the office
Of the health department and look over
an album kept there it is likely that
thew will change their minds Dr.
Ohage has photographs of nearly all Of
the bad cases that have been treated at
the local detention hospital since the
appearance Of the disease One look
over this album will convince the