The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-14
NEWS OF THE CITY
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
SHOWS PROSPERITY
Last Year Best In Quantity of
Schooling Given Minnesota
Children

Inc cnllQTen OF minnesota IecelNeu
more schooling last year than during
any year since 1900. Out of the total
enrolment of 423,663 pupils last year,
only $500 attended less than forty
days. Since 1900 the number of pupils
who failed to attend forty days has
kept pace with the increased enroll
ment, but last year the number de-
creased markedly. Despite an in
creased enrolment of more than 5000
over the year previous, nearly $500
more pupils attended school the re-
quired forty days than during 1903.
From this it is to be inferred that the
state is in a prosperous condition, for
invariably during hard times year
the total enrolment decreases and the
number who do not attend forty days
increases.
These figures are contained in the
thirteenth biennial report of the state
superintendent of public instruction, ].
w. Olsen, the advance sheets of
which were issued yesterday.
The report shows a total enrolment
in the schools of 423,663 for 1904 and
415,49S for 1903. The total number of
teachers employed during 1904 was
1908, and during 1903 1858. An
average wage of $45.71 per month was
paid to male teachers and S36.25 to
women in 1904, and in 1903 male
teachers received $45.16 and women
SOO.NO, WHICH, SHONS d 81 per IlOulH III
crease for the women and little in
crease for the men.
Operations of Years
There were 294 schoolhouses built in
1903 and 296 in 1904, at a total cost
of $1,7S2,901, making the total number
of public school houses in the state
S,061, valued at s1S,567, ,302. The value
of school Libraries in the state, of
which there are 4,2S9, was $411,750 in
1904. The libraries contained at the
beginning of this year 5S7,299 vol
umese.
The value of all public school prop
erty in the state at the end of the year
was $20,761 ,499, having an aggregate
Indebtedness of $4,77S,911. During the
years 1903 and 1904 the state expended
$9,7OS,07S for various educational pur-
poses, including all the state schools
and farmers institutes.
During the last two years five con-
solidated districts have been formed
out of twelve smaller ones, and
$6,S46.72 was expended for transport
ing pupils to and from schools, as au-
thoriZed by the legislature of 1903.
Supt. Olsen in the report says that
manual training and commercial
courses have been enlarged and car
ried on sufficiently far to prove that
they are not mere fads, but are of a
distinct value to pupils who cannot
enter universities and college.
Agricultural education, home eco
nomics and the farmers Institutes are
spoken highly of by Mr.. Olsen, and he
recommends an additional appropria-
ton to carry on the work which is
producing excellent results. He also
advises continuous summer sessions at
the normal schools.
Kicks on Small Pay
The report Of President Northrop of
the state university board contained
in the superintendent's report shows
a total attendance at the university,
exclusive of duplicates, for the four
years ending July 81, 1904, of 3,s46 stu
dents, of which 2,715 We're male and
1,131 female. The report speaks dis
paragingly Of the smallness Of sala-
ries paid to professors, pointing out
that social duties demand a considera-
BILE expenditure for which no provision
is made. The cutting down of the an
nual library appropriation from $500
10 10000 has, SO the report declares,
endangered the welfare OF the univer-
sity at vital point. A larger appro-
priation Is recommended. The en-
largement of the curriculum so as to
embrace the subject of economic ge-
ography and institutes of commerce
and statistics is recommended. An
appropriation of $4,000 for a woman,s
building at the university is also rec
commended.
There were 720 students enrolled in
the agricultural school in 1904, an in
crease of 102 since 1902. 1t is esti-
mated that over $500 students have
attended since it's establishment in
1888. The report speaks highly of the
value of the work done by the school
and suggests a continuation of the
present liberality on the part of the
state to further the work.