The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-17


"Flora /. Babcock, born In Adams
county, Wis, Feb. 1859; came to Dodge
county, Mimi, October, 1868; began
teaching 1885,; was graduated from the
Mankato normal school May 81, 1893;
came to st. Paul, Nov. 8, 1900.
81 have spent my life and money for
the work l love dearer than life. have
taken the city examinations six times
and part of it two times, but, they
say, do not pass. With all my ex-
tperience and education, they say am
not eligible! Look in the school man
ual and see how many of the teachers
are only high school graduates or have
less education! How much education
has Superintendent Smith?
"The Twin Cities wish state nor
NAL school of their own. Minnesota
furnishes enough normal graduates for
them, but st. Paul seldom accepts one;
and l must die for lack of position,
though Supt. Smith says they are al
ways in need of competent teachers.
Why will people pay taxes for good
schools and then allow the board to
appoint many incompetent teachersH
Why don't the people work together
and take the schools out of politics?
"The schools of the state are deeper
than ever in politics since State Super
intendent Olson was appointed! Watch
for yourself and see. He was rabid
republican until after Judge Collins was
defeated. Now what is he? Mr.. 'Dick"
O'Connor told me he could get me
school outside the city. He said: 4
know Supt. Olson. / know him very
well. 1 know him very WE'LL But Mr..
O'Connor says he does not interfere with
the city schools; that he has no inhu
ence!
"Once while the state teachers exam
nation papers were being read in the
ScItdte CnduUci, was AZ euc Seosc Su-
perintendent's office and heard the as
sistant state superintendent say to a
county superintendent: you can get
rid of some of your teachers if you want
to- The stenographers and clerk in
stantly sat up more erect to listen, but
the county superintendent did not raise
his eyes from the floor nor reply.
81 have tried my best to live for
others, rather than self, but failed.
"May God bless all kind people, May
he especially bless Mrs. F. P. Wright
and family. She is an angel, and they
are the kindest family / ever saw. May
He also especially bless Miss Antionette
Chote, of Minneapolis, and the kind
young stranger who sympathied with
me on the train when was on my way
to attend the sixth funeral in our fam
lily, Jan. 80, 1900. He had lost his
mother three months before, and had
nobody left except brother in South
America.
"May God bless the few relatives /
have left.
II was always determined to die
while L had money enough to bury me
with, so planned for October, 1908. But
things kept happening to encourage me
so 1 kept trying to live, hoping to help
make this hard, hard, life more endur.
able to others. After money was kindly
loaned to me, dared not die, until l
found I must
81 have no money of my own, and no.
body to bury me. have spent my
money here, SO let the city, which would
not give me work, bury me anywhere
outside the potter's field-in a back al
ley or vacant lot. Kind people, don't
waste money on me now. Give it to
those who need it. A pine box is good
enough. 1 love flowers, but it is too late
for me to see them now, and many peo-
pie are needy.
Envy and the mad rush for gold is
fast turning most peoples hearts to
stone. What happy world it might
be if each person would remember that
others must live, and all could have
work and would live within their in
come. f}|tf
GLOW can we hope that all people can
be equal when God has given some per-
sons more talents than others? "Why
don't people join against frauds "Why
don't the labor unions require that each
member do his best to be competent and
to please the one he or She works for?
How few dressmakers are competent
and how few try TO pleased But nearly
everybody wishes the highest possible
wages or salary. 'Why do so many of
those who find life hard have no SYM
pathy for others?"
Miss Babcock is remembered by mem
bers Of the faculty who were connected
with the normal at the time the unfor-
tunate girl graduated. Also several fel.