The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-08
DISCUSSED FREE
TEXT BOOK BILL
LABOR LEADERS, CLERaYMEN
AND EDUCATORS GIVE VIEWS.
Opposition to the Move Was in the Mi
nority ~ Catholics Shown to Be in
Favor Of the Move -. w. Olson, SUI
perintendent Of Public Instruction,
Presents Figures.

Clergymen, educators and labor lead
ers addressed the joint committee on
education yesterday afternoon on the
compulsory free textbook bill prepared
by the State Federation of Labor and
introduced by George ~. ,Perley. We.
the bill was made by President Theo
dore Buenger and DR.. Karl Abbetmayer
of Concordia college, a German Luther
an theological seminary in st. Paul, H.
A. Walraff and others.
DR.. Abbetmayer held that parents
should be responsible for the
should provide textbooks. He held that
to take this duty away was to foster
paternalism and deprive parents OF that
sturdy independence which made the
made that made them strong and they
should be encouraged to make sacrifices.
The horrors of paternalism he conjured
up only served to make the large audi
ence smile.
H. A. Walraff created something Of
sensation by declaring that This
country needs religious revival and it
should begin in the schools. We do not
object to free schools, free text books
but demand that all these benefits be
conferred on the children in the
parochial schools as well. We are
bearing double burdens for the sake of
our conscie1ces and we stand as solid
wall protesting against this injustice. =
Frank Hoffman, prominent member
of the st. Paul Trades and Labor As
sembly, insisted that MIR. Walraf did
not speak for the Roman Catholics in
this matter. That element, he declared,
was the strongest in the assembly which
takes the lead in the movement for free
textbooks in the schools He said that
four members of the committee circulat-
ing petitions in the late election were
Catholics. E. G. Ives, another labor
leader, declared that one Of the cardinal
principles of the Federation Of Labor
was to work for the public school sys-
tenn and free textbooks. Attention was
called to the fact that st. Paul, the
strongest Roman Catholic city in the
state, had cast about 1900 votes IN
favor of a free textbook system to only
5000 against and the latter votes did
not come from districts where the for
eign element was strongest. ms polnJ
w wor h. principai Of the Cleveland high
school, who said that his district was
almost solidly Lutheran and Catholic
and was also solidly in favor OF the free
textbooks.
A. T. Ankeny, formerly a member of
the Minneapolis board OF educat1on ana
president Of the state normal board,
thought that the law was good one
but he would advise that the clause de-
priving school districts of state aid IN i
case they did not comply, be omitted.
iShould any district not comply the Off
|cers could be punished in the usual way.
j. W. Olson, superinte dent OF pubic
instructions, regretted that the 1904
Figures were not available, but informed
the committee that Of 1884 school DIS
tricts in 1908 there were $3.50 which
had adopted the free textbook system, In
some form. AS far as he knew, no dis.
trict had abandoned the plan:
Rev. David Morgan Of the Bethel
made an eloquent plea in favor OF the
law on the ground that it would be OF
Immense benefit to the children of poor
parents in obtaining an education. Re
declared that it was wholly Impossible
to a laboring man with an income OF not
more than $50 a month to send his
large flock of children to school. In the
: HIGHER grades the schoolbooks for one
child would cost as much as 81 year
and this, tho seemingly small, was pro
hibitive. He cited actual cases coming
to his attention, and these made more
impression with the lawmakers thar
the academic arguments OF some OF tht
preceding speakers. =.
The committee postponed action unit
a later meeting. "-&> @