Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-06
SAVING ROOM At NORMALS
Plan to Prevent Two Towns from Using
State Institution for High School,
RENDERS NEW BUILDINGS UNNECESSARY
state superintendent Figures out
Amount Due Different COuntiea
from school Fund Appor-
tionment.
CFrom a stan Correspondent)


LINCOLN, Dec. 5.-(SpeciaL)-A resoiu-
ton will be offered at the next meeting OF
the state Normal board which, II adopted,
probably will make unnecessary the appro-
priation asked for to Increase the capacity
OF the Kearney Normal school. This res
oluton, which viii be offered by State
Treasurer Mortensen. will provide no stu
dents can be admitted to the normal school
who have not passed the tenth grade. This
resolution, II adopted, will greatly reduce
tho attendance at the school. and while it
will result in an increased taxation OF the
people OF Peru ana kearney, it will result
in a reduction Of the taxes Of the re-
mainder of the state, for just at this time
the state is educating young people in its
normal schools who by rights should be In
the local high schools.
School statistics bear out. the statement
that Kearney is educating its young peo-
pie In the normal school instead Of the
local schools. The school census shows
1872 children Of school age there last year,
while the average attendance at the pub
lie schools was l,l3l aud the enrolment
1,5S7. This shows that almost half OF the
school children Of that town are being
taken care OF outside OF the public schools.
In towns where there Is no normal school
the school census is only a very little
larger than the enrolment; consequently II
is held that the children are attending the
normal school at the expense Of the state
rather than the local schools at the eX-
pense Of the taxpayers OF the town.
The same thing applies to Peru. This
town has no high school and It has been
figured it never will have long as the
pupils can attend the normal school. The
school census shows Peru has 81 children
of school age. while enrolled in the public
schools are only ninety-eight pupils, WITH
an average daily attendance Of slxty-sx.
The normal schools at Kearney and at
Peru are both crowded but with couple
Of hundred or so local pupils taken out
by the adoption OF the rule that no pupil
who has not completed the tenth grade is
eligible to admission this condition will be
changed. and 1t is believed the addition to
the Kearney Normal school will not be
necessary this winter, though it may have
to come later.
Suggestion from MOrtensen.
Treasurer Mortense nhas about concluded
it is not within his province to make recon-
mendations to the state Legislature and for
that reason It is likely his biennial report,
which is now being prepared, will contain
no suggestions for the beneft of the legis-
lators. Mr. Mortensen. however, has some
very pronounced ideas about legislation,
and inasmuch the entire state has con-
fdence in him and in his Judgment, a num-
Der Of people have asked him to make
formal recommendations.
{ One of the things Mr.. Mortensen is much
: in favor of il a constitutional amendment
enlarging the field OF investments for the
trust funds. Just at this time, owing to
the straight jacket constitution under which
~
funds can only be invested in state securi-
I ties, national and county bonds The trust
funds are increasing yearly and 1t becomes
more dificult each year to secure invest
| ments under the constitution. Mr.. Morten-
sen Is in favor of constitutional amend
| ment providing for the investment of trust
| funds In school district and municipal bonds
| and even in real estate mortgages. The
! efficient manner in which the State Board
| of Educational Lands and Funds has
handled the states real estate and the very
satisfactory showing It has made leads Mr..
Mortensen TO believe the state treasurer
| could be safely trusted TO get good results
even in dealing in real estate mortgages.
| Under the constitution nearly all OF the
| trust funds are invested outside Of Ne
I braska at a low rate Of interest while the
state is paying a higher rate on its own
obligations. The retiring state treasurer is
much in favor of keeping this money at
home. He has ideas also about the man
agement OF the state university and It may
be he will decide to make some recommend
ations regarding this institution.
Free High schools.
State Superintendent McBrien will make
few recommendations to the state leglsla-
ture, but among them will be one for a
free high school. His bill this year will
be so framed that any school pupil can at
tend the high school nearest his residence
free OF costs. 1t was thought at first the
bill would contain the provision I'm his
home county" but in many instances the
pupils would have to go long distances
while on the other hand he may be close
70 a high school in an adjoining county tc
his home.
Deficit at Geneva.
The superintendent Of the Girls Industrial
school at Geneva will report a deficiency
to the state legislature OF about So 600. This
deficiency was caused by the recent fir,
at that place. It was necessary to repair
the damage and the board ordered her q
report a deficiency as there was no money
on hand to pay for the repairs.
Veterans Pick Out seats.
Senator-elect W. ID. Holbrook OF Dodg,
county who has been member OF three leg
islatures, and senator-elect Alfred wilsey