The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-27
TEACHERS UNIONS
CAUSE OF ALARM
p R EsIDENT OF ASSOCIATED
SCHOOL BOARDS PROTESTS.
Organization Of Minnesota Pedagogs
Would Call for Counter Combination
Of Boards. -. Dancing and Gard
Playing Frowned upon by Directors
Other Theories Of Regulation Dis
cussed.

Danger to public school education in
Minnesota lies in the recent formation
Of teachers union in Chicago and
the announced plan to extend the oper-
atoms Of the union to other states.
This is the opinion Of w. II. Skemp of
Cloquet, president Of the associated
school boards, who, in his president g
address at the afternoon session of the
Minnesota Educational association, as
serted that should teachers union be
formed in Minnesota the school boards
Of the state would be obliged to or
game federation which would regu-
late, the hiring and the wages of
Thirty-five members of different Min
nesota school boards were in attend
ance. Mr.. Skemp in his address
branched Immediately into a discussion
of the Chicago organization of teach
ers and its admittance into the Amer
lean Federation of Labor. He referred
to the movement Gas cloud at pres
ent no bigger. than a man s hand which
bids fair to spread over the entire
heavens and bodies ill to the peace Of
mind of members of school boards,''
Against the Movement. ~...
He reviewed the Chicago movement
and went On record as being unalter-
ably opposed to the attempt to union
lze the public schools. The Chicago
situation, he asserted, proved that an
organization by the teachers would aim
primarily to benefit the teachers, with
no regard to the children. If sthe
move is made to organize federation
OF teachers in Minnesota, it is up to
the school boards to unite in opposing
the movement with determination and
energy. If the movement is attempted
we must organize a federation of
school boards regulating the hiring and
payment of teachers.
In addition to discussing the posi-
bility of the formation of a teachers
union, Mr.. Skemp dealt with other
problems which confront the school
boards Of the country. Dancing and
public entertainments he declared in
furious to the welfare Of the pupil,
and he advocated the teaching of moral
lty IN the schools. eff I had my
way,' he said, ''neither the teacher
nor the student, would attend public
dance of any kind on an evening pre-
ceding a school day.
Mr.. Skemp asserted that too much
tlmA is given in schools and colleges
to social activities and entertainments
He advocated rigid enforcement Of
laws against child labor and the in
PRODUCTION Of practical training in the
graded schools. Scientific farming as
branch Of the common school educa-
ton was suggested. --~.
Card Playing Denounced.
In the discussion which followed the:
president s address the members of
the state school boards went on record
as disappearing card playing and
dancing by high school pupils The
matter was introduced by A. G.. Long
Of Excelsior, who called for a vote as
to whether card playing and dancing
were prejudicial to work, and with one
exception the members of the school
boards voted that the card playing and
dancing by the pupils and smoking by
the high school principals are detri-
mental to the best interests of q the
schools. ..-'-. = = =,
In a paper on the relation of the
superintendent to the board of educa-
ton, W. J. Marquis, superintendent Of
schools at Two Harbors, advocated
closer relation of school authorities. He
asserted that the superintendent should
be, given the power to. dismiss teachers
and should have other powers which
are generally assumed by the board of
e0ucatiOn o..-r .r- ..