The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-11-05
new HEAD OF NJ. E.A.
E. M. PHILLIPS OF ALBERT LEA
ELECTED PRESIDENT.
Superintendent F. J. Sperry of Man
kato Is Chosen Treasurer, Posi-
ton He Has Held for Some Years;
S. L. Heeter, in Charge of Schools
In st. Paul, Delivers an Address
Bristling With Criticism.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
E. M. Phillips, superintendent OF
schools at Albert Lea was, yesterday
elected president of the Minnesota
State Teachers association. Secretary
John NJ. Guise, ST. Paul; w. F. Web
ster, Minneapolis, the retiring president
becomes vice president under the rules.
f. j. Sperry of Mankato, the trea-
surer, holds over.
Is the Best Convention Ever.
"This is undoubtedly the best con-
vention we have ever held" said Presi-
dent w. +. Webster. 81 am sure that
every one in attendance feels repaid
for coming and the schools of the state
are certain to reap big rewards. The
teachers who were permitted to close
their schools to attend the convention
are attending every session possible,
and the only trouble is that the Audi
torium is not large enough
The opening address was by Super
intendent S. L. Heeter of the st. Paul
public schools, on ''The Tagging Half"
His address was along the line of the
general theme of the convention econ
omy in education.
Mr.. Heeter said, is part: "The pub
lie schools of the United States are not
altogether bad, they are only made
quate. The philosophy of public educa-
ton is not wholly false, it is only linn
tied. Our educational aim is not falla-
cious, it is only one sided. The practice
of our schools is not wrong, it is only
The means employed in
the training of our youth are not infe-
rior. they are only insufficient.
"The schools of Minnesota admit
children to the first grade at six years
of age Many schools admit where chill
dren will be six within the semester.
Such children. by normal progress
should finish the eighth grade at four
teen. For the purposes of this dis
cussion, this morning, I have carried
my study into all the schools of st.
Paul. into certain schools of Mime
apolis and Duluth, and into score or
more of schools throughout the state
I have considered all children normal
who start in the first grade at seven
and finish at eight, and those normal
who complete the second grade at nine
the third at ten. the fourth at eleven,
the fifth at twelve, the sixth grade
at thirteen, the seventh at fourteen,
and graduate from the eighth grade
by the time they are fifteen.
Retarded the Pupils
"On this basis, there are enrolled in
The St. Paul elementary schools today
$1,000 children behind grade-l3,00O
retarded children out of an enrolment
Of $4,000; 1882 children are now going
over terms work for 2 second time;
$40 pupils over twelve years of age
have not gone beyond the fifth grade.
''The st. Paul schools are not an ex-
,eption, but they represent general
and it is this condition that
invites our consideration.
"One-hal of the school children of
Minnesota are now so far behind grade
that they can never complete our ele-
mentary school at Is, however hard
they try. The Bryant school in Duluth
reports 1856 children enrolled and 554
Or more than 20 per cent, behind grade.
The Adams school of Minneapolis re-
ports 672 children out of 1908 who
are retarded one half year or more.
The Washington school Winona, enrolls
$50 children; lf5 are in the upper four
grades and only eighteen of them on
time. The Franklin Washington schools
It Arstin report III pupils retarded
)ut of 303 and * ppr cent of this