The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-03-02
Minnesota and Her Schools
By.H. N.

ness OF landscape, vast forests OF
towering trees-alternating with
gentle, rolling prairies, all set with
jewelled lakes, and bound up with
ribbons of rippling waters. And
with this beauty such an exuberance
of life. Waving grain, rustling corn,
lowing cattle, the hum of industries,
all tell of rich production and happy
prosperity. Quickly, almost before
the hands of her first sons have
ceased from their labors, this state,
whose admission was announced by
the 32nd star in the blue of our ma
tional banner, has advanced to the
seventeenth place, if we consider
population; the sixteenth, if we speak
of school enrolment; the ninth, if we
speak of wealth; and the ninth is we
regard the amount of money spent
on education. This state has already
built about $500 schools at a cost of
nearly $3,500.00 piece an ! contin-
ues to erect in the state $50 addi-
tional schools each year.
AS one goes through France and
England and beholds those great
masses of stone, grown beautiful un
der the shaping hand of love and adj
grafton, one recalls that in the years
of cathedral building every person
gave freely of his time and his labor
and his finest aspirations that fair
Religion might have a fitting abode;
but no more freely did those Nor
mans pour forth their treasures than
their descendants in America have
turned their earnings into the treas
ury of the state that knowledge may
dwell together with Wisdom. And
what rich and beautiful temples of
learning have been reared in many
places in this state, dedicated to the
proposition that every son and
daughter of this commonwealth, also
the child of the stranger that tarries
within our boarders, shall here have
equal opportunity to share the rich
est gift a state can offer-a complete
education free to him that wills it
from the day he lisps his letters un-
til the coveted honor of Doctor Of
Philosophy is his to claim.
Not content with the state provid-
ing magnificent buildings, she has
granted more of books, those guard
ians of the treasures Of past ages, a
million volumes, more to be valued
than rich Jewels of fine gold; appar-
atus, adapted to illustrate ever law
of multiform Nature, so complete
and so beautiful that it is a joy to
the teacher of science; and In the
last few years, tools and machines,
the equal of any that may be found
in our best shops and factories.
This splendid equipment without
skilled operators would be valueless
and the people are fast recognizing
that to obtain the most careful prep
aration and the highest degree of
skill in teaching is the safest invest
ment community can make. Be-
cause the people realize the economy
of obtaining the best, it has at times
been difficult, impossible, to supply
the high grade of teachers demanded.
This state, at the present time. ex-
ponds nearly $14,000,0OO annually
for state education. This is vast
sum, yet no money is paid by the
vast majority of people with 80 much
satisfaction as that which is econ
omically expended for the good Of
our youth. Love Of our children
hope for their future achievement
and a heavy obligation to the state
and nation for their rich gifts to us
conspire together to make this pay
ment real thank offering for thu
most bounteous blessing vouchsafet
to mankind.
To 90 back to the year 1890, whel