The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-27
WIDE FIELD OF SUGGESTION;
REPORT is SUBMITTED.
Ask for a Complete Reorganization
of the State Department of Edu-
cation; Improvement of the Rural
Institutions; Amendment to the
Compulsory Attendance Law;
the Statement.


the Statement.
st. Paul, January 21.-Numerous
suggestions for the Improvement of
the public school system of Mime
sofa were presented by delegation
from the Minnesota Educational as
ISOLATION in joint meeting yester-
day afternoon of the house and SEN
ate committees on education. The
field of suggestions covered the
range from a state board of educa-
ton to granting state aid, each prop
Osition being presented by several
speakers. Among them were G.. G.
Schulz, superintendent of public in.
struction; W. A. Shoemaker, presi-
dent of the st. Cloud normal
school; Frank E. Weld, president of
the Moorhead normal; G. G. Selvig
of the CrOokston school of agricul-
ture; County superintendent J. F.
Larson, Washington county; F. l..
Williams, Carver county; C. w.
Meyer, Dakota county, and City SUI
perintendents c. III. Barnes, Ely, and
e. M. Phillips, Albert Lea.
Ideas Set Forth.
Their ideas are set forth in the fol-
lowing memorandum submitted to
the members of the house and SEN
ate committees to supplement the
oral arguments:
"a complete reorganization of the
state department of education, in
Guiding a state board of education
in whom shall be vested all educa-
tional functions of the state now re-
siding in the state educational de-
partment and numerous boards and
commissions, except those functions
residing in the present normal board
and the board of regents of the
university. This state board of edt-
cation shall have power to appoint
state superintendent of public in
Struction.
For the improvement of rural
school conditions a more effective
plan than the present for the con-
solidation of rural schools. To di-
rect this work, at least two state
rural school supervisors are needed,
and to encourage consolidation there
should be provision made for state
aid to consolidated rural schools
on the following plan: For consoli-
dated schools OF four or more depart
for consolidation of schools of three
departments, $3.50 state aid annually;
for consolidated rural schools of two
departments, $500 state aid annually.
For the purpose of encouraging in
struction in agriculture, each district,
as aided above, should have at least
ten acres of land for demonstration
work.
Amendment Is Asked.
Amendment Of the compulsory
rural schools.
'"The furtherance of industrial edu-
cation under the Putnam act by add
ing fifteen schools to the ten already
provided for, thus making twenty-five
Putnam act schools. The amend
ment of the associated schools fea-
ture of the Putnam act, so as to
make it more workable and to avoid
fraction with associated schools.
''An increase in the legislative ap-
preparation for summer state train
ing schools for teachers. The per-
manent appropriation for this pur-
pose is $4,000, to which the legisla-
ture has been adding 100000 This
$4,000 per year ought to be in
creased to $4,000, making the entire
appropriation for teachers training
schools $4,000 per year.
"a law giving authority to boards
of education in special and independ-
ent districts to make contracts with
for term of years,
not to exceed three.
"a law lengthening the school year
in common school districts from five
months to seven months, and increas-
ing the number of days attendance
required to participate in state ap.
portionment from forty to 100 days.
Endorsement of the regents re-
quest lOT SlOV,UCO 10 remodel Pills.
bury hall for use of the college Of
education"
Representative w. T. Stone, Park
Rapids, would like to go further than
the school men and create a state
board of education that would have
authority over the university and
normal schools as well as other insti-
tutions. He is preparing a unique
bill for that purpose. 1t will create
a board of five, one member to have
charge of the state university; an
other of the normal schools, third
in control of the state high schools,
a fourth in charge of the CONSOLE
dated and graded schools and
fifth to oversee the agricultural
schools. Mr.. Stones proposition was
not discussed at the meeting of the
yesterday.
Owing to the illness of several of
those who pXDpcted IN take MART in