The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-09-18
DAWES HEADS BOARD; !,
SECOND TIME CHOSEN
From Tuesdays Daily.

meeting of the newly elected board
evening. w. b. Davies was again
chosen president; Il. T. jefferson,
vice president; DR.. w. A. Beach,
treasurer, and E. +. Soaring, secre-
tary.
The one new member OF the school
board was w. ID. willard, who sue
ceeded DIR. J. s. Holbrook, the latter
having declined reelection to the
board Alexander Bashaw and Judge
Evan Hughes were absent. The other
members, Mr.. Davies, Mr.. Jefferson,
DIR. Beach, Mrs. b. ID. Smith and Erick
Engwalson were all present.
The salaries OF the treasurer and
secretarl were fixed as they were
during -No wear losing, at $500. The
The trra r..r'- bond was fixed at the
usual s., o.. .'uo"o rhp school board
to pay nn premiums Precedent was
followed also IN the passage of n
motion. providing that the funds of
the school board be deposited in such
banks as furnish surety bonds.
Committees Were Appointed.
President Davies appointed com.
mittees as follows: On finance and
accounts, Trustees willard, Jefferson
and Engwalson: on property and ex-
pense, Trustees Beach, Jefferson and
Bashaw: on schools and text books,
Trustees Smith, Willard and Hughes.
There was some discussion over
the new tax levy. For years IL had
been customary TO levy a tax of ten
mills. Secretary Soaring stated, how
ever that this would not be enough.
He said he would recommend the
levy of the maximum of nine mills al
lowed by law for the general fund
and two mills for the sinking fund.
Even then, the board would not be
meeting what would be required for
the coming year. but would have to
draw on what is known as the special
fund, which has accumulations
amounting to about 100000.
Mr.. Soaring remarked that nine
mills would raise about s3S,700. With
the increases in the salaries OF teach
ers, the greater number of teachers.
higher salaries paid to janitors and
other expenses, the board would have
TO draw from the general fund during
the coming year about $4,000. In
order to do this II would be neces-
sary to borrow from the special fund
Accommodations.
Limit On The Levy.
While the law places a limit on the
levy that can be made for the general
fund, there is no such levy for the
special fund, but there are only GER
tain purposes for which the special
fund can be used. All the money Dor
rowed from that fund must be paid
back.
OF course more money must be
raised for the general fund in some
way in order to do this. The only
way is to make a larger tax levy.
This can be done only when the
school board is no longer limited by
the law forbidding a larger tax levy
than nine mills for this fund
During the school year ii will be
necessary to pay off bonds in the
sum of $4,000. Mr.. Soaring estimates
that II a two mill levy is made, the
November, March and June settle
ments will bring $1,000 into the sink
ing fund, which already has in 1t
$4,000. This will make a total of
$2l,l00, and in order to pay off the
S25, bonds, IL will be necessary to
borrow from the special fund.
Thus an eleven mill tax levy,
though higher than previous levies,
will fall far short of meeting the re.
quirements Of the board during the
school year
Discussed Text Books.
Trustee Jefferson started a lengthy
discussion on the subject of text
books, when he said many parents
were comn.uuag of the number OF
text be- GnN .aI to buy. He
though D. NoAd ar 81 ell for the
board I lay aside ind of 800 to
buy book. for ~4i'dre. whose par
ents could @Cl alord to buy them.
Superintendent Sperry remarked
that sometimes the teachers and
sometimes the board members had
bought books for such pupils. He
thought, however, that II would be
well to charge a nominal rental fol
the books.
Mr.. Davies suggested that $50 bc
turned over to the superintendent t.
buy books to be used in that way.
DIR. Beach was inclined to thinl
that the pupils who did not neet
such help would be apt to ask for II
whereas many who did need 1
would be too proud to seek 1t.
Mr.. Davies remarked that he di,
not see how some fathers, VIII,
worked for 50 to $3.50. in the sum
mer time and were idle much of tn,
winter were able 20 keep their chi
dren as they did.
DIR. Beach thought II would be vel
for the board to buy all the schoo
books and loan them out to the pu
pills. He spoke OF one woman VIII
complained of the changes In tn
readers. and said the old reader
could not be exchanged for the new
Conditions of the Change.
Mr.. Sperry said that one OF tn
conditions of putting the new road