The Mankato free press., 1915-11-12
Letters OF Inquiry Sent Out: Action 10
De Taken On Receipt Of
Answers
From thursdays paiis

Whether Mankaio should have a
night school for the purpose of cdu-
eating its foreign born residents was
subject under discussion at the
regular meeting o. the sc,~s. bJ:; Il
last evening
Super 'CIAcls +. J. Sperry report
cl iii.t lie had received from Robert
-. Coleman OF st. Paul, chief natural
ization examiner OF the United States
department or labor. calling attention
TO the Importance OF establishing
night schools in this city for the pur-
pose OF inst-ucting foreign horn per-
SoEs. who are not able TO attend the
day schools.
+ In this communication II was stated
that the records of the bureau OF nat
uralization showed that of the an
proximatcly 10000 people residing in
the city of Mankato, as shown by the
1910 census, over 1000 were foreign
horn white persons. or one-fiIth of
tho population. or that number. over
1000 were males of voting age. Out
cf the total number OF foreign bow
white persons In Mankato, only Sii
were shown TO have been naturalized
ThH numbers of declarations and pc
tit'oTG for naturalization during the
year 1915 were Al and -. respectively.
and In the four fiscal years, 1911 tn
1915. these totals were 1871 and l2T
rCspectiycly
The !6ttcr stated that from these
figures it might readily be scSn that
there was great need in the city OF
Mankatn for course or instruction
for the adult Foreigners. u was stated
that many localities throughnu; the
country had established night schools
fCr the forciSn-bOrn residents where
tho statistics showed Il much smaller
percentage Of foreign born people.
than was shown IN Mankato.
Circulars 70 EmpIcyers.
Mr.. Sperry stated that lie hld re-
Gently sent circulars to employers cf
labor through the city asking them
two questions:
One Did they favor the establish =
rient or night schools b. this huard
at some little added expense? TIL"
school would probably give inatrua-
tlon In reading. writing. English.
spelling. arithmetic. hygiene and the
principles Of the American govern
ment.
Two. Could the names, addresses
and natiOnalitiCs bc given OF any
foreign born rncn or w0-icn. rcsid-
ing in Mankaio, who would like To
have such = ?chool Established In
order to give them chance TO be-
come natura!ized.
Mr.. Sperry stated that hc sent
these letters or inquiry out yes;er-
day and had not yet received re-
plies. The board decided 10 deer The
matter until the people receiving these
letters had q chance To answer, and
then the board could aC; in the light
OF these replies.
Need Of Unsraded School.
Tho superintendent also sought to
impress on the hoard The need uf an
urg!adcd school in Mankato for pupils
who were backward. lie arit there
were about twenty boys in Mauka:o o,
who ought to bc in such Il school. and
he suggested that man teacher
should be hired for this job. If pJss!
bic. The board thought the need OF
such school was evident. and there
should he ono, If the right kind of n
teacher could bc secured. At length
The matter was referred, on the mo
tion of Erick EngwalsUu, To the COM
mittcc on property and expense, with
full power to act.
At the request OF the supcpirtUnd- -
Cnt IL was ordered that ii gong he
placed .on the outside Of the hirh
school. as those inside cannot DC
heard by the pupils outside.
Complained of Gravel.
a letter from t. Johnson 10 Prrsl-
dent W. p. Davis. The letter com
rlaincd NJ gravel being loft on ihc
school riay grounds. making fine
ammunition for the boys 10 use on
Geighbcring buildings and inak:uE Il
unsafe for people "a pass by in the
alley at the rear of thc school house.
The writer declared thai something
inust bc done To ahatc the nuisance.
and hc would suggest that the gravel
be takcD away.
In til" discussion tho remark was
passed artund that according 90 the
lrttcg the boys must be removing the
gravel about as fast as anybody else
could do II. The matter was at length
referred to the committee on property
and expense, OF which DR. W. a.
Beach Is the chairman.
Report Of superintendent.
Superintendent r. ]. Sperry pro
scnted his regular monthly report uf
attendance. showing the number on
rolled. number belonging. average at
tendance and cases of tardincss IN
successive columns. as follows:
Schools NE. NIB. "A. CT.
Itiyb rchcnI cE2 sac c3p a