The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-09-10


law teachers will give five per cent
and upwards Of their salaries to the
state pension fund. II Is compulsory
with most Of the teachers, but left
optional with a few OF the older ones.
The clerk Of the school district has the
task OF figuring out separate report
en- every teacher for the state pension
board. Thes reports will be made
periodically.
Superjntendent ]. =. Sperry OF tho
city schools was asked today whether
the reading Of the Bible In the hlsn
school would be continued. He replied
that II would be until u was definitely
ordered TO discontinue II.
Reading the Bible at the assemblies
OF students i'm the Mankato high
school has cost tine district $4,000.
The state high school board has taken
this action. deciding TO withhold the
state aid for the past school year.
This fact developed at the meeting OF
the local school board Inst evening.
The matter came up In the form OF
a communication from State High
School Inspector f. NJ. Phillips. The
letter enclosed a copy OF resolution
lust PASSED unanimously by the state
high school board. declaring the state
aid to be forfeited by the Mankato
district.
No action was taken by the school
board except TO place the communi-
cation on file. The attitude OF the
al AnG nj
There was some caustic comment.
Let the state board keep its money
and we will run our schools to suit
ourselves" said the president. w. B.
Davies.
Il feel that the state high school
board had double crossed u.s." said
the school superintendent, +. J. Sper-
nv. III understood w. ID. willard
rightly. he had assurance from the
BOARD that no further action would
he taken until another statement on
the subject was obtained from the
attorney generals Office"
Mr.. Willard was not present at the
meeting last evening. DR.. w. A.
Beach was also absent.
ut looks like case of taking snap
Judgment" said Judge Evan Hughes.
Religious exercises are being held at
the state normal school and. II | am
not mistaken. at the state university.
Yet. the head OF the university votes
with the rest, II seems, TO take this
Judgment upon u.s."
President Vincent has been a hard
pusher in this religious instruction
rule that is placed over u.s." said Su-
perintendent Sperry.
What the State Board Says.
Following Is the text OF the resolu-
tons passed by the state high school
board:
That i'm view OF the report OF In
spector Phillips OF the violation by
the Mankato schools OF the rule of
the high school board prohibiting any
form OF religious instruction in con-
nection with any public school exer-
cises, and (2D In view of the fact that
the Mankato school board admits that
the practice OF reading from the Bible
and repeating prayers at the opening
Of the public school exercises was
continued after notice had been serv-
ed by the inspector that the practice
must be discontinued. and (3) in view
Of the fact that the attorney general
in an opinion dated December 10,
1895. and quoted by a later attorney
general under date OF December 5.
1913. has held that the reading of the
Bible and the recital OF prayers I'm
connection with the exercises OF the
public schools constituted religious
instruction. and that the question de-
cided in such opinion has not been
decided otherwise by court Of COM
petent Jurisdiction,
Resolved. that the special aid 10
the Msnkato schools for the school
year 1914 and 1915 he withheld and
further that the high school board re-
quests the advice OF the attorney gen
eral, provided steps are taken by the
Mankato school board to recover such
aid by legal proceedings
Secretary Soaring presented a let
ter he had receiyed from p. e. Ton
ming. assistant superintendent of
schools. in reply TO one that Mr.. Scar
ing wrote to him, asking whether Il
WAS necessary TO keep the books of
the school board exactly I'm the form
laid down by the state superinten-
dent The reply stated that this
would be necessary. Mr.. Soaring told
the board last night that the system
that the state office demanded was
a very elaborate one and one that
would not be possible with the books
that the board was now using. At
length il was decided that the old
system be retained but that i'm max
ing reports to the state officials, the
new system be conformed to as strict
ly as possible. Mr.. Soaring said the
prescribed ook-keeping system re-
quired a vast amount OF detail, and
he thought such elaboration was al
together unnecessary.
More Paid For Teachers.
Mr.. Soaring rendered his report for
the fiscal year. II showed a cash
balance on hand OF s19,4S4 SO against
a balance OF s3s.426 So a year ago.
The total disbursements for the year
amounted to ssS,154. 20, being s69,-
76l.23 from the current fund. So
1893 Al from the special fund and
$4,000 from the sinking fund.
The biggest item of current ex-
pense was that of teachers salaries.
which came TO s39,255.14. Mr.. Scar
ing remarked that this was s29. 900
four years ago. but he said the schools
were much larger now. Other items
OF current expense were: janitors
salaries. s4,0s4. IA; other salaries, 81
ISL: fuel. s4.565 Is: stationery and
supplies, s2,417 80; printing and ad-
vertising. $32S.45: insurance. ST.