The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-03-11
STATE SCHOOL FOR
DEAF ON THE GRILL
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE NOW
LOOKING INTO MATTER OF
INSTITUTIONS CONDUCT.
IS VERY ONE-SIDED To DATE
EQUITY LEAGUE AND CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE IN USUAL
BIENNIAL TILT. ~
Especial to Sank Centre Herald.)

Especial to Sank Centre Herald.)
St. Paul, March 10.-First hand in
formation regarding the Legislative
investigation at the School for the
Dear at Faribault should be interest
ing to people of Sank Centre and it's
environs in view of the fact that the
Home School for Girls is located at
Sank Centre.
The probe of DIR. ]. N. Tate's adj
ministration has been conducted by
Representatives P. H. Konzen, chair
man; w. J. North and A. F. Teigen.
Mr.. Teigen brought the matter to the
attention of the Legislature and
Speaker H. H. Flowers placed him on
the committee. A resolution introduce
ed by L. c. Spooner provided that the
whole institution be Investigated.
Good will no doubt come as result
of the probe. But the blame does not
seem to lie entirely upon the Shout
ders of Mr.. Tate. The local board of
directors does not seem to have paid
much attention to the school. Dr.
and was apparently not urged.
The evidence showed that better
teachers could be obtained if the
school had more money. Two of the
buildings which house pupils are old
structures, which could we'll be re-
placed with those of modern type. OBJ
lection to the trade training at the
school was voiced by students and
teachers. The contention is that this
training does not equip the graduates
to go out in the world and earn their
living at the trades they have learn
ed. Even our university training must
be supplemented by practical work
after leaving college. But it would
seem that deaf children, by reason of
their handicap, should get this prac-
teal training at the school.
Charges of cruelty to pupils made
against DR.. Tate were for the most
part messy with age. The dungeons"
proved to be no worse than might be
used in many homes. One boy told of
being spanked with slipper. Many
men today remember when they were
licked with a hickory switch, which
was more painful by far than a rub
Der slipper.
To sum up the whole matter of his
administration it would seem that DIR.
Tate has done very we'll with the ma
terial at hand in spite of the lack of
the watchfulness on the part of those
who should be directly interested in
the school.
A. R. Spear, deaf man of Mime
apolis, aided Mr.. Teigen in putting
questions to witnesses. Mr.. Spear was
very active and attended all hearings.
1t is common talk at the Capitol and
in Faribault that Mr.. Spear was chas-
ed out of North Dakota after starting
a school there and that he has been
antagonistic to Dr. Tate for the last
five years.
The deaf people object to DIR. Tate's
attitude regarding oral teaching. DIR.
Tate in his last report gave figures
showing that about rs per cent of
teaching the deaf is now done by the
oral method, that is teaching the
children to talk and read the lips.
Strong opposition to this method has
come from Mr. Spear and Mr.. How
ard of Duluth, who can both talk but
are unable to hear.
The presence of Mr.. Teigen domi-
mated the hearings last week at Fari-
bault. He asked the most questions.
At times he objected to testimony be-
ing put in by DR.. Tate in the endeavor
to refute that of people talking
against him. Mr.. Konzen called Mr..
Teigen to task on several occasions
for taking this attitude After the
committee had bade good bye to the
school and its head, Mr. Teigen went
quietly back the next day and walked
into the dining room unannounced.
Upon his return to st. Paul he said
80 pupils had protested to him
against the food. He said there was
no butter on the table and the chill
dren could not eat the distasteful food
served to them.
The State Board of Control may
shed light on financial conditions at
the school by it's appearance before
the committee.
Charles E. Keller, state fire mar
shall has left the Capitol.
His place is being filled by Robert
w. Hargadine of st. Paul, an active
Democratic worker. Mr.. Hargadine
was secretary of the Democratic
State Central committee during the
last campaign.
Mr.. Keller was an appointee of for