New Ulm review., 1920-07-07

penditures it has lost in all items.

penditures it has lost in all items.
Conspicuous among the gains is that
of the percentage of children of school
age, as indicated by the United States
census, who are attending public
schools. In 1890 the state had forty
first place; in 1917 it had risen to,
seventeenth place, a gain of "a per
cent. Twenty years ago the state was
thirty-ninth in rank in days attended by
each child, as compared to nineteenth
place in 1918. In the number of days
schools were open the states rank has
risen from thirty-sixth place to twentieth.
In these three items Minnesota has
shown conspicuous gains; in other items
there is more or less of loss shown. In
proportion of children in high school, the
state has dropped from ninth place to
fifteenth place; in percentage of boys
to girls in high school from twenty-frst
to twenty-seventh; in expenditure per
child Of school age, from fourteenth to
sixteenth place; in expenditure for non
salary purposes from third to eighth
place; and in average salary for each
teacher employed, from sixteenth to
twentieth place. In expenditure per
teacher employed, the state has been
stationary, remaining in its rank of
seventeenth state.
Results of the report show remark
able health and encouraging condition
Of education in Minnesota.
The increase in proportion of children
in high school in the state was not so
alarming when the rapid growth of this
state compared with other states was
taken into consideration.
Minnesota today has between $4,000
and $4,000 students in high schools,
whereas in 1885 it had but 5 5000 or 1000.
Il believe this fact places no stigma
on the educational conditions in the
state,' said Dean Coffman, 'for while
the number of pupils in the grades may
have increased remarkably / believe
that in the percentage of pupils of high
school age in high school we stand
favorably."
what falling off the state may have
felt in this respect" Dean Coffman said,
in commenting on the report, "was due
in measure to the backwardness in
compulsory educational laws. In more
than twenty states, he said, the law re-
qulres persons to remain in at least part
time continuation school until 18 years
DID, In Minnesota the law requires
student to remain in school until he is
Is years. ~ ~
The fact that the percentage of boys
to girls was decreasing in the state, Dean
Coffman attributed as partly due to the
lack of vocational education offered in
the high schools and to increasing op-
portunltles to earn attractive wages.
In many other states he said, oppor-
tunity exists for boys to become in
dustrially and vocationally trained in
high school until 18 years old. In
Minnesota the boy who wishes this
type of training must 60 into industry
to obtain it.
Minnesota's rank as to expenditure
per teacher employed, Dean Cofman
said, would be measureably increased
by next year. The state had mad
noticeable gains recently, he said, in
this item. 1t would also present a
much better showing in expenditure per
child in school and as to the average
salary per teacher employed.
The people Of Minnesota" says Dean
Cofmann, "are beginning to have more
faith in secondary education. There is a
tradition growing that it is right and
just for children to have secondary
education. There is an increased de-
mand for education on the part of the
parents and an added interest in educa-
tion on the part Of the students"