The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-18

Is limit TO everything. There had
TO be a Re adjustment some place
and the board has found il necessary
TO make this re adjustment in the
salaries of teachers. There has been
no cut in salaries, merely re ad =
justment to level matters up. The
salaries paid teachers in Mankato
in other schools of the state"
! | don't believe that we can raise
any salaries-if We do we must find
some way OF getting reimburse
ments. 1t is only reasonable to try
out our system for the purpose of
bringing this matter out better. !
don't believe that We have cut any
salaries that we can be rightfully
clitized for"
Matter Of Principle With Board
ut isn't matter OF saving so
much money by this re adjustment
it is matter of principle with the
board. Under this merit system
salaries would so on without limit.
We wo@ld have lost greatly under
the old system"
! Attorney Schmitt: We have not
come here TO criticize the board. but
to render aid i; possible. As / un.
derstsnd it by the cutting Of ssIa :
ries the board has saved. $4,000.
The efficiency of teachers is of far
greater importance than the saving
of this sum 10 the tax payers"
Gus Widell: The board by no
me during my service here. THIS
underground channe! has made me
powerless TO act as | should have
been able TO do. We have been in .
terested in the schools. We have
never been interested in the per-
sons employed but in the result at,
tanned in our schools.
There has been a charge OF fav
oritism made in the matter OF teach
ers. | want TO cite case here at
this time which | believe should be
brought out this time. II is the
case OF Miss Ruth Brown. principal
of the Lincoln school who has re
signed"
Miss Brown was brought here
with me when | came, because gpe
was an efficient teacher. She was
given the principalship of the Lin
coin schooi-not because OF favor
itism-but because she was efficient
-and was able TO handle the school
in an efficient manner"
There is an eternal embarrass-
Tent and an eterral obstruction to
the superintendent of Mankato
schools-no matter whom ne may
be. Teachers 20 over the head OF
the superintendent and make him
pOwerIess to Get in the proper man
ner. No matter who comes here. ne
will be confronted with the same
problem. Schools should be run in. a
business like manner and in no
other way"
Then There Was Laughter.
The seriousness ard tenseness OF
the discussion was broken with
laughter when Rev Ralph A. Jensen
said that il was about time a
preacher took hand in the much
mooted discourse. He stated that
he had heard criticism regarding
mis- service on the board as he was
not heavy tax payer.
Il don't need to say to the mem
bers of the board and 10 some OF
this delegation my stand on the
merit system of running the teach
err force of our schools. When the
matter first arose before the board
now. for the merit system.
= When the matter OF the merit
system came up for the Mankato
schools | was for 1t and | am now
AS matter of fact the merit sys.
TEN is in force under the new plan
OF the board Leading educators
OF the country are using the merit
system and it is becoming stronger
all the time"
General Widel took the floor and
took issue with the statement made
by Superintendent Selle. II don't
agree with superintendent Seue in
the statement he made. | think you
went too far in criticiZing the board
} for not backing you up in all these
matters. There were some ques-
tons came up and We differed from
you, adopting other courses than
you suggested"
" Superintendent Seile: | didn't
criticize all of the board, but some
members of the board who have
!. maintained these underground chan
nels with teachers.
I What was the reason Miss Brown
'resigned?" asked Sam X. Fowler, a
member of the delegation.
He was informed by Judge
Hughes that Miss Browns salary
as principal was $4,000 and that it
had not been raised under the new
system. He stated that the board
found it impossible to make an in
crease.
Sorry To Lose Miss Brown.
The citizens of the fifth ward of
Mankato were very sorry to see
Miss Brown leave, Fowler said. and
wanted her returned to the school
IL II was possible to do>so.
} Il don't think" said Fowler. that
a teacher like Miss Brown should
, be let go just for the sake of saw
ing a little money. She has given
, wonderful service to our children in
the fifth ward and we want her re i.
turned if possible"
Mr. Widell stated that the board
had gone as far as possible in the
matter of raising salaries and that
II found IL necessary to call a halt
some place. A short argument arose
between Widell and Fowler over the
matter.
The delegation finally. withdrew
without the board taking any ac-
ton relative TO the change i'm the
salary system. The board went in
TO executive session immediately
with Mr.. Fleckenstein.
II was reported that Mr.. Flecken-
stein made urgent plea to mem
bers OF the board to liftJthe sus-
pension of expulsion of hts son I'm =
/ manuel so that he would be able to
graduate. The board also discus
Z sed the suspension Of Kenneth
lSwitZer, who with Fleckenstein were
placed on a rigid parole by Judge
William A.. Stradtman in municipal
] court yesterday.
Although members of the board