The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-18
SCHOOL DIRECTOR
DEFENDS POSITION
Gus Widell Refers TO Fixed
Economy Program
WANTS FOLKS HELP
No Intention of Lowering Eff
cheney of Educational
Institutions

Like a teakettle over cookstove
the meeting OF the board OF educa-
ton held last night siZZled with al &.
sument over the relative value OF
basing teachers salaries on the merit
system or upon the seniority system
which has been re -adopted by the
board. when delegation OF nIteeh
men and women taxpayers OF the
city appeared requesting that EFFORTS
be made 10 retain certain teachers
who had resigned when the board
made re adjustment of salaries at
recent meeting.
The argument over the action or
the board in reverting to its forme"
system of paying teachers salaries
on the seniority plan. rather lhah
upon the merit system waXed warm
for a time when members or the
board rose and defended their action
in making the change.
The appearance of the large dele =
CATION before the board was brought
about primarily by the designations
OF certain teachers, who, spokesman
for the delegation, declared were OF
such high calibre that the school
would be taking step backward To
let them go, because OF matter OF
salary.
The board was in session from
1850 D. m. until long after midnight.
Following the departure of the dele
cation. the board went into eXecu-
tive session TO hear NJ. w. Flecken
stein make plea that the suspen-
sion of his son, Emmanuel Flecken-
stein, be lifted TO enable him TO grad
rate with his class so that he would
lie able to continue his school work.
The board also while in executive
session discussed applications OF
teachers and also elected a number
CT new and re elected number OF
bonner teachers.
Attorney !. W. Schmitt was the
first teacher for the teacher delegd
tiCn. He spoke at some length rela
TIE to the value OF education and to
he practice of false economy in cut
ny salaries where the value OF the
teachers work and personality mer-
tied a high salary.
Board Has Thankiess Task"
The members of the board o. ed
rcation have a thankless job. You
have given a wonderful service to the
people for the accepting positions of
this kind We on. the outside of
school matters do not always keep
in touch with conditions as we
pobably should. We drift away from
our schools when we should be more
interested in our chiidrens' educa
ton and in our educators"
I'VE forget the reason that our
schools are supported by the state
why teachers and all educators make
teaching a speciality; why they
make il their lifes work"
1.-The state is Interested in. pre-
serving our educational institutions
as il knows that by the education OF
our children they are taught to be
good citizens Without education il
would be impossible to deal with the
complex problems of today. Better
I. training brings better citizens.
-"Our educational institutions is
an investment and we are the share
holders in that investment. The
state looks at education with the
general idea of good citizens and IL
we do not have good citizens we
do not get good government. There
is one selfish problem which con
fronts us and that is that everyone
should have an education.
ITO get this education right, we
must have the best teachers that
money can buy. There is a big DIFF
ference in teachers-they are not all
alike. The salary should not be ba
sic but should be placed ON the eff
cheney of each individual educator
"1t is cruel and false economy, II
you have good teacher-one who
shows an interest in a child-who
gives everything she has to bring
the best out Of the children-one
who has a personality which is an
incentive to the students-we be-
lieve that IL is false economy to GU,
10 of hot
Expense Incurred BY Teachers.
Mr.. Schmitt detailed the large ex-
pense incurred by teacher during
a year and that on the salary given
by the new system that they had
little left after paying for necessary
living expense. -
"Mankato-with the reputation II
has for good schoois-cannot afford
70 let IL go out that this city has lei
good teachers 60 because of the de
sire TO save on salaries. Let us have
good schools, SO that we may retain
our good reputation for such, as in
the past. We ask that you keep ouI
good teachers-let them feel that
tunity Of lettering themselves"
IN r. not the daily lesson thai
counts, as much as 1t Is the person
Atty or the teachers which is In
jected to.the boy or girl that Is car.
r1ed through life. Pay your teach
/. erSson the service given and thei,
tVoss0nality."
Following Attorney Schmitts talk
President Mrs. B. d. Smith asked
other members Of the delegation Il
they wished to talk. No one arose
q. A. Widell, member of the board
arose and answered Schmitt on the
boards stand on the matter
II want to say Just few words In
behalf Of the stand the board ha:
taken ] want 70 tell you men and
bnp1aaB Hhat l. don't believe any d
H. bO9rd members has the least de.
size 10 Yet any 81 fts good tea"her