The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-06-03

great value in that IL PROVIDES a place
and opportunity for the pupil to fine
out something OF the worlds activi
/ ties.
If all children came from homes OF
affiuence or intellectual culture, such
a place would not be needed. Few dc
come from such homes, and the great
majority must find the opportunity
to become familiar with our great re
views and magazines elsewhere OF
grow up without such acquaintance
The mental outlook of childhood is
limited by the experience of child
hood. From this it follows that Of
the preparation of debates, compost
tions and OrationS are a Legitimate
part of school work, some means must
be provided where reading matter
touching on the subjects under con
sideratiOn can be read. | therefore
earnestly ask from you such sup
port for the reading-roOm and gymna-
SUM as will maintain them in a -four
ishing condition. What has been
said of the reading-roOm applies with
equal force to the library, and this is
included, as being entitled to your
generous support.
To provide funds for the objects
heretofore named, series OF lectures
and entertainments were given by
the pupils in the High School assem-
| bly-roOm. Among these entertain
ments were a series of three lectures,
by Leon Vincent and two lectures by
Prof. e. b. Swift. These lectures
were of unusual interest and value to
pupils, teachers and community. !
would recommend that others of like
value be provided for benefits from
time to time.
We have sought in the regular
school work of all grades to maintain,
and if possible lift the standard of eX-
cellence established in the past.
owe 10 the teacher in special charge
of music to speak Of the unusual eX-
cellence and thorOughnesS of this
part of our school work. To one who
will go back in mind few years to
the time when vocal music was not
taught in the schools great change
for The better in the musical tastes OF
the pupils is evident. The best thing
about the whole subject is the enjoy
ment the children Of all growths take
in this subject. 1t can be truly said
that they love to sing.
| AS to drawing, our work has not
been improving. 1t has rather de-
| triorated, and indicates the need OF
a special teacher to take charge OF
and push this subject.
The over-crowded condition of oul
| lowest primary rooms, Sub.-1st and
1st grades, is source of much anXi-
ETY., though it is now Of some years
standing. In the Union and Frank.
| Ign districts large number OF child
rem could not be received from time
to time for lack of seats, and that
| this has not been so in the Pleasant
Grove district is because people
| have made arrangements for the edu
cation of their children with other
agencies than the public schools.
| | desire to call to your attention
that in all of your school buildings
| there are some vacant rooms in which
primary grades could be opened, and
that wrong is done to parents whose
children are refused admission fol
lack of place in the primary grades
already formed, for which they have
a legal remedy, and that such STEP
on the part of any one aggrieved would
| likely be heavy expense to this
| Board. / would further call to your
| attention the fact that these primary
grades receive children in the very be-
ginning of their school experience.
Children now begin to m axe the ac-
quired experience of the world their
| own. 1t is very important that.every
child be properly started on the road
| to knowledge. | submit as Self-evi-
dent propositions that it is an injury
to present and future progress to eye
| ry child to be deprived of it's proper
share of the teachers personal atten-
| tiOnby reason of overcrowding and that
| it lengthenS the number of years the
average child must remain before
passing through the grades at least
one year.
l would urge upon you as wise and
as an economical step to take such
action as will limit the maximum at
| tendance in any primary school at
any time TO forty pupils, and that
new rooms be opened as soon as the
number of children in excess of the
number provided for in any district
exceeds twenty. This change would
necessitate the opening of three adj
dltlOnal primary rooms at this time.
For the immediate present such a
step would be expensive, but it seems
| to me to be no more than justice. 1t
| would naturally increase the efficiency
and the enrolment of the schools,
and it would tend, by making it pos
sible to do more thorough work in the
primary grades, to keep pupils from
drifting out of school before com
pleting the whole course.
An oratorical contest of the High
school with the Normal school, con-
sisting of three contestants from each
| school, was held in the Normal school
| chapel on the evening of April 22nd.
The victory of the High school con-
testantS has been great stimulus tC
this school. 1t is hoped that the prize,
statue of The Flying Mercury, will
| be constant reminder and incentive
| to greater efforts to oratory and that
these contests may be an annual fea-
ture. Few school rooms anywhere
can surpass in beauty and attractive
ness the assembly room of the High
school. Much of this is due to your
generous care, very much to the low.
| ing interest of teachers and pupils.
| The toy stove SO generously donated
as a prize by Messrs. j. A. Lewis &
Son to the girl under 10 years of age
whose standing in attendance pune
tuality, department. and scholarship
was highest was awarded by a COM
mittee consisting of the Superintend-
emf tho nrippina1 of tho HiOh school