Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-18
$4,000 OR NOTHING.
Will Wood County Levy 100000
For This Purpose?


through the press, mass meeting was
held in the opera house to consider
ways and means for securing Normal
school in our city. The Board of
Regents came Wednesday evening quite
Unexpectedly, hence no organized COM
mittee were in readiness to receive
them, but with characteristic energy,
the mayor and leading citizens soon
made ready to meet the emergencies of
the case, and though the miscarriage
of telegraphic dispatches, the delays of
office, the premature arrival of the
Regents, and even the elements were
against us, suitable welcome was
accorded them, and delegation Of
prominent public men met and with
carriages conveyed them about the
Twin Cities, showing the unequaled
advantages which we claim as worthy
of consideration.
Messrs. DR.. Hougen, T. A. Taylor and
F, J. Wood, Assemblvman ]. A. Gaynor,
bankers J. d. W1tter and L. NJ. Alex
ander visited with them the locations
offering the most favorable sites and
conferred with them on the feasibility
Of securing the school here. The
Board gave our citizens to understand
that before any location could be con-
| sidered a suitable site and $4,000 must
be guaranteed for building fund, re-
serving the state contribution for fur
nishings, incidentals, improvements,
etc. For the purpose of feeling the
public pulse in the matter, and giving
citizens chance to express their wishes
the mass meeting was called for Satur-
day evening.
| 1t is stated that the county will give
S15, 900 if the school can be secured in
the county. When the towns of Port
Edwards, Dexterville, Pittsville, ,Vesper,
Babcock, Mason, Nekoosa, Lynn and
country precincts are heard from doubt
less that sum will be doubled The
Twin Cities will raise $1,000 Mr.. J. D.
Witter alone offers $4,000, Hon Geo
| R. Gardner will give a six acre site and
81 900. We have not the facts furnish
ing data as to the intentions of outlying
villages in the county, but know them to
be liberal towns with men as leaders
quick to see, and ready to act for the
public good. Marshfeld wants the
school and it is working bravely for it,
| Next to the Twin Cities it would be our
| choice. If Marshield meet with dis
l rty Sc g Al
; race, she will consider the next best
| thing for the county's good and give her
| influence to keeping it in the county
elsewhere. 1t is all we can expect, or if
she distances us in the race our duty to
| her as the county's choice would COM
mand our loyalty. Wisdom and policy
would suggest that committee should
be appointed to canvass the county and
set forth the advantages accruing from
having state institution in our con-
fines. 1t is not easy to estimate the
manifold advantages that will attain to
city and county unless one gives more
than ordinary thought and study to it.
We have endeavored in previous
issues of this paper to set forth advan-
tages gained by a Normal. We saw
statement IN late paper that one
| hundred students would average for
board and incidental expenses $4,000
per wear. We have right to expect
half hundred students the first year
from non-residents, giving to the city
10000 and an increasing number with
corresponding increase in receipts each
year. Teachers employed will receive
from the state probably $500 estima-
ting at low figure and beginning with
five teachers. However we can only
base our income from the school bv
others. Whitewater and other cities
having Normals give base of calcula-
| tlOns. Whitewater gives an estimated
financial benefit to the city of $4,000
annually, paid mostly in form of COM
pensation for rent, for labor, for pro-
visions produced mainly in the county,
for instruction to our children, besides
saving in school taxes, for additional
buildings and additional teachers. An
outlay of $4,000 would pay an annual
interest in cash benefits to county and
CITY of 150 per cent, and as the years
go on the investment expense becomes
eliminated while the yearly gift of the
state will remain.
| Are these facts of no Importance, or
Of interest only to women and children?
Is it not worthy the respectful consid-
Grafton of every taxpayer in the county?
Is it not 4 cause to call for Jealous,
active work to obtain from every trades
man, every farmer, every citizen in
town, or county? The capitalist finds a
home investment i'll house building.
Merchant, farmer, tailor costumer,
landlord, business men generally find
j, increased facilities for trade. But aside
from the financial help that DO one of
ordinary intelligence will doubt, there
is a phase of Normal school benefits of
vastly more Importance than moneyed
interests.
1t prepares our young people for
lives of usefulness and honor, it stimu-
lates intellectual and moral culture. 1t
brings our sons and daughters into
touch with life on broader plane of
thought and builds up character by
prolonged association with hard-work-
ing earnest ambitions companions If