The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-04-17
OUR SCHOOLS.
SOMETHING OF THE WORK BEING
DONE IN THEM.
Modern Methods, Applied by Expert
enced Teachers, is Bringing Good
Results Superintendentken S
Good Work-fie Believes That the
Best That Experience Teaches is
None Too Good for Mankato Chill
dren.

| lNOuC tOO oOOu lOt lF1dHhdto Wills
dren.
The city schools opened Monday for
the summer term of eight weeks.
A representative of the FREE PRESS
has lately given some special atten-
| tion to the work of the schools and is
richly pleased at the prosperous con-
dition in which he finds them. We
took pains to inquire of several educa-
tors who visited them during the re-
cent educational convention and they
were very complimentary in speak
ing of the efficient management,
equipment and teaching done for the
Mankato children, and spoke in
flattering terms of Supt. Kenaston's
faithful and energetic work for the
upbuilding of the schools.
At the Franklin building we 0found
seven grades under the principalship
of Miss Minnie Bangerter, and corps
of teachers educated in the Mankato
schools. The rooms are filled with
promising children. taught and govern
ed by the best methods. The entire
school works like clockwork;harmony,
happy work and quick obedience
everywhere. The teachers make
good use of the course of study and
suggestions given them and work for
the best good of the school district.
The school rooms are well decorated
with the work of the children and
besides this the spare room has been
fitted up as place to represent the
work of pupils in composition, lam
guage and drawing The display is
most creditable.
At the Union building there are
eight rooms, the children all busy at
their work, everything spick and
span for the new term.
Miss Anna Jones is principal, with
her grade in the new building. The
seventh grade is the highest here and
those promoted will 60 to the high
school building. 1t has lost some
pupils this spring to go to work, and
from this tendency of pupils to leave
in the 9Th and 7th years the superin-
tendent argues that we cannot do too
much for children in the early grades
of the school,. There is some as good
teaching in these grades as can be
found anywhere. We have seen no
more orderly school as they gathered
after recess at the beck of the Sup't.
and teachers and marched to their
rooms. The teachers here are all
Mankato ladies and five of them are
new in these places this year. 1t
seems clear, Judging from patrons
standpoint, that when we have good,
tried, efficient teachers they should
be kept in their places if possible. 1t
is not easy for any person to step into
new system of schools and do eff
Gent work for some time. Knowing
how difficult is success in all lines TO-
day, we see that it takes time and
care to adjust ones self to the work
of the modern school room. We judge
that good progress is attending the
work in all grades.
We have always taken special pride
in the management, spirit and con-
duct of the Pleasant Grove building.
1t is the largest school in the city.
and Miss Dredge, the principal, in
forms us that it has 10 teachers and
over $50 pupils enrolled. We know of
few schools running for year more
successfully, harmoniously and eff
GENTLY. The halls are well managed,
but the pleasant places are in the
| school rooms where one finds happy
body of children at their preparation
for life's work, with teachers who
have grown capable by daily, careful
study and practice in the school room.
1t seems to US that good use is made
of reference books, maps, apparatus,
all to make the children happy at
their work. The school board has
done much to add to the convenience
and space in this building, and yet
the blackboards and floors will need
more repairs. While good schools are
made only by efficient teachers in
each room, we see the wonderful ad-
vantage the modern school rooms have
over those we knew as boys. We are
pleased with the kind of work that
is given the children, 1t is adapted
to rouse their interest; it has practi-
cal relations to life. 1t is pleasant to
see the knowledge children have of
our language and history, and litera-
ture and elementary science. No bet
ter course of study has been prepared