River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-27
RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN, THURSDAY JANUARY
pres. Parker To The Press.
o the Press of WISCONSIN,

pres. Parker To The Press.
To the Press of Wisconsin,
Believing that the Editors of this
state have no desire to misrepresen
The situation in River Fails, and that
the erroneous statements which have
from time to time been made con-
corning the River Falls Norm
School have grown out Of misappre
hension of the actual conditions, the
attention Of the Press is respectfully
requested to the following infurma-
ton.
On the evening of November % the
Normal School building, erected here
in 1874, was nearly destroyed by fire.
| Many persons in remote parts of the
state seem to think that when the
building burned the school was discon-
tinued. The fact is that the school
lost but half of one day, and that half
day was employed in holding a mass
meeting OF the students and citizens
TO devise ways and means to house the
| school, and in caring for the movables
| saved from the burning building.
| Churches and civic society buildings
were offered in number far in excess
| Of the demand and at half past one
| O'Clock, of the day after the fire, reci-
| tatiOns were resumed.
At present the school is tortably
| located in large new Methodist
church, com pleted at Christmas, and
furnished, by the prompt action Of the
| Board OF Regents, with new furniture.
| The recitation and class rooms are in
| the same block with this church, be-
| ing scattered through four other
| buildingS,-a church and three civic
society halls. The kindergarten and
| primary model schools are in the Con-
gregatOnal church, one block away
The school is working in most excel
lent spirits and the attendance is
| larger than on the day of the fire.
The River Falls Normal School, in
small city Of 1000 inhabitants, has
been peculiarly helpful in the tram
ing OF teachers for rural schools, not
only its undergraduates in large num-
bers having engaged in this work,
chiefly in the eight or ten nearer
counties, but its graduates have done
considerable service in the country
schools, besides having filled response
BILE positions in the graded and High
Schools in this aud other portions OF
the state, eleven of them being en-
ployed at present in the city schools
Of Milwaukee.
E0iIudlGii III IL pOI llOll VI Tue NOdGG
where High Schools are not numerous
and where there are no colleges TO af-
ford higher education this school has
done. faithfully and well, "A work
wholly legitimate for a State Normal
School If there is need for any Nor
NAL School in the state, there is every
reason why this school should have
the opportunity to prosecute the work
it is trying to accomplish, and those
who would take the school away from
this portion OF the state for the bene-
fit of more favored portions or for the
benefit of other institutions located
where the needs are so much less i'm
peratiye than here, know not what
they do
Some Of the objections which are
urged against the continuance Of the
school are:-it is patronized by the
people from Minnesota, though there
are but three students in the school
from that state and there were no
more than six last year. The school
has never educated a large mum Der
from other states. River Falls, it is
claimed is in a sparSely populated por-
tiOn of the state, though there are in
Wisconsin 30, 900 people within 100
miles Of this city. 1t is said to be in
dNNtS>l blts tuB bliHlN iii WV B'A''
engcr trains each way daily to all
parts Of northwestern Wisconsin. II
is urged that the patronage is local in
it, character This is true, but the
same may be said of every Normal in
the state. probably in any state. 1t
may also be said Of our state Universe |
ty. one fourth of whose students are
recruited from Dane county; two
ffths from Dane and the counties
which touch Dane; nearly one hall
"a per cent? from within a radius OF
fifty miles 100000 residents Of Wis
cOnSin more than 100 miles from
Madison, scattered through forty |
mort ern counties, Send but 100 stu |
dents to the chief educational institu- |
tiOn in the state Who would think |
OF claiming that the INFLUENCE OF |
our thriving University is limited to |
southern Wisconsin?
On December % the Board of Re
gents, BY vote Of eight to two, de- |
cided to rebuild the school at River
Falls. Since that time the insurance
has been adjusted. and plans and
specifications have been made by re-
liable architects and builders, show |
inc that a fine. commodious building
can be put up for the amount of in |
surance received 1T will therefore
not be necessary TO go to the tax pay
ers for a dollar to rebuild or equip the |
the school.
During the last four years Wiscon- |
sin has equipped two other Norman
schools in localities no more favorable |
than River Falls, besides having
established, built and equipped a
school for the feeble minded at
Chippewa Falls, at an expense double |
that required to rebuild the Normal !
here for the training OF teachers. In |
view Of this liberal policy on the part |
of the law makers it would seem
strange for the legal authorities t. |
curtail the educational efficiency OF
the Normal system to save for other |
purposes the few thousand dollars
which fairly belong to the school for |
which the insurance was written.
That the facts may not become |
fully known TO the public IS the only
fear entertained by the friends or the
school. Its therefore with malice
toward none and charity for all thal
this letter is addressed to the Editors
Of Wisconsin, in the firm belief that
every fair minded person Is wiling I"
cooperate with us in giving to the
public information Of the true condl-
tion here. It is believed that the
Press may be relied upon to create
that public opinion which, when once
aroused. is sure to settle this import
ant question, inn ortant TO all public
institutions in the state and TO all IN
terested in them the only right
way. by continuing school which for
nearly quarter Of a century has sent
forth young people who are worthy
and we'll qualified to instruct the
youth of our noble commonwealth.
w. d. PARKER,
River Falls, Jan. Is, '9S. Pres.
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who could become perfectly healthy
hy using DeWitt's Little Early Risers
the famous little pills. Barnard &
| Cough.