The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-09-09
ACQUISITIONS.
Supt. Varney Asks for a Years
Supplies.
School Board Listens to the Annual Re-
ports of the Secretary and
Treasurer.

The meeting of the school board
last night was attended by every mem
Der except L. G. M. Fletcher.
The committee on property and eX-
pense presented printed copies of the
revised charter and rules, which were
distributed among the members.
Mr.. Windmi'ler sent letter into
the board advising that the cheapest
way of providing pure water for the
East Mankato school building is to
carry it, although the distance is l 400
feet from the school house to his well.
He considered that pipe line would
be too expensive. He said that if a
permanent and first class improve.
ment was wanted, he would agree to
sink we'll $50 feet deep to live wa
ter, complete the same in every de-
tail, and erect steel wind mill over
the same, for $3.50. He added that
this would be the very best thing, as
the mill would keep the water pure
and fresh. He would not recommend
a well without mill.
Supt. Varney thanked the board for
the liberal repairs and Improvements
made in the various buildings during
the vacation. He said that nearly
everything asked for had been given.
He had made arrangements for racks
for storing bicycles in the high school
building. The schools had opened
Monday morning with 1900 pupils on
hand, which he considered to be
good showing. Some of the lower de-
partments in the Franklin and Pleas
ant Grove buildings were quite crowd
ed. He spoke of certain changes in
the grades to be taught by the teach
ers in the Pleasant Grove school, and
this matter was left with the school
committee and superintendent to fix
up.
Mr.. Varney made requisition for
school supplies for the entire year. as
is the plan pursued in many other
schools, where nothing is allowed az
ter the first requlsition is made. The
list is a long one, the most important
items being $50 worth of chemical sup
plies for the high school, physical ap-
paratus for the high school listed at
S145, more English-American classics
for the reading course, and other
books, a type writer for the superin-
tendent's office, a barrel or ,cask of
ink, 40 to so dozen Andrews dustless
erasers, dustless crayon to the amount
of so or 90 boxes, go shadow boxes for
drawing purposes, stationery, etc.
The entire requisition footed up about
5000, or average of 800 building,
which Supt. Varney said was about
the same as the purchases made last
year amounted to.
In speaking of the dustless crayon,
Mr.. Varney said that he believed that
much of the trouble with the eyes ex-
perienced by pupils was due to chalk
dust floating in the air. The chalk
now in use makes fine dust, which
floats in the air, while the dustless
crayon makes larger PARTICLES, which
fall down. The chalk dust that floats
in the air undoubtedly causes injury
= to the lungs and general health of the
pupils and teachers, - #
The requsitions were referred to
the school committee to report at the
next meeting.
Mrs. Smith said that Miss Dunn
had requested that the board pur-
-chase school song books to the amount
of $40, and other music to the
amount of S15, or give permission for
the pupils to purchase them. This
was also referred to the committee on
schools.
Treasurer Keysor presented his an
-nual report, the following being a
synopsis:
CURRENT FUND DIR.
Received from former treasurer. 11,645.94