The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-06-08
The District School Contest.

| A gentleman, one time a resident Of
Garden Grove whose name is withheld
has placed one hundred dollars in the
hands of the superintendent of public
instruction to be offered in cash prizes
in one township to the three schools
showing the best result in improving
and identifying the school houses and
grounds, the work to be done by the
teacher and pupils. The state superin
tendent suggested that the contest take
place in Garden Grove township outside
of the town Of Garden Grove.
The contest closed June 1, 1905. A
committee of award, consisting of Miss
Inez f. Kelso, superintendent of the
Humeston public schools; Rev. Joe
Goodsell, pastor of the NJ. E. Church
OF Garden Grove; and Professor A. l..
Lyon, superintent of the public schools
OF Garden Grove, visited all the com
peting schools.
A description Of the work done in
each district had been written by a
pupil of each school, to be read by the
committee. Photographs of the school
house before the work had been begun
and after it was complicated were
exhibited.
nc SOululllUco dWdFuCu Lu6 HrSU
prize $1,000, to the Jim Lillard school;
the second prize, $4,000, to the Pleasant
Ridge school; the third prize $4,000,
the White Oak school. These amounts
are to be used by the successful
schools to purchase books, or for some
other worthy object, subject to the
approval of the superintendent of pub
lie instruction and the county super
intendent.
The purpose of the donor was to show
what can be done by teacher and pupils
in improving country school surround
ings; and that these improvements,
made by the schools, may be object
lessons to other schools.
How we'll the first purpose was fulfill
ed may be shown by mentioning some of
OF the things that were accom-
plished. Desks, chairs, and similar fur
niture were revarnished till they shone
like new; walls, ceilings, windows and
floors were cleaned walls and ceilings in
one school being repainted; stoves we're
polished, plants set out, trees planted,
flower beds made, one flag staff set up,
one fence rebuilt, out houses painted
and some built new; one sectional book
case was purchased and an encyclo-
pedia and dictionary secured to form
the nucleus of a library; window shades
were made like new, some new ones be-
ing put up; sash curtains were hung;
underbrush was cleared away in one
school yard: pictures were hung, side
walks rebuilt, pumps painted, flags pur-
chased and many interior decorations
made.
We hope that the second purpose will
be accomplished. Any one who could
see these school houses and grounds
would be convinced that the contest
has done great good in the competing
schools. Those who have an opportun-
ity should go and see what has been
done in these districts. 1t is worth
very much to boys and girls to have
pleasant surroundings and this contest
shows that under the direction of their
teachers they can make them so. To
have clean, respectable buildings, desks
and grounds will in itself help to instill
into young minds love for cleanliness
order and neatness. There are some i'll
kept buildings for which no one could
have any respect, and it is little wonder
that boy will carve them up or try to
injure or destroy them. Let us have a
greater amount of pride in the surround
ings of the school children. Let us
give them better buildings, fences,
desks, outhouses, and let US keep ali
these things in first class condition.
The donor will receive the lasting
gratitude of the people of Garden Grove
township for having contributed so
literally to this worthy and deserving