The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1907-10-30
PLAINS HAVE BEEN MAOE TO
PRODUCE THOUSANDS
OF TREES
SCHOOLS ARE ALL UP TO DATE
Manual Training important Factor
in Western Education-Other
interests
Canby, Mimi, Oct. II, 1907

Candy, Mimi, Oct. II, 1907.
BaIaboo News, Baraboo, Wis.
Dear Sir:-Today | came across your
letter, which had been mislaid, and it
brought to mind that / had not as yet
complied with your invitation, asking
me to write something in regard to the
country around here and the Candy
schools. OF course, Minnesota, like all
other states, has its favorable and un-
favorable qualities but | shall make
attempt to speak as often as L can of
the good points.
AS you come toward Candy, the
first thing which will attract your at
tention are the pigmy forests that dot
the plains and prairies here and there.
| had often read how the farmer liv-
ing on the vast prairies would plant
trees around his house and barns for
protecting influences against injurious
winds, therefore, / concluded that
among these pigmy forests such build
ings might be found.
Effects of Wind Breaks
Having always lived where there
were hills and bluffs, l never realized
the wonderful effect these wind breaks
have until [ joucneyed back and forth
from my uncle's farm for the past
seven weeks. [ readily recall the
Monday morning | started to take the
seven mile drive to Candy. (The peo-
pie here speak of seven or twelve miles
as though it was only mile or two.)
| thought to myself what an ideal day
it was and was glad that | need not be
bothered with a heavy coat. Little /
thought what was to greet me when
| got away from the trees. If it had
not been for the fur coat | was urged
to wear, | should certainly have nearly
frozen for the wind was piercing. L
do believe if we had gone in The
direction of the wind the horses would
not have had to exert themselves at all
to move as the wind would have
readily bowed us to the city. Yes in
deed, these forests are their best
friends.
Hopes OF Settlers Realized.
) have been informed when the
first settlers came that their hopes and
desires were to surround themselves
with fruits and flowers, and as they
beheld the rich virgin soil of these
bcundless prairies, and saw such fine
wild flowers and occasional patches of
wild small fruits, their hearts were
filled with hope, "that best born to
mOrtals given". Scarcely was the vir-
gin soil uprooted ere the apple seed and
tree were planted. Quite extensive or
chardS are now seen and it now seems
as tho their fond hopes are nearly rea-
lized What an amount of centraliZa-
tiOn of mental and manual effort is be-
ing put into every department of horti-
culture and of foresting these great
plains! Twenty-seven years ago when
my uncle, Captain Mair Pointon, came
out here not tree could be seen, but
today, after arduous labor, thousands
of trees stand, "like Druids of old"
There is really good per cent of the
surface of this section that is too wet
for the plow, but the farmers have be-
gun to reclaim the most of this moist
and wet land. Since there is twice as
much rainfall in Wisconsin as around
here, it is not considered wise to re-
nAove any more than the surface water
from the land.
The Schools.
Now I must pass on to the schools.
The 500 students, which are enrolled
in the Candy schools, had by no means
lost their relish for study, as we were
all down to a good working basis in 6
short time. For the first time, manual
training and domestic science have
been placed in the schools, and rooms
carefully fitted have been given fol
these two subjects. The boys of the
upper grades and freshmen are giver
instruction in the selection and use oi
tools, and in the doing of those practi
cal things in wood work that every
boy ought to know. The girls receive
instruction in sewing and the bes
methods in the preparations of foods
The spirit of the school is of the bes
and highest. Foot-b ball has much to dt
70 encourage this school spirit. Thi
fa shs Arst year any assenti0n has been