Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-09-05
FIGHT SCHOOL CREAMERY.
Competition With Private Enterprise
Raises Protest

The Dunn county school of agricul-
ture, located in Menomonie, was the
first school of its kind in the United
States. When it was established, five
years ago, small creamery was start
ed in connection with the school. This
was operated four months in the year
as an adjunct to the course of instruc-
ton in dairying The state pays two.
thirds of the expense of maintaining
this school. and the course of study
must be approved by the state superin-
tendent. Dairying is one of the
branches which must be taught, and
to amplify this course a small cream
cry was started. as stated above. This
was found impracticable, as farmers
would supply cream three months i'll
the year only, and the school had no
dairy herd Hence it was decided by
the board this year TO enlarge the
creamery and operate it twelve
months in the year.
Senator Stout, president of the coun-
ty school board, was an enthusiastic
advocate of a school creamery, and do
mated to the county a fine building to
be used for this purpose. He further
offered to pay 81 for every dollar
raised in the city to defray the eX-
pense of equipping an up-to-date
creamery In this way the sum Of ST.
one of the best creamery men in Min
nesota, was engaged by the board to
take charge of the dairy department.
Four cream routes were established to
supply cream for the new institution;
but when the wagons were put on an
unexpected and thus far insurmounta-
BILE difficulty was encountered-a diff
Guilty which menaceS the popularity if
not the usefulness of the school.
AS soon as the patrons of surround
ing creameries learned of the action
of the county school board in estab-
fishing a county creamery in competi-
ton with private enterprises trouble
of a serious character began. A strong
sentiment in opposition to the school
was worked up, and the school itself
as we'll as the school creamery was
denounced by some of the opposition
as farce and a needless expense to
the county. 1t is argued that butter
making has no place in a school OF
this kind, since it is not trade and
practical knowledge of it is no longer
required on the farm.
The advocates of the school cream
cry, of whom Senator Stout and Judge
FIOrin are the leaders, declare that
they are working unseifishly for the
best interests of the farmers, BELIEVING
that in this way they will best develop
the dairy interest, which is the largest
source of revenue to the farmers of
Dunn county. Senator Stout always
has been an ardent supporter of this
school, having donated more than
$4,000 toward its support during the
past five years.
The opponents of the county school
creamery, on the other hand, protest
strongly against the impracticability
of the school creamery, the needless
expense and the manifest unfairness
of the competition it creates for the
surrounding creameries. They de-
nounce the movement as i'll advised
and uncalled for, and they have petit
toned the county board to discontinue
the school creamery. Much bitter
feeling has been aroused on account
of the creamery movement, which, it
is feared, will work much injury to the
school Advocates Of the school cream
cry last fall petitioned the county
board to establish a school herd and
to place il on the county asylum farm.
A committee was appointed to inves-
tigate the merits of the proposition.
This would seem, from present indica
tons, to be the only solution to the
unfortunate condition.
The question involved in this con-
troversy is one Of more than local inn
portance, since many county schools
of agriculture are now being establish
ed, and the question of whether butter
making should be included in the cur
riculum Is one of paramount impor-
lance and one which has strong and
able advocates and arguments on both
sides. The end is not yet