The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-01-17

the part of the girls. This, with sew
ing, he expects to do for the girls
all that manual training does for the
boys.
Brought UP By Hughes.
In bringing the matter up toward
the close of the meeting, President
Hughes said that he did so for the
purpose of having the members think
it over, for if they decide to adopt
the subject it would be necessary
to make provisions the coming spring.
Where it has been adopted the very
best results have been obtained. Last
year the st. James schools adopted
it, and the girls Immediately proceed
ed to 20 wild over the matter of
cooking, and their enthusiasm became
greatly interested as their daughters.
Over sixty took the subject, only six
refusing, the mothers of these girls
saying that they could teach their
daughters cooking at home. The SUI
perintendent talked with the six girls
and asked them whether they were
being taught cooking at home, and
found out that their mothers did not
have time to do so. He remarked
that the mothers could teach their
children reading, writing, arithmetic
and all the other subjects at home,
but will they? So with cooking. This
year l20 girls are enrolled in the
cooking classes, and the first to apply
were the six who refused to take it
last year. The interest is undated.
The cost per pupil is only twelve
cents a month, including the salary of
the teacher. The st. James school
board sent delegation to the Twin
Cities and Winona to investigate the
matter, but found it carried on on
too large scale at the Twin Cities
to get valuable pointers, but at Wi
mona they found just what they want
ed. Mr.. Hughes thought that per-
haps sufficient could be learned of the
matter at st. James. The present
idea in advanced educational thought
is to teach subjects that are of prac-
teal benefit.
People Want It.
Mrs Smith told of one town, where
cooking was introduced in the schools,
and at the following election the
matter was an issue to some extent
and most of the board members who
had favored cooking were defeated,
and the new board did away with the
cooking. Then the people became in
dignant, and at the next election
all of the former board members who
had voted for the cooking school were
elected by big majorities, and every
member opposed to cooking was snow;
ed under deep. This showed what
the people of that town thought of
cooking in the schools. The chief
of police had reported that after the
good cooking was put into practice
i'm the homes there was much less
drunkenness or crimes of any sort,
which he thought proved that good,
wholesome meals had much to do
with lne disposition of People.
Mr. Davies thought that provision
might be made in the proposed new
building for instruction in cooking, a
room being prepared for that pur
pose.
Another Teacher Needed.
One of the important matter that
came before the. meeting was the
matter of electing another teacher for
the hioh school. Mrs. Smith for the
school committee reported that thirty
pupils would at the second semester
enter the high school from the eighth
grade. The school accommodations III
the building will be full, and the
second assembly room filled, as well
as the first. The enrolment is now
253, with only six teachers. Most
high schools of the size have greater
number of teachers. The teachers
have heavy work, and their classes are
full. One more will be needed on ac-
count of the promotions. The super
intendent and the delegate from the
board to the state teachers associa-
ton had been asked to select teach
board for election.
Mr. Davies said that he did not
think that there were enough teachers
in the high school. The teachers can
not give the necessary individual at.
tention to the pupils.
Glasses Too Large.
Mrs. Smith said that Miss Fuller