Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-07-22

The Consolidated Water Power
and Paper Company own a beautiful
little island just south of their plant
and north of the principal business
Ethoroughfare. This they have i'm
proved and beautified in various
ways at considerable cost. built
substantial bridge to it and have
generously rendered its use to the
city to be used as a retreat, resort
or park for those who love retire
ment and to be away from the hustle
of trade and near to natures heart.
These are but beginnings along the
line of civic improvements, but I'M
doubtedly inaugurate a series of sim
liar steps which in the near future
will materially add to the attract
iveness and beauty of Grand Rap
ids and make it from this as we'll
as other standpoints an ideal place
in which to locate, raise a family or
manage an industry.
Grand Rapids has an excellent fire
department, with branches on both
sides of the river, fully equipped
with suitable apparatus for success
fully fighting flames.
There are numerous churches, al
so, representing the various sects
and nationalities constituting the
citizenship of the place. Some of
these buildings, notably those be-
longing to the Baptist, Methodist,
Congregational and Catholic denomin'
ations, are fine structures, capa-
cious, costly. A few of them Of
modern design have been built in
quite recent years.
{ Turning to the industrial enter
l,prises, which are really the glory of
Grand Rapids, the person who visits
that city is confronted with many
magnificent plants, covering vast
areas, running night and day with
scarcely any exception, employing
vast numbers of hands and sending
their product in a number of in
stances around the globe.
Educational Facilities of Grand
Rapids, Wisconsin.
The school system of Grand Rap
ids enrolls 1,445 pupils and employs
40 teachers. The school work is
done in four ward school buildings,
the Lincoln High School and the J..
D. Witter Manual Training School.
The Lincoln High School and the
III. D. Witter Manual Training School
iare situated on the east side of the
icity The Lincoln High School was
erected in 1903 at cost Of about
$4,000. The building is modern in
every respect and includes depart
ments for all the various lines of
high school work, and includes gym
nasium, commercial department, as
we'll as biological, physical and
chemical laboratories. The assembly
room of this building will seat $50
pupils.
The J. D. Witter Manual Training
School was erected in 1908 at cost
of $4,000 for the building and equip
ment. This building offers ample &C
commodations for all lines of man
ual training and domestic science
work. The building includes a ma
chine shop for metal work, a forge
shop, rooms for lathe work in wood
and 'patternmaking bench work,
mechanical drawing and freehand
drawing. The domestic science de-
partment includes rooms for kitchen,
dining room, dressmaking, laundry
and lunch room. A large room on
the third floor is equipped for work
in music, rehearsals and social func-
tons. The J. D. Witter School and
the Lincoln High School are con-
nected with an enclosed passageWay.
They are, therefore, one building for
purposes of school work.
A bequest of $4,000 for perman-
ent improvements. to the Grand Rap
ids school system in the line of build
ings and equipment was made by
the late J. D. Witter. The j. D..
Witter Manual Training School was
built and equipped with this fund.
Both the J. D. Witter Manual
Training School and the Lincoln High
School are located in park of eight
acres of ground on the east side
of the city. This land was given
by the city council for school pur-
poses.
Just south of the J. D. Witter Man
ual Training School is located the
Wood County Teachers Training
School building. This was erected by
Wood county at an expense Of
$780, 900 The purpose if the school
is to train teachers for the coun-
fry schools of Wood county