Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-04-15
REPORT ON
SCHOOL MATTERS
Most Satisfactory Report Given
by the Federated Clubs at
the Annual Business Meeting
April 2.

April 2.
The School Committee, consisting
of Mrs. Kaudy, Mrs. Goggins, Mrs.
Eggert, Mrs. John E. Daley and Mrs.
B. L. Brown, submit the following
report
Mrs. Kaudy visited the Howe build
ing and reported that several gen
eral Improvements were needed which
were being considered by the school
board. In addition she suggested that
a cement walk be laid to the street,
that rock vines be planted along the
sides of the building and that the
grounds might further be beautified
by a central circular space as play
grounds, with shrubs planted around
the entire square. This, she report
ed, could be done with small expense
and with most artistic results.
Mrs. John E. Daley visited the Lin
coin building, found everything in
excellent order and had no sugges-
tions to make unless it be the i'm
proving of the grounds.
Mrs. Eggert reported that a few
small improvements were neele1 in
the interior of the Irving building, the
most important of which was the re-
pair of the furnace which smoked.
She further reported that the most
needed improvements We're on the
grounds and suggested that a low re-
tanning wall be built on the side of
the sand hill, the hill scraped and
surplus dirt used to fill up the deep
holes on the grounds, which formerly
were old cellars, the groun1s levele
and sandy parts covered with b a TX
soil and seeded That new cement
blocks be placed at each door, the
steps repaired and that an effort be
made to gradually fill the swae
which is part of the grounds, by
using it for a dumping grouni for
cinders, dirt from the street, etc.
Mrs. Goggins reported that all
necessary repairs had been made at
the Emerson building the previous
year and had no suggestions to offer
Mrs. Brown visited Lowell building
and recommended that as soon as fl
nances permit the present sea ing be
replaced by single desks of uni
form or graduated sizes as the grade
may require, as it was found that
many children sat with their feet
swinging unable to touch the floor
while others were occupying seats
entirely too small for them She al
so recommended that the porch in
front of the main entrance be re-
moved and replaced by one with a
covered stairway, which should he
much less steep than the present
stairs, as these are liable to cause
accidents among the smaller child
ren especially during fire dri Is.
A copy Of these reports was sent
to the clerk of the Board of Educa-
ton with the request that it be sub
mitted to that body at it's next meet
ing.
This was done, the recommenla-
lions taken under consideration AMI
so far as possible complied with.
The matter of instituting a penny
savings bank system in the schools
was given some consideration, but
after interviewing the different banks
to drop the matter, at least for the
present, but it is hoped that it may
be found practicable later on.
Our senator and assemblyman were
notified Of the unanimous vote of the
Federation to oppose joint resolution
No. GA, in regard to the school age
of children. Steps were taken to
present this in the form of a memori;
The sentiment throughout the state
as manifested by the number of pro-
tests sent in, was SO overwhelmingly
against this bill that when it came uI
in the legislature we are happy to re-
port, it received scarcely any sup.
port and was consequently lost
The inspection of the building took
place early in May of last year and
the committees recommended )Ls
were sent to the ScLool Board soon
after. Since that time the board has
been able to make many of the i'm.
provements suggested, and we have
been assured, are planning to con-
tinue this work as fast as the
funds at their disposal will permit.
One of the improvements made the
past year-that of installing sani-
tary drinking fountains in all the
buildings-is SO important, that in
our opinion it merits special mention.
We wish particularly to call the
attention of the incoming school COM
mittee to the present manner Of en-
tering the kindergarten at the