The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-19
PLAN TRADE SCHOOL
MECHANICS INSTITUTE PROPOSED
FOR THE TWIN CITIES.
Millions Will Go Into This Establish
ment; Part Of the Money Is
Raised; Will Serve to Give Needed
Instruction to Hundreds of Young
Men Living in the Northwest.

Minneapolis, March l5.-Plans for a
great trade school of national scope, to
cost several million dollars and to ac-
commodate more than five thousand
students are understood to have reach
ed Il point where the institution is
practically assured for the twin cities.
Dexter NJ. Mayne, principal of the
state farm school at st. Anthony park.
is the man named as the originator and
promoter of the scheme. Professor
Mayne declined to discuss the matter
when questioned concerning it today.
\ large proportion of the money re-
quired is said to have been promised
for the establishment of the school
and plans for the buildings have been
prepared. The proposition has received
enthusiastic support from many sources
in which it has been outlined.
While those who have interested
themselves in the proposition have
made every effort to avoid publicity
until the success of the scheme has
been assured the immensely of the
undertaking has been such as to cause
With the establishment of the insti-
tuition, the twin cities would have a
school without a counterpart in the
United States and one which would be
leader in the trade school movement
of the country.
While many of the details of the
plan have been taken from other cuca-
tional institutions the scheme as a
whole is remarkable through its novelty
and originality as well as its immen-
sity. The scheme is to teach every
trade known to the commercial world
to 50 train the students as to fit the
graduates of the school to take up the
work of skilled tradesmen. There will
be no entrance requirements except the
earnest desire to learn a trade
In the administration of the institu-
ton the methods of Valparaiso college
Iof Val paraiso, Ind, will be followed
to great extent. The cost of the
course and the expense of the stu
dents will be held at the lowest pos.
sible figure. Dormitories will be pro-
vidcd for the students and meals will
be supplied at extremely low rates.
Studies will 90 on all year around
established college customs being dis
regarded in the effort to give the stu
dents the best possible trade education
at the lowest possible cost of time and
money.
While keeping the practical side of
the subjects to the front. the school
is designed to teach as well, not a
little of the scientific and theoretical
SO that its graduates will be as well
posted in many lines as are those of
many technical schools.
The Importance of the plan to the
twin cities is believed by its promoters
, to be immense. They believe it will
make the twin cities the center for the
trade schools of the United States and
will establish i'm them the greatest
institution of the kind in the country
turning out thousands of expert trades
men each year.
Capital is understood to have been
interested in the plan to such an ex.
tent that success is practically as
sured, although much more money
must be raised before it can be made
certainty. A site midway between
Minneapolis and st. Paul, southwest
OF the state fair grounds, is said to
have been decided upon. and several
thousand dollars has been expended
in plans for the buildings and the
grounds.