The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-11-10

Il
then read the following report: your
committee beg to report as follows;
Zone. AS to the need of such a
school in this city. On investigation in
the various public schools We find
that there are relatively very few
boys of an age to be benefited by
such school whom the teachers
are willing to report as incorrigible
not ten or fifteen in all. There are
more backward and 6vergrown boys
who would be benefited by such
work; combining both classes we
find that the public schools report
as follows: Pleasant Grove, 6; Union,
4; Franklin, 8; West Mankato, Z;
eighth grade, 3 or 4. This report,
although names are given, is only
tentative; further consideration of
some of the names might change
these numbers somewhat: as it
stands now, the total is 20 or 80.
The normal school people report in
formally that they have two or three
boys of this sort and the Catholic
and Lutheran parochial schools have
several more.
There is no doubt that such a
school well managed would be of
great help to these boys. Many of
them come from surroundings, that
if not vicious, are certainly not help
full while the ordinary school room
work has no attraction for them but
rather the opposite. We shall speak
of the scope of work of such a
school later; it has been proven, time
and again, to be of great value and
of great interest in these cases.
Scope Of the Work.
1.-TWO. The scope of this work is
varied and cannot be definitely out
lined, since the school must be, of
necessity, adapted to the varying
needs of the boys. In general, there
would probably be about an hours
work daily in manual training of
some sort, one in simple accounts,
possibly some work in simple applied
science or gardening We should
want, of course, to give whatever
was needed in the so-called common
branches, making thorough drill
on essential matters only with in
dividual help so far as possible. A
study of current events so far as
the boys were capable of approaching
them should be an essential part of
their work and gymnasium work
would make them more content and
would make better men of them.
Room and Equipment.
Three. We have almost ideal
quarters for such a school in the
rooms that were designed for agri-
culture or on the second floor of
the old high school building. The
desks might be borrowed from the
other schools; there are nearly, il
not quite, enough extras that could
be taken up for this purpose. We
should need ia reading table, a
teachers desk, probably a little more
lumber for the Manual training and
some incidental supplies, none of
which need be expensive.
-Four. The teacher is the most
serious problem We shall need a
good all round man who understands
boys and can get their confidence
and at the same time hold them in
line in matters of discipline. A
strong woman might do but could
not do anything in the gymnasium
or handle certain other phases OF
the work as man could. No rec
COMBINATIONS are made as to en-
ployment of teacher until other mat
tiers are decided.
"On the whole, the plan is well
worth trying. There will be ample
work for such school and the
results should be of value"
Attempt to Secure Teacher.
Superintendent Sperry had tried to
secure a teacher, which was the
biggest obstacle, as a competent man
who knew how to handle boys would
be needed and one could not be Sc
cured for less than $40 or SIS a
month. However many were of the
opinion that as there were not enough
funds to carry out the matter, it
had better be dropped. Others thought
that the matter of school inspection
would be much more advantageous
and beneficial to the school students
than an ungraded room.
Mr.. Sperry then read his report on
the attendance at the various schools.
George w. Scherer read the build
ing report in which he stated that
inspection showed the schools es-
pecially the new high school build
ing to receive an ample supply
of air, in fact. too much air.
The steam circulation was good, and
the electric wiring and clock works
were all right.
More Coal Consumed.
The new smoke consumer which
was recently installed had proven
very unsatisfactory, consuming more
coal than under the old conditions
and instead of consuming the smoke,
issued forth more smoke than for
merly. One of the experts from the
furnace company which installed
the furnaces was here some time ago
to look up the matter. He criticised