Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-04-19
Dedication Of Ind ustrial Buildfna
Notable Occasion III History
a Of Wfllmar Schools.

pOuA ALL III GIlV 1Iduuo1 u dAul1lk
department class Of boys were at
work, and the machinery was in
operation. In the domestic science
department some girls were work
ing in the kitchen and others in the
sewing room, showing exactly what
is being done there. The exhibits
Of the various departments, as we'll
as exhibits Of the grade work in
regular studies, were shown in the
high school building. The display
Of sewing by the high school girls
and the various household articles
made by the manual training de-
partment were q source of delight
full surprise to all the visitors.
They certainly reflected great credit
both on the pupils and teachers in
these departments.
At eight o'clock the doors to the
assembly room were thrown open
and in 2 few minutes the room was
literally packed, while large num-
ber of people had to stand in the
hall. Russell Spicer. president of
the Board Of Education made the
opening address, his subject being.
History of the Willmar Schools. !"
He briefly outlined the history Of
the school. and the movement for
industrial education. He called
special attention to the fact that
whenever the board has asked for
means for extending and improving
the school system the people have
always granted it.. s.sss. i.
p. G.. Tonning. assistant superin-
tendent of public instruction, who
for seven years served as superin-
tendent of the Willmar schools, was
the next speaker. He was to speak
about new legislation in school mat
ters, but took occasion at the same
time to give some "reminiscences
from the years in which he was
connected with our schools. He
said it was Just eight years to a
day since he took his place as super.
intendent here. At that time there
were Is students in the high school.
Now that number has been more
than doubled. He then sketched
the contents and purposes of the
Putnam act and the Lee Benson act
for the promotion Of industrial and
agricultural education in the schools
of Minnesota.
Supt. Munroe of Cokato gave q
very interesting talk on agricultural
education in the public schools.
Coming from school where the
system provided for in the Putnam
act has been tried for two years,
he spoke from experience. The
associated agricultural school al
Cokato has been an unqualified sue.
cess. and Mr.. Munroe showed by
specific examples how it has beer
of direct financial benefit to indi
viduals as well as to the community
as a whole. The Putnam act
requires the schools that get the
state aid for this work to run 6
short course. which at Cokato last.
during the three winter months
The school opens at 1920 and close.
at 2::30. giving the rural pupils {
chance to do their chores on thu
farm in the morning, come to tow1
and attend the school session, ther
return to their homes in time fo1
the evening work. Last winte,
they had enrolled in this shor
course e men and boys and 2,
women and girls, the ages varying
from ~ to 80 years. The work in
cluded manual training or domestic
science, agriculture. English, arith
metic and business accounts.
Geo. B. Alton. State Inspector o
High Schools, closed the speakin,
with some remarks about the fu
ture of the Willmar schools. H,
said it was no longer the purpos
of the schools to help few Of tn,
brightest pupils to reach the top,
but to prepare all to become usefu
in whatever sphere of life the.
might he placed. He said: 'Dur
ing the next hundred years we shal
probably not need more than TWEEN
| ty or twenty five men to occupy tn
White House as presidents. Blu
we need right now twenty milliol
good, intelligent and industriou
men to fill all kinds of positions
who can and will do their dut
we'll. We shall in that perio
probably need only twenty q
twenty five ladies to occupy til
!, White House. but we need rigk
now twenty million good, intell
gent, industrious and we'll traine
young women to. become the queer
j Of twenty million households in Il