The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-11-22
A Gymnasium
LEADING SUBJECT
Commercial Club Hold Meeting Friday
Night and Discuss Gymnasium
Proposition, Also Opera House
CONGRESSMAN WOODS PRESENT

CONGRESSMAN WOODS PRESENT
Gives Short Talk in Regard to Ap'
preparation for Denison New
Federal Building.
Quite large attendance was on
hand at the meeting of the Commercial
club Friday night. A representative
Of the Iowa Publishing company, hav-
ing the contract for publishing the
Iowa Trans Continental route book,
showing the route from Chicago, by
way of Clinton to Council Bluffs, and
in addition publishing the Iowa atlas,
showing all the roads in Iowa, which
contract provides for publishing 10000
of the aliases and $4,000 of the small
trans-continental guide books, was
present in order to solicit writeup in
behalf of Denison. He stated that all
the other towns of any size between
Clinton and Council Bluffs had taken
space except Carroll and Denison, and
that he was sure that Carroll would
be on the list. The proposition, which
he made, was so plausible that q COM
mittee was appointed to take the mat
ter up and to see that Denison is prop
erly advertised in the new publication.
Afterwards the president Of the club
introduced the subject of gymnasium
and suggested that if the opera house
or any other suitable building could
be secured he was prepared to insure
the equipment being furnished. Sew
eral speeches were made on the ques-
tion, Mr.. Caswell pointing out the alb
sence of any proper place for the boys
to meet in the evening, and that about
the only place up town open at night
were the saloons and that If the boys
came up town at all they were forced
to remain upon the streets, because
no place is provided as headquarters
for them. He urged that some SUIT
able building be secured for gym
nasiuin MI. Hunt, in behalf Of the
school board, reinforced by Mr..
Kuehnle, insured the club that the
school board was interested and had
already committed itself to the policy
of furnishing someone to take charge
of the management Of a gymnasium,
giving a'portion of his time, at least,
to this work.
We are unable to see why the Fam
ilton- property, purchased at a cost Of
$4,000 by the independent school dis
trict some three or four years ago,
should not be Immediately utilized for
the purpose of gymnasium for the
school children, and the fact that it
may cost the school district something
to improve the building and equip it
should not stand in the way. The
property is practically of no value as
it is nc used, and as long as there
seemed sufficient reason for purchas-
ing it at the time it was purchased, 1t
is about time it should be occupied
for some useful purpose. The argu-
ment was used at the time the vote
was taken that it could be used for
gymnasium, and it is now time to
make the argument good. The expense
would be but slight and it would an
swer the purpose for some time to
come. If the school board will not
provide means for equipping it let the
citizens raise the money by subscrip-
ton. Professor Humphrey made a
stirring appeal in behalf of a
gymnasium for the school children.
Congressman Woods was present
and was called upon to address the
club, which he did. After compliment
ing the organization, he was asked
about what could be done to hasten
the completion of the federal building
at Denison. He was rather vague in
his suggestions and did not give the
impression that he had devoted much
thought to the matter. He said the
well-known fact that the Office was
now in crowded and insufficient quar-
ters was strong point in favor of
fastening the new building, and he
advised that Denison people might
gain a point by making it difficult to
procure new lease on the present
quarters or new and Unsatisfactory 10
cation. He said the republican presi-
dent and the democratic house were
both trying to make records for econ
omy, but that he hoped the appropria-
ton might be made at the next ses-
sion. He evidently came to Denison
to build an organization for securing
a denomination for congress rather
than a public building.
Nj. Voss, the chairman of the club,
appointed committee to take up the