The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-17
B0ARDSTRONG AGAINST
DANCING IN THE SCHOOL
From Saturdays Daily.


has decided the question in favor oi
dancing in the schools, but Mankato
has decided against it,
The board of education of Man.
kato has not considered the matter
M formal meeting and it has been
discussed at various times and left
u without any formal action beina
taken. During this year the mem
bers Of the board have thought over
the matter and at an informal meet
ing held a short time ago it was
decided not to permit any dancing
To take place in the school buildings
In interviews with several mem.
hers of the board of education and
with several ministers of the city,
il has been found that the majority
Of these people do not favor dane.
ing in the schools. The reasons
given by those opposed TO il as we'll
as those in favor of ii are interest.
ing.
Wastes No Words.
DR.. w. A. Beach wastes no words
in his expression of opinion. He
said: Il am opposed to dancing in
the public schools for several seasons.
The first is because I believe that
the schools were built TO educate the
brain and not the heels. Dancing
causes distraction and drain upon
the physical health of the pupils,
because of its tendency to keep them
ont late at night. That time, except
what is required for study, should
be spent in sleep. The greatest OBJ
lection OF all is that by allowing
dancing i'm the schools those in ali-
lhorlty are going against the re.
liGious belief Of a large number OF
the best citizens of the town who
have conscientious belief that dane
ing is wrong and who wish to keep
their children from dancing. There
is certain amount of public sane
lion of dancing by allowing it in the
schools which makes discipline for
those people difficult That reason
alone is sufficient grounds for oh.
Jecting TO dances being allowed In
The schools"
One of the ministers is as strongly
in favor of permitting dancing as
DR.. Beach is opposed TO il is Rev.
T.. X. Edwards. II think that it
would be a splendid good thing to
open the schools for dancing" said
Rev Edwards. 1T is a legitimate
amusement under proper supervision.
The high schools have their class
dances anyway and it is much bet
Ter TO have the dances in school I'M
der proper supervision than to have
them in public dance halls with no
adequate supervision. / favor using
pose"
George Scherer committed himself
as in favor of proper dances in
school. He has each year for sew
eral wears past offered a motion to
the board of education permitting
school dances 10 be held in the GYM
nasium each week under the super
vision of the teachers. His idea is
10 have the hours regulated strictly
and the dancing TO be made to teach
those who partake grace and pro-
priety. He also stipulates that no
dances which are in any way i'm.
proper be permitted.
Oninion of Rev. keesey.
Rev. w. r. Keesev of The Cente-
nary Methodist church said: 81 think
that insofar as the public school is
something that belongs to all the
people of the community and is
supported by all, that even the con-
victions of a minority should not be
ignored by the authorities. There is
a large minority which does not ia
vOr dancing in the schools. be-
lieve that the same rule should be
true in regard TO having religious
exercises in the public schools. If
any in the community object to re-
ligious services being a part of the
school work, they should be discon.
tinued. They are for the purpose of
education and not amusement. Aside
from all religions feeling I believe
that the authorities should respect
the opinion of the minority. The
plea is given that it is wise to per-
nit dancing in the public schools
as recreation which will keep the
punils away from the public dance
halls. Is it not school from which
they will graduate into the dance
hall by and by rather than a pre-
vention from ito"
Hampers Home Discipline.
Rev. r. w. Hobbs, pastor of the
First Baptist church gives a number
of reasons for his opposition which
are well worth considering. Person
ally, ] am opposed to dancing, as
that term is generally used, upon
what seems to me sufficient grounds,
both moral and religious. But en-
tirely aDart from my own personal
views, there are some points worthy
of general consideration
ut is a debated question as to
how far the public school shall go
pills. When there is serious objec.
ton on the part of many parents to
the amusement proposed, the right
of the school to provide such amuse.
ment becomes very doubtful.
The home and the school should
cooperate in matters of discipline.
To introduce an amusement against
which many parents hold conscien-
tious scruples, makes the home dis
ciplne harder. To create such a de-
cisive atmosphere will tend to make
many parents regard the school as
the enemy of the home rather than
its ally.
Children in the public school whose
parents do not wish them to dance.
will be subjected to the ridicule of
those who do. There will be the real
danger of developing caste system
within the school.
Furthermore. there is the peril
-