The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-14
Roller Towels Cast
Upon Scrap Heap
From Thursdays Dairy.

towels, but the board OF education at
its meeting last night decided to
throw sentiment out of the windows,
along with the roller towels that
are in use at the Pleasant Grove
school. substituting therefore paper
ones. The board is of the opinion
that something besides sentiment
clings to the endless cloth that pupils
wipe their hands on-such microbes
and the ever busy germs that create
such sad havoc with the human family
The paper towels come, in a vend-
ing machine and when student
wishes a towel he must make appli.
cation TO the teacher who will give
him slug TO deposit in the machine
which will then drop one towel The
board has considered the use of the
towels before, but could only get
the roll kind which is very wasteful
This system adopted is said to be
cheaper than the old system that
is being discorded.
The member of the North Mankato
school board who was to have been
present at the meeting and make adj
justment of the tuition differences,
did not put in an appearance. He
sent word that he would attend the
next session of the board. 1t was
rumored during the meeting that
North Mankato felt so kindly toward
this city that her citizens would not
object TO free tuition.
School is overcrowded.
Mrs. B. D. Smith. reporting for
the schools committee, recommended
the purchase of some first aid charts
for the grade schools and such charts
as are needed for the high school.
The board adopted the suggestion.
An overcrowded condition was re-
ported in the kindergarten grades of
the Pleasant Grove and Franklin
buildings and half day sessions will
be held to relieve the situation.
The school farm near Sibley park
was rented for another year. The
reports show that the sales from
the farm easily cleared the expenses
that were incurred.
Hqh Is Putnam School.
Superintendent F. j. Sperry re-
ported that the high schools is now
classed as a Putnam high school and
is thereby entitled to additional state
al dto the, amount of $4,000, whereas
the former amount has been $1,000.
In order TO be placed in this class
a high school must be strong in the
industrial department of the work
Mrs. Smith reported that the do
Amestic science department had need
of new coffee percolator and some
additional cups. The purchase was
authorized.
o. w. Walker, who was present,
introduced ]. P. Byrne, the travelling
agent for the Hartford Steam Boiler
Insurance company, who addressed
the board for some time on the poll
cies of his company and the protec-
ton that would be afforded TO the
schools through the use of his poll
cies on the various heating plants.
At the close of his remarks DR.. j. S.
Holbrook said that the committee on
finance had threshed the problem
quite thoroughly and had decided to
give. the insurance to the Travellers
Indemnity Insurance company which
holds the expiring policy. This was
done largely through the recommends
ton of e. A. Agnew, the ~head JAM.
tor, who reported that the service
given by this company had been the
best that had ever been given to
the schools. The new policy will
give $4,000 protection on each of
the seven boilers now in use in the
different schools. ajA 81
Praise For Franklin. $3.50
Superintendent Sperry submitted
his report of attendance for the past
month and said that the Franklin
school showed practically perfect
month of attendance. Mr.. Sperry
was greatly pleased at this record.
Professor C. II. Shumway's report
showing the extent of the summers
work was submitted to the board
and showed that a vast amount OF
work had been done in this depart.
ment during that period. The work
in part was as follows: Farmers
picnics, conventions, cooperative
work with the farmers, boys acres OF
growing corn contests, the county ex
hibit at the state fair and work in
the school garden. Some of the
work that has been done in this de-
partment of the work since the
opening of school has been the judg
ing of the acre plots and the work
in selecting seed corn.
Principal Bate of the high school
requested the board to give him per-
mission to open school fifteen min
utes earlier in the morning. The
request stated that the crowded con.
ditioh of the work made it neces.
sary. The board gave permission to
have the new move tried and will
watch it to see whether it is sue.
cess.
Thirty-seven cases of truancy had
been reported to the truant officer
during the past month. OF these,
nineteen had been ordered to school
and seventeen had returned when re.
ported absent and four cases had
been reported for prosecution.
Report of Heating Expense.
a comparative report. of heating
expenses for the leading school sys.
TENS of the state showed that Man
kato stands third in the list for
economical operation, the Mankato
cost per room being $42.65. : e. A
Agnew asked permission to try a
carload of third vein coal in the
high school heating plant instead OF
the screenings that are how being
used. President w. B. Davies said
that he thought that this coarseI
coal might possibly be better than
the fine coal that had been used
and car of the third vein coal was
ordered Sam Thomas was hired as
the third janitor for the high school
during the coming six months and