The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-02
SPENT LAST CENT
School Board Has Exhausted
Its Equipment Fund.
Authorizes Purchase of New
Machinery for High School.
APPROPRIATION OF S1,466.25
Monthly Bills Are Allowed
Without Being Read.
Additions to Manual Training
Plant Already Selected.
APPROPRIATION OF 81, 466.25

dustriaI training, pointed with pride
to a chart which he mad prepared anc
which was posted on the wall, showing
the things which had been manurac-
tured by the manual training depart
ment.
''Twenty-four potato-mashers," he
read from the head of list of things
made by the pupils in the manual
training department of the nigh
school. The list of things made by
the high school students was short
less than a half dozen items, of which
the top-lner-the potato-maShers-
was a fair sample of the rest
Hasty was talking in behalf OF a
proposed expenditure OF approximate
ly $1,000 for additional machinery for
the manual training department Of the
high school. The purchases had been
recommended by the supplies commit
tee of which Mrs. c. J. Evans is chair
man.
'sWiu Mr.. Hasty please explain to
the board why he wants this machin-
ery2" Mrs Evans requested by way
of introducing Mr. TASTY, and Hasty
advanced to the chart and took up a
pointer. But before explaining the
chart he told a story-a story he had
read of a poor little tweIve-year-old
boy, whose mother was dead and
whose father worked in a gas plant
when he was not drunk The boy
tried to keep house for the father and
go to school But in time he dropped
out of school and nothing was heard
of him for some time Then the writ
er of the story happened into Y. NJ.
C. A. building, saw some furniture and
inquired who made it and was in
formed that the poor little boy had
done the deed.
And that is why I am in favor of
buying this new machinery" he said
dramatically.
Not a Tear Was Shed.
Mrs. Evans sighed. but not a tear
shed No manfred
whether there is any such boy in To-
peka for whom 81, 800 should be spent
Getting back to the potato-mashers,
Mr.. Hasty said that the work in the
manual training department was not
it should be- He regretted that in
comparison with the manual work
done in the grade schools, it was a
poor showing.
time now in Y why, any more
than to say II ere are social rea-
sons interferins With the high school
manual work, which are not present
in the elementary schools
DO you expect to make competent
workmen out of these manual training
students" l. NJ Jones asked.
NO, replied Hasty. I have fig
ured it out and a student spends what
would amount to fifty S-hour days
in a years course of study"
Would that fifty days be saved
off his four years apprenticeship,
SnOulO IdhC q POSAl4Ol III the WOOQ-
working department of the Santa Fe,"
asked Jones.
THAT would depend upon the Santa
Fe. but think it would was Hasty's
answer.
DO we get an adequate return for
the tremendous expense of this man
uaI training?" inquired w E Atchi-
son.
Hasey was of the opinion that it was
worth the money and that with the
new machinery the students could do
commercial jobS-make things needed
for the schools, and again he referred
to the chart with the potato-mashers
at the top of the list and called atten-
ton to the fact that it was proposed,
in the report of the committee, to
authorize his department to make a
number of bookcases for use in the
high school.
Griggs Is Careful
Then P. w. Griggs raised another
what about the liability for acct
dents III installing this machinery?
would like to know whether the school
board would be responsible. should
some of the pupils get hurt in this
The question of responsibility for
accidents was not settled, but Hasty
assured the members of the board
that the machines would be made as
safe as such machines can be and still
be used, and that he had had nine
years experience 41d4 I11Q
an accident.
If just ten boys get their bearings
for life, it is worth the machinery"
declared Mrs. Evans, further along in
the discussion
what is being done now is more
like toy work With the new ma
chinery real work can be done, and
very essential things, such as book
cases cen be made and money saved
the board" argued Dr. C. B. Van
The return is not adequate for the
cost involved argued Atchison.
How do we compare in manual
schools" inquired Mrs Evans. and
Hasty replied that the only informa-
ton he had, was what he had gath
cred from statesmen for machinery,
but that it was his impression that
no city or county high school Of 400
pupils lad more machinery than does
the Topeka high school
What about the money!" asked
Atchison. but the question was not
l. NJ. Penwen was not present. but
H B. Wilson, city superintendent,
stated he had talked with Penwen and
Penweu had told him he would vote
in favor of the purchase OF the ma
chinery, could he be present and that
he had put his o. K and initials on
the report
Mrs C B. Evans moved that that
portion of the report recommending
the purchase of the machinery, be
adopted. There was no second TO her
motion, but DIR. G. B. Van Horn, who
was presiding, put the question
Griggs and AtchiSon voted against il.
and the others for it This purchase
of machinery was the second rec
concentration in the report A first
and a third recommendation were
then voted on. The first was to have
the bookcases made for which the ma
terial IS to cost $3.50 per case, and
the third was for more machinery
appearing under an item reading, /
Additional Machinery Badly Need /
ed The words were underscored /
Before the meeting adjourned Mr.. /