The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-03-03
Visit High School
Building and Learn
Needs of Students
Students Sitting Three in Seat; Two
Hundred Ten in Space for One
Hundred Fifty Pupils
No Provision Made For Physical
Training; Glasses and Labora-
tories Crowded
Manual Training Department Worst
of All; Fine Work Ruined in AS
sembling and Finishing

The crowded condition of the high
school building is apparent to the most
casual observer, who may happen in
during the work hours of the students.
The atmosphere of the place, literally
and fguratively, makes strong plea
for more room that the work of stu
dents and teachers may be of the
highest quality and done under SAM
tary conditions-and the merest novice
in educational matters can see at
glance that present conditions are
anything but sanitary in spite of the
most earnest efforts of teachers and
janitor. A glance over the crowded
assembly room where two and three
pupils are crowded into each seat,
and look into the cloakrooms of
both boys and girls would be positive
proof that the building is crowded
beyond all reason.
Needs A Gym"
One of the crying needs felt by
every one interested in the broader
education which includes physical de-
velopment as we'll as intellectual, is
a gymnasium. There is absolutely no
place in the building for athletics of
any kind, during the indoor months
the boys and girls have no place
whatever for physical exercise con-
dition made much worse by the fact
that there is no place in town avail
! able for such work on the part of
large number of pupils, the smaller
gymnasiums which have been opened
at various times being quite made
quate for the large number. Manv
OF the residents of the city have been
and are giving expression to horri-
he'd comments on the way the youth
of the city is spending it's time. The
fault lies absolutely with the elders
who fail to admit the necessity for
some place where the boys and girls
can exercise physically, where they
can meet to satisfy the social instinct
so strong in every young mind, and
where the time might be spent in
innocent pleasures instead of the re-
grettable ones.
Another use to which a gymnasium
could be put is as an auditorium for
the holding of school plays, enter
talnments, debates and numerous 9TH
er events of vital interest and impor-
lance to the student body. Not only
would this add to the pleasure of
such events, but would be of the
greatest financial assistance. lin doing
away with the hire of outside build
Rings.
The present gymnasium and equip
ment consists of one lone lorn punch
ing bag hung in Prof. Finley's '1abor-
atory"-a perfectly good and self re-
specting punching bag, but, in it's
present surroundings, making path
etic appeal for big airy room, with
horses, rings, mats and all the rest
of the equipment, and filled with boys
and girls SO interested in having a
genuine good time that they forget
. the things which cause anxiety on
the part Of older people.
Shop Conditions Bad
Another pathetic appeal is made by
the existing conditions in the manual
training department., where, under the
direction of Glenn Lukens, the boys
of the grade and high schools, are
doing the best work done in any
small city in the state. This work
is being done under the greatest OF
Ehandicaps, limited space. There is
no proper provision for the storing
of stock, in many instances valuable
pieces of material becoming abso-
lutely unfit for use from being stored
on the cement floor where it gathers
dampness and is warped.
In the work room is placed, of me-
cessity, the rip saw, unguarded and
a most dangerous machine which
should be in work room where only
the operator would be near it.. Sew
eral mishaps from this machine have
been ayerted by the quick action OF
the boys or the slightest chance. AL
assembling and finishing of the cabinet
work must be done in a small 2x4
, corner of the basement, where dust
constantly rises and where the boys
in passing to and fro as they must
hit the pieces, really splendid bits OF
work having on several occasions
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