The Mankato free press., 1916-04-14

! struction of the community and school
| building for the use of the entire com
| munity. 1t is not an instance of indi.
| Vidual phantrophy which might be Well
| enough in its way; there is that about
| it which is better, the well grounded idea
| of common ownership on the part of
| everyone living in the community. l
| believe that its usefulness is to go be-
yond the most extravagant hopes of
all of us who have been interested. The
school board find it a dfficnlt matter
| to keep up with the growing demand for
the facilities here provided and are MAX
| ing rules and plans for the wider use
| of this institution. For instance, the
board have found it necessary and we
| are arranging to employ a general di-
rector of the athletic, Fairgrounds, gem
this community. This man is to work
| twelve months of the year. Just now
! We are organizing a company OF poys
for military drill. We are being re-
| quested by the different organizations
| from time to time to permit the use of
| the building for the entertainments, con-
| ventions and meetings of various KINDS
| and the management of the building Is
becoming quite an important matter for
| determination by the school authorities.
| The editorial continues: This certainly
| indicates that the enterprise of the peo-
| pie of Wheaton and vicinity has been
| fully justified by the uses made of this
| unique institution. 1t takes care of
| part of the high school work in the con-
| soidated school districts, provides a fine
! gymnasium and an auditorium for com
| munity use. rest room and town head
| quarters for farmers and their wives, an
| office and laboratory for the country ag-
| rcultural agent. houses the town library.
| provides headquarters for boys and girls
| organizations, meeting place for civic
| societies of various kinds, uniteS the
| community in harmonious effort and
! brings the people of the town and coun-
try. together for their mutual pleasure
| and benefit.
Director of Amusements.
| 1T certainly is an interesting fact when
the community, spirit of a rural COM
| it felt the need of director of its amuse-
| ments and social activities such as Mr..
| Murphy says the board intend to pro-
| vide. Wheaton has set pace in devel
| opment of community spirit deserving
of emulation. There ought to be such
a center as that at Wheaton in every
result i'm the betterment of society and
education as well as social conditions
cannot be doubted. The people of Whea
ton take great pride in this institution
| ever the story of the Wheaton COM
munity house is told it will tell every
body that Wheaton is an enterprising.
thrifty and up-to-date and just such a
town he would wish to live in"
What has been accomplished at Whea-
| ltH ttl bt accomplished III hdnkdCO.
| Such an institution cannot fail to be pro-
| ductive of great good and it will GER
| tainlv fill long felt want in any com
| munity that puts in the same kind of
| an institution.
Our ideas of what is necessary in edu-
, cation are rapidly changing. What is de-
| sired is to develop our boys and girls
into clean. useful. upright citizens, cap
able of earning their own living and talk
ing an intelligent part in the activities
and interests of the community. large
| inn of HOY nd oiyI- 1aax
| before completing the high school. A
man came TO me few days ago. seeking
a position for his boy who wanted to
| quit school. ! told him we had decided
| not to take any young person into our
office who was not high school gradu-
ate. as We found that it did not pay us
to do so. 1t would seem to me that if
our young people thoroughly understood
the importance of as good a preparation
for the active work of life possible
and that it would pay in a financial way
to remain in school long enough to ac-
| quireN such preparation. they would not
| be in such haste to leave school. There
! is a lamentable lack of interest on the
| part of many parents who seem perfectly
willing that their children shall leave
| school if they can get something TO do
| by which to earn a little money re-
| gardless of the chances of the future.
! | do not know how this waste can be
| avoided, for it certainly is a waste when
boys and girls drop out of school with
| little preparation for making a liveli-
| HoOt, OF WIFI lltle sense or Responsible
ity for their own part in the community
life. 1t has sometimes seemed to me if
our teachers could meet the parents more
FREQUENTLY and impress them more thor
oughiy with the Importance of their chill
dren remaining in school, good would
come out of iH but it may be, all is be-
ing done that would be of any avail.
| The Nurse Teacher.
/ | have been quite impressed with the
| idea that is being carried out in some
places, of teacher nurse or a nurse
the homes of the pupils of the schools
and who would come in contact with the
children from the time they began school
until they finished / understand that
devoting a great deal of her time to the
children of school age and that her work
| is considered of great Importance. l was
not present at the meeting of this club
but have been told that her work is con-
Sidered of great value. / believe the
school board could well afford to employ
such nurse teacher; that it would not
! be money thrown away by any means.
| Every school has backward scholars who
are deficient owing to some physical de-
feet which could perhaps be overcome
understand the dentists of this city have
signified their willingness to examine the
school children free of charge. We are
beginning to find out the need of such
| examination and attention and l wish il
could be brought about and that a nurse
could be employed who would give her
| WnOe time TO looking after the welfare
of the school children.
On my recent stay at Battle Creek
Michigan, i read with much interest the
account of their open air school and the
splendid results they are obtaining from
it. i also talked with one of the little
fellows who was attending school. His
physical condition showed pretty plain
ly and l certainly consider that he was
extremely fortunate in being able to at
tend such school. You have probably
all read of them and of the great bene-
fit the children receive. The building up
of weakly children into strong and cap
able boys and girls is one of the finest
things that can be done, and / believe
this should be one of things undertaken
by our school board in the near future
Anything that brings about better ply
sical and social conditions among our
school children, our young people and
our people generally, will certainly be
step in the right direction and will tend
toward better Mankato morally
| am glad to note there is a movement
on foot to provide play and recreation
grounds in this city and l hope it will
result in providing suitable opportunities
I for recreation on the~part of the children
and young people. | believe we can well
afford to provide director of such work
the same as is being done in many 9TH
er cities and | hope this will be brought
about.
Advocates Police Woman.