The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-04-14
Discussed Consolidation Before
Severa! Audiences
COST OF THE new PLAN
Boys and Girls of Rural Districts
Are Entitled to More EduCa-
tional Advantages
From Monuay's Oatt~

rror, Monuaf's oait~
Judson, Smiths Mill and st.
| Clair have heard rural School Com
missioner G.. C. SWANS message
about better schools and while it may
be some time before details for con-
sClidatiOn can be worked out, it is
the opinion of those interested in the
project that these communities will
all have finely equipped graded
| schools in time. 5
The meeting at Judson Friday aft
ernoon was well attended despite the
fact that the weather and road condi-
tons were anything but favorable.
AS this was the first meeting of it's
kind to be held at Judson, the subject
was an entirely new one to the peo-
pie, but they manifested great in
terest and asked questions of the
nature that proved that they mean
business and intend to do something
to solve the school question once and
for all. Plans have been made here
to take in four districts, three in Blue
Earth county and one in Nicollet
county, with an assessed valuation of
something over 100000 Mr.. Swain
pointed out that a school building
suitable for this district could be
built for approximately $4,000 and
with the state aid, the school could be
conducted SO that it would not be a
burdent in taxes on anyone. Mr..
Swain showed them that the taxes
would not exceed $65 year on each
160 acres. sac
The meeting at Smiths Mill was
held Friday evening and here also the
subject of consolidation is new one
However, the speaker and Superin-
tendent Detamore expressed them
selves as being much encouraged
with the enthusiasm displayed Four
districts in this county and two in
Waseca county are included in the
proposed district and a four teacher
school providing for the completion
of the eighth grade and the teaching
of agriculture, domestic science and
manual training.
Meeting at St. Clair.
Saturday afternoon the opera house
at st. Clair was again we'll filled with
interested people There have been
and there is a determined effort be-
ing made there to settle the school
question and if the consolidated idea
appeals to the majority of the peo-
pie there, we look for St. Clair to be
one of the pioneers in the movement.
The question is receiving careful in
vestigatiOn by these people and when
it is settled there is desire to have
it decided right, The proposed st.
Clair district takes in something like
nine districts with an assessed valu-
alton of over 100000. St. Clair al
ready has a good school building and
if the consolidated school was to be
built there it is found another addi-
ton the size of the present building
would be recommended and this
would give the community a full
graded school and the full four years
high school course.
In all his talks Mr.. Swain never
failed to emphasize the fact that the
present one room, one teacher school
does not fill the bill today, that he
believes the boys and girls of the
rural districts are entitled to Just as
and. girls. eve need better schools,
principally because we are de-
handing more and more in the way
of education from the boys and girls
every day and the best to be had is
none too good. We do not teach agri-
culture just to make farmers of the
boys, but to make men and domestic
science to make women not just
cooks and dressmakers /"
In Hands of People.
While the state is doing all in it's
power to help out the consolidation
movement, Mr. Swain wants the
public to thoroughly understand
that the matter is now in the hands
of the people. 1t is their question
and not any pet scheme fathered by
any state officials or county superin-
tendents. There is no graft con-
nected with the idea and the sole
object the state has in mind is to
lend every effort possible to i'm
prove the school system to meet the
requirements of the day. The matter
of taxes is one of the stumbling
blocks in the way of consolidation,
but the reports about the added cost
is greatly exaggerated in most cases
ard the one fact that no place where
the cooperative school has been
tried, is there any desire to go back
to the old system, speaks much in it's
favor.
There is no desire on the part of
the state to force people to CONSOLE
date until they have become con-
vinced that it is the proper thing to
do So many places are asking for
the help of the rural commission that
it is almost impossible to meet the
demands. Tgtta
One fact remains. The idea of