The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-01-05
THE MUNICIPAL
SKATING RINk

TIE original plan for handling the
municipal skating rink was to-. have
water run into it early in the fall
80 it would be soaked up and ready
when freezing began, and then cut
off the canal water when freezing
made it troublesome to keep the
canal open. The further replenishing
of the surface to keep it slick and per-
feet was to use water from the city
main and put it on with the street
sprinkler.
The plan was all right, and every
thing was in readiness at the ap-
proach of freezing weather this fall,
only there was wagonload of bl ush
on the floor Of the rink and no water
was turned in. The ditch was in
good condition and water was fow:-
ing by during the period when the
rink should have been filled and
soaked up. The trouble was with the
management. Either the youth Of the
did not have sufficient interest in
their own pleasure to push opera
lions or they did not feel free to
act or they relied upon their pleasure
being delivered to them on a silver
platter, so-to-speak, or the city coun-
Gil was remiSs in their duties, or the
citizens were remiss in their part,
or the parents do not feel concerned
about their children being supplied
with the cheapest and best sport that
was ever scheduled for youth.
OF course the parents will say it
was the duty of the council to put
the water in; the council will say 1t
was the duty of the chief of police,
the chief of police will suggest that
it was the duty of the street COM
missioner and fire chief, and he will
probably reply that he was never
delegated to that duty. That brings
it back to the council, and If they
say it was delegated to. the high
school to manage last year, the
high school will reply that they talk
ed about it again last fall and sent a
boy to see about it, and he went,
but didn't see much. He evidently
did not see the brush, or seeing 1T
did not consider it necessary to get
a crowd together and remove It. he
reported back that the water had al
ready been shut out of the ditch,
and the only place where they could
secure any was from the sugar fact
ory and they did not have enough to
spare to soak up the pond and fill
it at that time, altho they could spare
enough to keep it in trim If 1t were
already soaked and full. This brings
up the fact that the school did not
act until after the logical time had
passed, for the water was shut out
of the bitches when the heavy freez-
ing came early in November.
Let's see now. Blackfoot is a free
city in free state. 1t has 3508 peo-
pie, governed by a mayor and coun-
Gil selected from among its residents,
selection being made by the resi-
dents who are willing to vote upon
the question, tho many of them re-
uuire to be taken to the voting place
in an automobile that glistens with
fresh paint. There are 800 pupils
enrolled in tho high school and 900
in the grades, and half Of them are
of skating age. 1t would cost moth
ing but some exercise to have 43
days and nights of good skating this
fall, free for all yho could buy
skates. The health and morals OF
the children would have been i'm
proved by the skating, and their joys
would have been multiplied, but we
lack preparedness, and We lack ener-
gy industry, snap, pluck and system.
There has been great deal of talk
in recent years about having NUM-
clpal lighting plant, and just now
we are considering the purchase or
installation of municipal water sys-
tenn. In reaching decision on any
such matter it might not be out OF
place to remember the rink.