The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-01-03
In Letter to President Of Board of Edu-
cation, Former Member Of
That Body DeveIopes
Plan.
COST WOULD BE NOMINAL
A Little Water from City Spread over
Public Play Grounds Would
Made Safe and Fine Place
for Skaters.

Will G. Blood, Keokuk attorney
former school principal and for years
la working member of the Keokuk
board of education, has not forgot
what is most important to the youth
|of Keokuk in the winter.
He proposes that fine, large skat.
Ing rink be made at a merely nomi-
nal cost, accessible easily by every
mode of conveyance. where Keokuk
boys and girls may skate all they
wish in perfect safety.
The safety element in the Blood
plan will appeal to mothers who are
always afraid their sons or daughters
will break through the ice and be
drowned. AS matter Of fact some
body is drowned here while skating
almost every winter.
The plan Of Will G. Blood is stated
completely In the following letter he
sent to the president Of the Keokuk
board of education:
The Value Of Skating Rink.
/ have been greatly interested
and pleased with your policy of
considering the health and physi-
cal welfare of the youth of Keo-
kuk, particularly as shown in the
purchase Of ground for an ath-
letic field and playground recent
ly.
l suppose there is no healthier
outdoor exercise than skating,
and none that is more popular
with children and young people.
For many years the govern
ment canal furnished every win
ter practically safe place for
skating, but with the building of
the power dam this was destroy
ed. While the lake furnished at
times splendid place to skate, it
Is always more or less danger
Gus. Last winter some of the
skaters fell in the ice on the lake,
but fortunately were not drown
ed. but if one should break
through the ice on the lake and
there was not help near drown
ing might easily result.
Has Plan All Worked Out.
Unless the weather remains
quite cold for a number of days,
the lake does not freeze deep
l. enough for skating, and when 1t
does there is considerable danger
in skating there. And yet with
/ no other place to skate this
place will be used.
1t has seemed to me that If
your body could construct on the
athletic ground, or on some other
vacant lot, a safe skating rink,
that you would be doing not only
a great good for the children and
young people Of the community,
but would also relieve the fear of
their relatives and friends. A
body of water but a few inches
deep can be kept in condition for
good skating for a longer time
than a deep body like the lake,
and will be safe at all times.
Also by turning the water over
the worn ice occasionally during
the mornings or late at night,
the surface can always be kept
smooth and hard. The city
should certainly be willing to
furnish the water for the pur-
pose.
It 10 Surely Worth While.
II desired, a nominal charge
could be made to all who were
not pupils Of the public schools,
which would probably defray the
expense or at least part of it.
Many municipalities provide
these ice Kinks for the public,
and when it can be done, in
climate such as we have, SO,
reasonably, and furnish so plea
surable, so healthy and SO safe
an outdoor amusement, it GER
tainy seems that it should be
tried here If one life is saved
this winter, 1T is surely worth
while.
The board of education will con
slider this matter at its next meet
ing, unless the president refers the