The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-07-16
CRITICISMS OF MANKATO
KATO COLLEGE STUDENTS
EXPRESS THEMSELVES
Suggestions That If Followed
Would Better Town; Points
Brought Forward

Not long ago one of the members
of the faculty OF the Mankato Com
mercial college requested the stud
ents attending the institution to write
criticism of Mankato Many replies
were received. Among the number
was the following-written by
young lady:
From my standpoint as a student
in Mankato for the past several
months, what the town most needs
and my reason for thinking so are as
follows:
Il have often boarded the car for
Sibley Park. The cars are so small
that they are oVercrowded most
times, especially so on Sundays. the
car was in last time was SO crow ,1d
ed with people that If the car Would
have been turned IN its head we
would still be standing up because
there wasn't room enough to fall
tdown. The car tracks are half COW
,ered with earth making the car wig
gle from side to side. 1t is really sur
prising how few accidents occur on
such bad track. l have heard some
people say that they would rather
walk all the way to the park than
take a chance on that street car:
81 must say that Minneopa Falls
exceeds Sibley Park by one hun
dred per cent as a refreshment house
at Sibley Park looks ready to topple
over any time and is not enclosed
enough SO 1t may be kept clean. The
supply of refreshments is not half as
much of variety as it could be.
Some people come out to the park
to sleep undsr some shady tree all
day long away from their every day
hut Il
majority come out there to walk
around and play games.
There are two tennis grounds but
some people do not play tennis but
kare very fond Of croquet as l am my
self. ] am sure some nice croquet
grounds would be beneficial. Well II
we walk around q good deal on q
warm day we soon feel thirsty. But
where are those fountains? / don't
see any. Now If l am on top of the
hin l have to climb down long way
a glass of water There we find an
old time rusty pump with little
imitation fountain which does not
work half Of the time. A lot Of chill.
dren are always around there and
pour the water all around the pump
till 1t becomes regular mud hole. ]
am sure it does not add to the beauty
Of the park. -.
North Mankato is connected with
Mankato by long stone bridge. But
nobody at night can see If that bridge
is built ON account of the Minnesota
River flowing there or if it Is only
deep valley because the lights on the
bridge are not much brighter than an
ordinary kerosene lamp and person
standing on the bridge at night looks
down and sees only darkness below.
TIE me it looks more like deep val
ley than the river / see in the day
time / also know several college
students who would not room in
North Mankato because they did not
like to cross that dark bridge alone
at night.
North Mankato is more level than
Mankato making II easier for people
to build and improve the grounds. Yet
1t has not one public park nor play
ground. Everybody comes from way
up somewhere in North Mankato and
crosses the bridge to go to Sibiey
Park. A public place OF this kind is
Mankato as well as It's identifying
qualities have to the grounds sur
rounding it.
EVERY night walk home go past
the Y. NJ G. A hear music and
singing and laughter from the boys
and often meet some of them going
there with their bathing suits = on
their arm bound for a cool dip after
warm days work But we girls
have no place where we may all gath
or for indoor entertainments or a
place to swim. And as / have been
taught to swim and also have found
swimming to be the best recreation
and most enjoyable Of all sports yet
I have not had one swim since
came here as l cannot afford to hire
taxi to drive twelve miles to the
nearest lake. Now / believe Y. W.
C.. A somewhere in Mankato with
all modern improvements would be
just right for old and young.
There are also possibilities Of a
bathing beach for the Minnesota River
is calm and wide in most places with
plenty Of stones and sand surround
ing it. Also a pavilion where band
concerts may be heard instead of
climbing those steep bluffs and sit
ting on the grass where the mosquitoes
almost eat us up alive while we are
trying to listen to the band and after
wards when getting up we feel stiff
though we could not walk the way
down to the street car.
ut often happens that we go to the
park In the sunshine and come home
in the rain. Now a few of us might
be thoughtful enough to provide our
selves with an umbrella or coat but
not many. II it starts to rain we all
rush to the car line. There is an old
tumble down shack where a few may
secure shelter but the majority will
have to wait in the rain till the cars
come back And having your new
wolfe dress soaked in the rain Is not
very pleasant for any girl. Therefore
house large enough to shelter quite
number Of people ought to be
built"
Other suggestions and criticisms
were as follows: Cement sjlos fac
tory, girls gymnasium, Y. W. G. A
artificial lake, housing better street
car service, another bridge near the
ipaTk, poor lights, airplane landing
band concerts, better detention hos
pital. convention hall, up to date books
in library, community house. a swim
ming place, poor lights on the bridge,
abolish, slot machines and punch
boards, live stock pavilion, an open
air theater, better accommodations,
for students, dormitory for girls, with
large lawn, and physical and other
advantages. factories, street cars TO
North Manlkato, more lights on cut
skirts, repair walks, also camping
Dlaca for 21Tto tourists 1lrioO depof