The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-01-14
SCHOOL SITE THE SUBJECT
Board of Education Will
Look Over Slough
LAKE TALK IS HEARD
Fill From Minnesota r yer Bed
Would Be Feasible, Say
The Experts

Members Of the board of education
held short meeting last evening at
the high school building for the pur-
pose OF talking over the proposition
of securing land for site for the
proposed new combination grade and
junior high school structure on the
Van Brunt slough. At the conclusion
of the meeting it was decided to have
the entire board view the ground on
Wednesday morning at ten O'Clock.
munication with the La Crosse Dredg-
ing company, which said that the
proposition Of pumping sand and
gravel from the Minnesota river to
make the necessary fill would be
| feasible. A member Of that company
will arrive in the city some time this
week and make Investigations. Mr..
Willard also stated that j. A. Nc
Laughlin Of the Minnesota Pipe and
Tile works thinks that the necessary
| fill could be made much cheaper than
purchasing property elsewhere.
An opinion had been asked by the
,oard from County Attorney c. Il.
Phillips as to the possibility of the
board purchasing part Of the slough
property for the new school site. In
his reply Mr.. Phillips said that the
| mutual understanding between the
city and the former owners of the
| purchase by the city was, that the
grounds were to be forever held for
| puDIic purposes, or for the use or the
public. County Attorney Phillips was
of the opinion that there might be
very serious objections to selling the
site for school purposes.
Members of Board Differ.
The members of the board differed
in this. The majority thought that
a school as contemplated would GER
| iainly be for the general public good,
Ind would meet with the require
ments of the deed acquired for the
| property. Secretary Z. F. Soaring
said that some of those who had been
instrumental in bringing about the
purchase of the Van Brunt slough
Tor the purpose of converting it into
lake, were at first opposed to letting
go any of the property except upon
conditions that part of the space
would be devoted to the formation of
| an artificial lake. When it was ex-
planned that the school board under
one of its tentative plans proposed
to use but six hundred square feet
of the property for school purposes
and that the remainder might be
converted into a lake, those people
ceased to oppose the proposition
One of the suggested plans for the
erection Of the proposed new school
is to locate it at the south end of Van
Brunt street south of Willard street
and facing that thOroughfare. Under
that plan the athletic field and other
Fairgrounds would all be to the rear
OF the building and farther out in the
slough. Should the city Cooperate
with the board in the work, and part
of the ground aow in the slough be
used to make the fill for the school
grounds, then portion Of the pro-
posed artificial lake would be formed
next to Front street arc would be
connected by a narrow strait with an
ether pond directly south of the pro-
posed grounds. The earth pumped
from the portions to be used for lake
purposes would then be used in max
ing the necessary fill for the school
grounds. Director Gustaf Widen said
that if this were done considerable
water would have to be provided for
in order to use the dredging pumps.
Director w. A. Beach and other
members of the board said that plen-
ty OF water for that purpose could be
secured by a dam at the Front street
culvert.
Will Make An Investigation
On motion of Director Widell it
was finally decided TO investigate the
matter more thoroughly by looKi--
over the grounds, and after confer
ring with the representative of the
La Crosse Dredging company to pre-
sent the matter before the Civic and
Commerce association meeting next
Monday night. A conference will al
so be held with the city council in
regard to the matter.
Superintendent Selle suggested
that when the proposed new building
is erected, that provisions for the flu
Increase of school population
should be taken into consideration.
In the past ten years there has been
an increase of rs percent in the school
population.
A communication was received
from Emmanuel Lutheran Congrega-
ton last night stating that complete
CO. operation with the board in the
matter providing of religious instruc-
ton one hour day as proposed by
the ministerial association, would re-
ceive the hearty support Of that con-
gregation. The communication was
placed on file
After allowing a number of bills
the board adjourned, and then spent
some time in comforting with Archi-
tect George Pass, Jr., on proposed
plans for the new combined grade and
junior high school building.