The Mankato free press., 1921-03-18
BUILDING IS NECESSARY
Another School Structure
Advocated BY SeIIe
TALK AT THE P.-T. MEET
Claims That Mankato Is Paying
Lower Tax Than Many Other
Gopher Towns

Superintendent e. S. Selle and
members of the school board ex-
planned to their audience last even
ing at the Union school auditorium
the great need OF new school
building and how this would affect
the other schools and the taxes of
the public.
Mrs. j. Flaschsenhar, president
of the Parent Teachers association.
called the meeting 10 order.
Mrs. A. Carpenter, chairman OF the
on the project of securing the serv-
ices of certain dentists to examine
the teeth of the children free OF
charge. Several dentists have offered
to do so. The motion was made and
seconded to have a dentist. and Miss
Abbie Peters, the school nurse, eX-
anime the teeth of the children who
were in need of dental care.
There are sixty children under
weight at the Union school. The Red
Cross and the association has been
paying for the feeding OF milk TO
these youngsters at recess time. The
motion was made and seconded that
the association furnish milk for the
pupils who cannot afford to pay If
teen cents a week for milk, and also
for those who want it and cannot
pay for 1t. During the discussion
of the milk question o. Tanzer stat
ed he would donate twelve quarts OF
milk for two weeks, which is enough
to feed twelve children for that
length of time.
DIR. A. Wits made an announce
ment to the effect that he would ex-
anime all the school children in the
city If they will come to his office
in the forenoons of one Saturday
in each month for spinal analysis
and prognosis of what might rea-
sonably be expected through chirop-
ractic treatment He offered to give
six adjustments absolutely free to
those who cannot afford to pay.
Taxes Paid For Schools.
Following this announcement Su-
perintendent Selle showed by charts
how other cities give much bigger
iper cent of their taxes for the use
lof their schools, and also the growth
of the different schools in the city
during the last ten years. The SIX
teenth Of April the tax payers or the
city will vote on whether they wish
the new school or not. In the Lin
coin school all the rooms are in use
There is only one stairway from the
upstairs and if a fire started many
children would be hurt or killed try
ing. to go down this crooked stair
way. There is one room in the I'm
ion school not actually in use. The
franklin school has diminished In
attendance which gives some room
to spare. The Roosevelt rooms are
lcrowded and twelve pupils attend
Lincoln school because there is not
enough room in their own district
Thirty four pupils Of the Lincoln
school attend the Union school on
account of the crowded conditions OF
their own school. Greater increase in
six grades. The high school build
ling was enlarged in 1910 SO an at
tendance of $50 could be given prop
Ter seating and lighting. The pres
ent enrolment Of the high school Is
1896.
school had increased to 745-2OO
more than the buildings capacity
Present enrolment Is 400 in excess
OF capacity. Nine high school teach
ers have no class room, and no space
TO locate even a desk. Almost l0C
high school pupils have no desk OF
locker, because there is no~space fol
placing additional desks or lockers.
At least four basement and attic
rooms now used every period of the
day should not be used for regular
school purposes at all because oi
poor lighting and ventilation. The
fire danger, because Of over crowd
ing, is very great.
s. A. Challman, state inspector oi
buildings and sanitation, said in his
report concerning the high school:
at Is quite evident that some pro-
care for at least $50 pupils in some
other way than what is being done
at present, if the high school is tC
receive Just consideration" Mr.
Challman states that an enrolment
of $50 pupils is the limit beyond
which efficient and satisfactory work
can not reasonably be expected in
this building. The present enroll
ment is 936.
Very Old Building.
The Lincoln building is very OLD
show that only one school building
ont of twenty five erected before
1880 is still in use. This is a crowd
ed, unsanitary, poorly ventilated
poorly lighted building. 1t is serious
" unsafe in case of fire. S. A
Challman, state inspector says: "The
present building ought not to be us
ed for school purposes after the close
of the present school year. The re-
sponsibilities for the health and safe.
ty of the children are so grave and
important that the school board may
will hesitate to continue the use OF
a building which is as far below
standards as is the case with this
building"
The amount asked is 100000
Taxes will be increased approx
mately three mills If the bonds are
voted. This three mill levy will
mean an increase of about sixty cents
per thousand dollars Of market value
If your home has market value OF
$4,000 you will pay about Sc addi-
tional tax. If you pay S100 in taxes
this year you will ply SNo4, forty
eight next year, if these bonds are
voted. ..--
The school tax rate now is rs
mills, 11.65 mills below the average
for Minnesota cities of about Man
kato's size. If we were levying just
at the average rate-36.65 mills-we
could pay for the proposed building
in five years. D..
The proposed bond issue will re-
lieve the two most critical situations
II will take 250 to 300 Junior high
school pupils from the crowded high
school building. 1t will replace the
old, crowded, dangerous, Lincoln