The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-22

Auiy ioISSOluS W luc lOISlIOuL duu
has the most wonderful possibilities
and it is my purpose in this story
to tell the exact truth about the
state and existing conditions as II
have seen them.
! must confess that had worng
impression of educational conditions
that all the cities and villages have
splendid modern graded and high
school buildings and a school system
quite equal to our own. There are
2916 common schools, 104 high
schools, four state schools for high
er education, and 16 denominational
colleges within the state. / had the
pleasure of visiting the Florida
state college for women at ITALIA
men at GAINESVILLE the Montverde In
dustrial school at Montverde and a
number of other state institutions.
Reference to the records show that
every year an increase has been
made in the appropriations for pub
lie schools in Florida. This, with the
keen interest shown in educational
matters by Floridans, and the large
number of higher preparatory
schools and colleges dotted ali over
the state, is sufficient index to the
character Of the states educational
institutions.
Good Roads In Florida
We had the pleasure of travelling
nearly thousand miles by automo-
bile while touring Florida, most OF
which was over paved roads, and
being a good roads enthusiast, ! was
certainly delighted with the roads
travelled and took occasion to in;
quire into the system, present road
mileage and plans for the future.
The present system consists of over
5000 miles built roads, of which A.
168 miles are of well graded earth,
700 miles are asphalt, 500 miles
brick, IS miles concrete, 1900 miles
! is built of crushed rock, oil treat
ed; 53S miles of shell and the bal
ance of sand clay. We drove $50
never once turned off paved road.
This county has about 400 miles of
such roads and is still building. The
nature of the soil and not having
to guard against the results of freez-
ing makes hard surface road con-
struction much less expensive in
Florida than Minnesota. Dirt roads
are built by guttering and. grading
them, adding a coat of clay over the
hard as city street. Where sand
prevails the roads are very heavy
and dusty unless well covered with
a coat of pine needles which are
raked from the sides of the road
into the ruts and give fairly good
surface. -.
In connection with the subject of
hard surfaced roads l am glad to
say we found the streets of all the
cillages and cities through which we
passed well paved, thus making the
pavement continuous, and naturally
remembered the many wealthy cities
In Minnesota which ! have driven
through on rough, muddy clay
streets connected on either side at
the outskirts by fine graveled roads.
Having left home during the cold
breezes, warm sunshine and flowers
were to us a source of joy and de-
light. Never have l seen such beau
tiful flowers growing in profusion
everywhere. Roses, oleanders, hybis-
Gus. bouginvillea, sweetpeas, papsies,
nasturtiums and many more the
names of which 1 do not remember,
in yards parks and along the roads.
Add to these the beautiful and fra.
grant peach, orange and grapefruit
blossoms and it was all sight to
make the heart of the young and
strong grow younger and the old and
weak glad to be alive.
To me the forests were a con-
slant delight. It is said that Florida
has more varieties of trees than any
other state. Whether this is true or
not / do not know, burt ! do know
that there are many varieties and
sweets, dyes, drugs, chemicals, tar,
pitch, rosin, turpentine, gum, lumber,
and many other valuable and useful
products.
The live oak is at home in Florida.
One tree at old Blountstown meas
ures eight feet, six inches in dame
ter above the spread of the roots
The only camphor plantation in
the United States is in Florida and
from it tons of that important gum
have been made. The beautiful
foliage and shape of the camphor
tree makes it one of. the finest known
trees for yard and street shade
The Great Forest
One might go on almost indefinite
ly describing to the person from the
| north new friends of the forest. The
| original growth of which is rapidly
being cut by the lumbermen, the
royal palm, that most ornamental Of
| tropical trees; the cocoanut palm
and numerous other varieties of
palms; the curious banyan tree and
many others, all either useful, beau
tiful or interesting
To the lover of outdoor sports
Florida offers much. 1t is an alto
gether delightful and desirable play
ground where the lover of golf, ten
mis- or, even the old fashioned game
| of horseshoe will find opportunity
| to play in every town Of any size;
and where the nimrod and angler
may experience all the pleasureable
thrills OF the sportsman who lives
again those glorious days when rec.
ords for huge catches have been
smashed, when big bags have been
secured and when keen recollection
of dim trails through forest aisles
| causes the trigger finger to itch and
a longing to return again to those
| delightful sights and sounds that
| fills you to OVERLOOKING with the love
of natures creation. Sunshine and
blue sky overhead and many shaded
forests and fields and waters of all
the shades Of blue and green, tinted,
solft, sublime.
To my friends of the Swan lake
camps and fishing trips to the thous-
ands of beautiful lakes and rivers OF
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