The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-02-04
A STATE CONSOLIDATED HIGH
SCHOOL FOR WOOD
WHY NOT?

Of the following article takes this
method of relieving his mind of an
idea that should be of vital interest
to every citizen OF Wood and of the
surrounding country. We sincerely
believe that no other single project
can do as much toward making Wood
prosperous town and the surround
ing country an ideal place to build a
We feel that the time is ripe for the
citizens of Wood and the surrounding
territory to consider very carefully
the problem..of providing for our young
people the means of obtaining the
best possible education at home. We
feel that our boys and girls are de-
serving of as good an education as the
city boy and girl. We feel that the
building of a home institution that
shall be adequately equipped for high
| y efficient work In preparing our
young folks to cope with the problems
of life, is entirely possible and that
every dollar so spent will be increased
hundred fold. We feel that through
the united effort of all who are tribu-
tary to Wood, within six months we
can lay the foundation for as efficient
a school system as there is in the
world. We feel that Wood should
take definite stand for something
and strive to attain standard Of eX-
eellence along some particular line.
Remember that Jesus Christ came
from the humble village of Nazareth.
and let's make that something our
school system. We know that we as
a people must either progress or re-
trograde, and we know that the pub
lie schools is one of the most powe r
full factors in raising the standard Of
civilization.
Behold the authors dream; call 1t
an idle dream if you will, but remem-
Der that nothing worth while in this
world was ever accomplished by the
man who stands back and says that
lit can't be done.' Remember too,
tLat during the past century some
marvellous things have been accomp-
lished along great many lines and
when we say thing can't be done,
we are making an exceedingly pre-.
sumptuous statement, ~.too profound
for the ordinary mortal to utter We
see In our dream of the future the
prosperous little city of Wood. There
is a'decidedly progressive air about
the town that strongly appeals to the
sojourntr Freshly painted buildings
are very much in evidence, the streets
are clean and are lined with wide ce-
ment walks. The business houses
seem TO be enjoy a thriving trade.
| Suddenly the great bell in the belfry
of the new Consolidated High School
announces the noon hour. Knowing
the little city to be famous for it's
excellent high school, we decide t.
spend an hour or two looking over the
plant. Upon entering the building
we learn that dinner is being served
in the large well lighted dining room.
We are told by our guide that the
children are fed at actual cost and
| that an expert cook is employed who
not only supervise the preparation of
| the meals, but conducts domestic
science classes in which girls are train
ed in the most approved methods of
cooking, sewing, canning, etc. After
the meal has been served, we are con-
Quoted to the play grounds where we
see two or three hundred children in
charge of the play ground supervisor.
We notice that the play grounds are
fully equipped with parallel bars,
horizontal bars, swings, giant strides,
teter-totters, slippery slides, etc. We
notice number Of high school stu
dents on the tennis and basket ball
courts and the football boys are get
ting themselves in trim for the fall
games. We are shown the agricul-
tural pats where various experiments
are made and are Informed that con
siderable amount of the provisions
used in the domestic science depart
ment Is produced on the school farm,
and that goodly number of poor but
worthy studenss practically pay their
way through school by doing chores
before and after school. We learn
that the school is in the pure bred
hog business, and that it is not only
means OF instructing the student in
proper handling of pure bred hogs,
judging, etc, but Is source of reve.
nue. as well. When school Is called
we re-enter the building. We are
conducted to the assembly room where
the entire school are gathering for
opening exercises. After a we'll ren6-
cred selection by the school chorus Of
a hundred or more students. We are
informed that few minutes are to