The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-26


boards, They leave their business
and spend many hours at night
working out the problems of tinanc-
ing some school with a most unset.
fish idea.
The speaker said that he believ-
ed in Curtiling present vast road
expenditures and spending more
money for education. He said that
there is plenty of state business
that can afford cutting down, but
he did not believe in eConomizing
to any great extent in education,
for il is the bulwork of the nation.
"One Of the greatest assets TO the
public schools Of America is the
teacher. The teacher 10 be worth
while must be in sympathy with tho
children and willing TO sacrifice
There are three vital things in
our American life, the home. the
church and the school. The great
est OF these is the home. where the
child spends its impressionable
years. The speaker said that it is
wrong to expect the school to do
what has proven failure in the
home. The right start in obedience
and respect must start in the home.
II is best to keep church and state
separate. for every man has the
right to worship as he sees fit. The
best religion a child gets is~at it's
mothers knee. In making this
statement. the speaker wanted to be
understood that the church has it's
place in the education of the child.
but II can not fasten religious re,
SponSibilities on the school"
Great Things Accomplished.
Professor n. II. Fuller. head OF the
de partment OF rural schools at Man
kato Teachers college, was the last
speaker of the evening. Mr.. Fuller
expressed himself as more than
pleased with the results already OBJ
tanned at Rapidan. The speaker said
that with the proper co operation in
the future great things can be &C
complished in the way~of giving the
boys and girls of that district equal
advantages with the boys and girls
of the city. Like County SuperintCn
dent Detamore, the speaker believe ed
in equality Of education.
The meeting was brought to a
close by the entire audience singing
America"
Following this all those present
were served luncheon in the domes-
tic science department rooms in the
basement of the building.
History of The School
For several years the feasibility
and educational advantages to be
gained by combining the several dis
tricts about the village of Rapidan,
as a geographical center for con
solidated school system had been
dfcnncca I'D frr onn
b. citizens OF the district. The idea
matured TO the point of taking def
mite steps toward fullfillment OF the
plan, the first Of which was the pre-
Senting Of plat Of land 10 the state
department OF education.
The plat was approved by J. NJ
Mcconnell, state commissioner OF
education, on November 20. 1920
ard il included schools in districts
No. &c; Just school, No. II; The
Spring Island school, No. Of: The
| Yaeger school and, the Rapidan Dam
school, No 100. TO further the move
ment TO make the school an assured
fact, a meeting vas held in the
Spring Island school on December
8, 1920. George A. Selke. rural school
| inspector OF the state department OF
education and w. n Detamore, su
peril tendent Of county schools, gave
very full and frank statements, re-
g1rding the success OF other Consol
idated school systems established
throughout the state and the cost Of
erection and maintenance OF such q
building.
| The two educators especially en-
phasized the problem OF transporta
ton as the most vital item Of ex-
penditurc to be met. They pointed
out that, as with am other coop
eratiVe enterprise. it's success de-
pended upon the liberal spirit oI
team work OF the community. Mr.
Selkc and Mr.. Detamore urged
thorough consideration Of the pro
blems and an investigation OF con
solidated schools already in opera
ton This advice was followed out
by the promoters of the project and
in the spring Of 1921 petition was
! circulated calling for an election or
the issue.
A majority of rreeholders in al
but one district signed the petition
The election was held on May 4. 1921
and the result verified the indica.
.iops OF the petitioners bv a vote o.
200 for the consolidation plan anC
80 against it. An order of ConsoIida
ton was issued OIL May Of the same
year and a meeting to elect officers
was held soon after. The following
persons were elected to serve on The
board, Of education: w. l.. Council
man, 4. T. Johnson, Y. A. Just, "
w. Hulce, A. o. Lee and l.. A
Yaegcr. To these men fell the un'
enyiablc responsibility and task o.
building and organizing the new
school system. They devoted theiI
ime freely to this big undertaking
in the true community spirit.
Bonds for the erection of the build
ing were issued for the new schoo
on December %. 1921. The plans Of
George Pass and Son. architects OF
Mankato, were accepted and The
contract for the building was let tc
Eric CarIstrom in January 1922
Work on the building was begun al
once and proceeded steadily through
the following months.
Description of The Building
The Rapidan school building pro,
vides comnlete/ facilities for High
and Grade School work. with facili
ties for, community activities which
are a prominent feature in ConsCsi
dated School districts. e..
For grade work five completely
equipped forty pupil rooms are pro
vided. Each has west light which Is
ideal for school work and each is
provided with genuine slate black
boards, lacking strips, teachers cup
boards. and coat room adjoining.