The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-07-17
BOY SCOUT TRAIL
By w. B. Morgan
"The Bath, House Blunder"

The two small bathouses located
at our park for the use of local
bathers were closed during the past
week and will continue to remain
passe' for the remainder Of the year.
This city, with many natural adyant-
ages at it's door has once again played
itself open to just criticism.
The two bath houses in question
are located in very convenient spot
for bathers, and even though they
have not been used as much as the
public baths at Calhoun Lake in Mini
neapolis, still they have been most
welcome and handy accommodation to
the bathers who have sought recrea-
ton in our lake. 1t seems to me that
| the motive behind the movement to
close the two buildings was a purely
selfish and nugatory one. / full real
| ize the fact that some of the boys
have used the boys building for other
things than a bath house, but why
penalize the rest of the youngsters
for the misdemeanors committed by
a few roustabouts. The man in
charge of the park grounds could GER
tainly have kept things in a whole
some and inviting condition and in
place of counting the enmity of the
boys of the town, he would have won
their respect and good will. AS it
is he hasn't friend amongst the en-
tire army of youngsters, and his po-
sition is anything but an amiable
one. t# re
One might justly ask the question,
what is our park for? Is it merely
a beauty spot used by this commun-
ity- to attract the passer-by? Is it a
place used merely to accommodate
some one with a position? Or is a
place set aside by the good and loyal
"fathers of the city" just to please
us all, and furnish us with a suitable
source of obtaining some of natures
best work. / believe a city park
should be place to which we all
might go and find there a splendid
recreational center; a place the
''kids" might go to and know they
are welcome; a place where visitors
will find a rest; place known as the
community center. In other cities
the parks are always filled with those
who can and do enjoy the 'great out
DOORS" But here in Sank Centre one
is afraid to even go near the place
for fear of the grounds keeper, es-
pecially is this true of the younger
boys: l know from experience that
his work there is not at all easy; but
a solution of the problem is possible.
1t shouldn't be necessary to close up
the various avenues of recreation
simply because of the apparent exist
ling conditions.
If the "city dads" have given the
order to close the local bath houses
then they too have brought criticism
upon themselves. Certainly their con-
ception of the things at hand must
have been distorted, for each mem
Der on the council is more or less for
the "kids." They have placed a
fountain on the Fairgrounds and this
act alone has lined them up with the
majority. know and believe if the
proper light is thrown on the subject
the result will be re-opening of the
bath houses and delightful place fol
/ the bathers.
i The lake at the present time is moi
in the best of condition for bathing,
i but with the weed-cutter doing it's
bit and with another rain, swimming
conditions will be normal again.
L.
i Tennis Tournament