Iowa
Old Press
Washington Democrat
Washington co. Iowa
February 19, 1921
AINSWORTH SCHOOL DEDICATED FRIDAY
BUILDING COSTING $100,000 -- FORMALLY SET APART -- FOR SCHOOL
PURPOSES
Yesterday was a great day for the consolidated school district of
Ainsworth, for it was the day set apart for the dedication of the
splendid structure just completed by the district at a cost of
$100,000. Ainsworth now has one of the finest school equipments
of any town of its size in the state and the building would be a
credit to a much larger community. It has all the modern
conveniences and furnishes the community with a plant capable of
carrying on the most up to date school work. The people of
Ainsworth and surrounding county are to be congratulated on their
progressiveness and the interest they take in providing
educational facilities for the boys and girls.
Bonds Voted Year Ago
Bonds amounting to $90,000 were voted a year ago, following the
creation of the consolidated district which includes the town and
the adjoining former country districts. Recently additional bonds
of $10,000 were voted to complete the building and equipment. The
consolidated school has 220 pupils of whom sixty are in the high
school. The dimensions of the building is 110 by 80 feet. It is
two stories high with basement and sub-basement. The sub-basement
contains the gymnasium with playing space sixty by sixty feet in
the clear, furnace room and dressing rooms with showers for both
boys and girls. The basement contains the manual training and
domestic science departments and the balcony with seating space
for 150 people. On the first floor are five rooms for the grades
each provided with cloak rooms, Red Cross room and toilets for
boys and girls. The upper floor has the superintendent and
principal’s office, classrooms and an assembly for seating
300 people and toilet rooms. Steel lockers are furnished for each
student. The building is of brick construction and practically
fireproof. It is heated by the Moline system which provides for
automatic ventilation with a current of fresh air in constant
circulation.
K. Beal is president of the Ainsworth board of education which
was in general charge of this great improvement. H. W. Van Horn
is secretary and A. E. Sands , treasurer. [?] Robertson is the
popular and efficient superintendent and Miss Clara Waller, the
principal of the high school.
The Afternoon Program
The afternoon program of dedication was opened in the afternoon
with a large attendance particularly of people from the country
portion of the district. Before and after the program they
inspected the building, and many others were shown through the
structure in the evening, stopping on their way at the domestic
science rooms where frappe and wafers were served by high school
girls. Rev. A. W. McBlain of the Ainsworth Methodist church
presided at the afternoon meeting which was opened with music by
the high school orchestra, led by Prof. Ora Railsback of the high
school faculty. The orchestra played delightfully for both the
afternoon and evening programs. Mr. McBlain made a brief address
in which he emphasized the value of an education.
After the invocation by Rev. D. M. Davis of the United
Presbyterian Church, Superintendent Robertson gave the address of
welcome to which he said that a cheap education is really
expensive. He said that a good
education is the biggest business asset of the nation. He
expressed himself as opposed to a hidebound curriculum, but
believes that the school should offer each pupil something for
which he has a natural aptitude and which he can put to real
service in his life. Mr. Robertson referred [missing] the
individual [missing] the boys and girls. Supt. W. C. Harding of
Washington school system gave a brief reply to Mr.
Robertson’s address. He said that in his opinion a school
district and a school plant like Ainsworth allow a superintendent
an ideal pertaining to do effective schoolwork. He stated his
belief that the people of the Ainsworth district had builded
(sic) better than they knew and the influence of their school
would spread and be a great influence to progressive education.
He said that Ainsworth has an ideal school place. A.R. Miller of
Washington delivered the closing address of the afternoon. It was
a characteristic Miller talk and was immensely enjoyed by the
large audience who were kept in the good humor Mr. Miller induces
when he speaks. He even burst into song occasionally. He said
that it was twenty six years ago that he last attended a school
meeting at Ainsworth all that he remembers about that occasion is
when is what he had to eat at one of the Ainsworth homes. He
complimented the Ainsworth people on their magnificent building.
He favors consolidation and believes school taxes should be high
enough to provide the best of educational facilities . The hope
of the republic is in its schools and its churches, he declared
and these two forces carrying on in a united war against
ignorance and evil.
The Evening Program
Yesterday evening the auditorium was filled. President K. Beal of
the school board presided and after the invocation by Rev. E.
Riddington of the Baptist church introduced Miss Kathryn
Montgomery, county superintendent of schools who brought
greetings of the school children from all corners of the county.
Miss Montgomery said that the other school districts of the
county were watching Ainsworth to see how they succeed with their
school plant. Mr. Beal then introduced his cousin, a. L. Beal,
superintendent of the schools of Henderson county, Illinois who
stated that consolidation has not hit Illinois very hard and he
came over for the purpose of studying the proposition at first
hand. Miss Elizabeth McBlain and Wilma Miller sang a duet
“Ainsworth High School”, the words which were written
by Earle D. ? and the music by Miss Miller. The girls sang well
accompanied by the orchestra. Dr. C. W. Flint, president of
Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa delivered the address at the
evening dedication meeting. He spoke eloquently and impressively
on educational lines, emphasizing he need for higher education
and urging boys and girls not to drop out of grade school but to
keep on to high school and college. He said that it has been
found that of each 1000 students that started in the public
schools, only 111 go thru the full …..[rest of article
missing].
[transcribed by N.J., Nov. 2005]