Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 206, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1914 — One of Greatest High Schools Due to Chautauquas’ Influence [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

One of Greatest High Schools Due to Chautauquas’ Influence

Township and Students Got Big “Hunch” as Celebrities v Visited Community.

A town not veVy far'away has the most celebrated high school in two states; Its equipment as well as its teaching force is the best that can be found, ft has won thirteen interhigh school debates and has placed seventeen of its students in the honor class in as many leading universities of the nation within the past four years. It has produced some literature and much business service, which has been highly acceptable and well paid for. It has aroused its commu-

west and far west are gradually increasing; who know why—quite distinctly why—they- severally choose to farm or become merchants of one kind or another, or enter the professions, and when they choose to do these things they do so after they have made “surveys” and have given detailed attention to each of them. It Is a wonderful school. Whea the men who are responsible were asked recently how it all came to pass and the fact was uncovered that the school

nlty to make many practical Improvements such as playgrounds and other high privileges for children who. otherwise could not have them. This school’s interests in the political, social, religious and agricultural workings of the country are practically as keen as are its interests in the educational policies of the community. It is turning out scores of young people each year who know why and how it comes about that the economic and political influences >f the east are waning, and these same influences in the middle

has scarcely any debt and that it turns thousands of iollars annually back into the treasury, the answer was, “It. all came about through the activities of the Chautauqua people of this com munity. A few yeans ago they sent some wonderfully constructive and thoughtful men iere who gave us the “hunch.” We took it, and now we are just beginning to see what our possibilities are. The things we have done are not to be, mentioned in comparison with the things we think we see how to do.”