Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1918 — SCHOOL NOTES [ARTICLE]

SCHOOL NOTES

The teachers and pupils of Rensselaer high school have organized a High School Council of Defense, to co-operate with the educational section of the county and state councils of defense for the purpose of giving definite, active and patriotic voluntary service to our country in the present crisis. This however, does not involve any form of compulsory service by the school or its students. The following committees were appointed by the president of the organization, Mr. Kratli: Committee on program—Thelma Martindale, John Strecker, Miss Norris, Harry McColly, Lenore Carr and Helen Warner. Committee ‘on employment— Charles Halleck, Bernice Carson, Thelma Tilton, Ira Huntington, Louis Ham and Miss Shedd. Committee on finance —Bernice Long, Elizabeth Witham, Leonard Gourley, Walter Randle, Harold Nowels and Mr. Dean. The following officers were elected by the student body were: Vice-President —Paul Beam. Secretary—Elizabeth Witham. Treasurer —Hattie Waymire. The motto of the council is “Help Our Country Now,” In the granuner school, twentynine dollars and eighteen cents and donations of yarn, valued at ten dollars, has been received and a Junior Red Cross organization completed. Committees, consisting of both teachers and pupils, have been appointed for collecting materials, governing school activities and distributing and inspecting materials and finished work. The committees are as follows: Collecting materials —Teachers, Miss Parkinson and Miss Harris and Mary Washburn, John Kresler, Mary Elizabeth Yates and Kathryn activities —Grammer school teachers and Ellen Kresler, Stewart Fench, Harold Sharp and Willis Wright. Inspection—Miss Stover, Miss English and Miss Atwood. It has been the aim of the domestic science department to have some Red Cross work done by each class in both the grades and high school throughout the year. This work has included one hundred and thirtyeight comfort kits for members of Co. M provided with much of the necessary equipment donated by the classes and scrap books made in the art department; also aprons and sleeves for the local chapter. The senior class of Home Economics are now devoting one leson during the week to surgical dressings work. It has been the custom in the grammer school building to have a ( Valentine box each year for the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, but this year, each room voted to give the pennies, ordinarily spent for valentines, to a Red Cross box for the benefit of the Junior Red Cross or relief work. Junior Red Cro«». The Junior Red Cross for the Primary grades of the Rensselaer school was organized February 3rd, 1918.

A great interest has been manifest by the children and a number are efficient knitters. Ten pairs of wristlets have been completed and a number of pairs are under way. Three blankets made of 5 and 9 inch squares have been made and two more are nearly completed. Old yarn is used for the ptiaking of these blankets and any yarn that can be obtained by raveling old sweaters, caps or gloves would be greatly appreciated. Do not hesitate to send in old yarn of any color. The children are being encouraged to buy Thrift Stamps. A number of stories, of Thrift Stamps, suitable for children in this building have been read to them. Up to date the children in this building have invested $93.25 in Thrift Stamps. Many children own Liberty bonds. Saturday, the first “converting

day,” which was -set aside for the sale of Government War Savings Stamps through the Public School Savings bank conducted by the Commercial Department of the local high school, was very successful in every way. Mr. Warner, in charge of the sale of stamps for this section, came over, and, with the assistance of students from the department, sold more than seventy-five dollars worth of stamps. These were paid for by means of checks written upon the school deposits. The investments for the day numbered about sixty, ranging from twenty-five cents (the least possible investment) up to the full price of a “baby bond,” which is $4.13 during February.

It is not meant that the bank shall be discontinued, however, as it will continue to receive deposits as heretofore. In fact, the sale of stamps seems to have stimulated deposits. From time to time these “converting days,” on which students may withdraw deposits for the purpose of investing in bonds, will be held. We believe that this course will tend to sustain the interest in the sale of bonds. ■ ■ The advanced section of the shorthand class is making vepr good progress. Next week they will complete the study of the principles as outlined in the text and will then be ready to devote their time exclusively to the gaining of speed. The Commercial Department would esteem it an especial favor from the business men of the city if they would co-operate by taking some of our advanced stenographers into their offices for a short period from time to time, thus giving them an opportunity to gain experience in the taking of dictation; as well as permitting them to become somewhat familiar with the routine of the business office. It is planned to make the courses n bookkeeping this year more practical than ever before. The department would be very much pleased to hear from firms, who have good accounting systems in use, and who are willing to permit an examination of their systems by students. This will | tend to bridge the gap between

theory and practice. In oder to give our high school boys instruction in doing practical work so they can go out in the spring and be more able to take the places of the men who have been called to the front, and also that we might be able to help the fanners in a direct way, we have planned to construct various projects in our school here that will be of value to them. We will be able to make hog houses, hog troughs, self feeders, chicken coops and brooders, double trees, single trees, farm gates and various other things needed on the farm. We will construct there different projects and sell them for the cost of the material used. We will be glad to hear from any one, who needs any of the things mentioned or anything else that we might be able to make here in the shop. We offer our services willingly and are sure that we can be of some service to the farmers of the community. E. K. KEESLING. In the Agricultural Botany class the work is now almost wholly given over to the testing of seed corn. This work will continue for the next few weeks. Farmers are bringing in corn to be tested and others who desire corn tested are encouraged to arrange a time for bringing in their corn so that it may be handled properly. . In the test six grains are taken from different part of the ear, not including the tip or the butt of the ear. Thesp grains are planted in boxes of sawdust marked off into squares by wire or cord. After eight or nine days the seeds are examined. Unless all six grains show the young plant to have a strong start, the ear from which those grains were taken is thrown out. That corn being tested now shows small percentage fit for seed. Some of it has the appearance of fairly good seed, but in the test does not germinate. The girls of the high school have organized a Red Cross Auxiliary with Miss Shedd as chairman, and Lenore Carr as secretary-treasurer. Tuesday night of each week was decided upon as a night to meet at the school house and knit. Last Tuesday night was the first meeting, when all who did not know how to knit, were taught. _.. a