Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-08-25
The New School House.

The citizens of the village district should
take an honest pride in the new structure for
the accommodation of the high and grammar
schools, which is to be dedicated Tomorrow.
The familiar outlines of the old landmark that
formerly stood at the corner of Bridge and
State streets, have become completely oblter-
ated in the transformation of the old into the
new. The expense of remodellng has been
less than the cost of an entirely new struct
ure. 1t has not been without some hard strug-
giles on the part of the friends of education
and considerable sacrifice by the taxpayers
of the district that these improved facilities
for procuring an education are afforded to our
scholars. The matter was talked about for
years before the preliminary meeting, which
was held in April of last year at which a com
mi,tee was appointed with instructions to pro-
cure from competent architect plans and es
Inmates for a building. At a subsequent meet
ing the committee reported, and it was voted
by large majority TO appropriate not exceed
ing $50 900 for the purpose of remodelling the
building according to the plans and specitica-
tions of Mr. +. ii. Fassett of Portland. This
has been faithfully carried out under the
pervision of the building committee, Messrs.
J. w. North, w. X. Smith S. Titcomb, Al
van Fogg and A. B. Farwel Although the
expenditure will exceed the original estimate
by about $1,000, il may be considered cheap
building at that price 1t has been erected by
contract with Mr.. John B. Shaw, who bas
performed his work to the acceptance Of Mr..
Fogg, of the committee. The funds for pros
ecuting these building enterprises have been
raised by loan, secured by bonds of the dis
tric,s which were sold by the directors at
ninety-fve cents on the dollar. An addition
of about fifty feet has been made to the front
of the old building. The structure is of brick,
two stories high, cruciform in shape, and
covered with a mansard roof. 1t is painted
and sanded 10 represent drab-tinted freestone
with trimmings of dark freestone color.
The windows are numerous and large, circu-
lar-headed and affording abundance of light
a very necessary article in a school room and
printing ofticc. The ornamcntation of the
exterior is simple, but sufficient to give it a
pItdslflb appearance Inc 10 IOiiNth-
iently arranged and will accommodate two
schools of two hundred scholars each with
single seats. The school roomin the first story
is 81 by 81 feet, with two recitation rooms, %
by 80 feet each, and two clothes rooms 10
feet square. These rooms are all ii feet high.
The main entrance to this story is from Pleas
ant street, and it will be occupied by the gram
mar school. In the second story, reached
from State street by broad flight of steps, is the
same number of rooms and of the same size
as in the first story, but two feet higher. This
will be occupied by the high school. In the
story formed by the mansard ROOT is a large
area designed for hall for exhibitions and
other school exercises. The new recitation
rooms will be duly appreciated, both by teach
ers and scholars, as also the means for ven
tilation, entirely unknown in the old order of
things. The building is ready for occupancy
and will be found convenient and pleasant for
the purposes for which it was erected.