The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-02-13

Colorado, and brings some fine speci
mems Of mineral with her from Arbons
vile, where Mr.. Patty is interested
The specimens can be seen at Thoma.
Gray's store. X. w
THE SCHOOL HOUSE QUESTION
The article printed below was prepar
ed and read by Supt. B. T. Davis, before
the Emporia Literary Club, and is pub
lished at the request of that body:
The first school district was organized
in Emporia nineteen years ago last De
cember. The first school was taught
about twenty-five years ago. In 1868 the
stone school house on Constitution street
was erected at cost of about five tlous-
and dollars. This was the first school
house erected in the state on the bond
| plan. Even this house was not built
without serious opposition. It was con-
sidered wild investment, Of the most
extrayagant nature; yet, it has been paid
for long since, and no one has ever re-
/ GREETED the investment. About eight
years later, the little frame building on
Sixth avenue, was built, and the year
following, the brick building on Union
street was erected. All of these have
been paid for, except about $500 on the
brick building. This amount, however,
has been provided for in this years tax
es, and will be paid before the end of
the year.
Since 1870 Emporia has been running
as city OF the second class, and opera
ted by the laws of such corporation.
Territory has been attached for school
purposes from time TO time until at
present our greatest area is outside the
corporation, one entire country district
having been added on the west, with all
| its property, including a school house
and considerable real estate. There are
| probably sixteen hundred children of
school age residing in the school district
at the present time, nine hundred of them
having been enrolled during this year.
There are at present nine school rooms
owned by the city, all of which are small
and quite poorly heated and ventilated.
/ Under these conditions not more than
fifty can be properly accommodated in
each room. Thus it viii be seen, the
city is supplied with just one-half the
room necessary TO provide for present
needs. That these needs will not dimin-
ish, but will continue to increase, is al
most self-evident There are nearly six
hundred more children in the district
to-day than there were one year ago.
The schools enroll about three hundred
more children and many are staying at
home for want of room. Some would
suppose that our growth has been I'M
natural and hence cannot be permanent.
1--WE will 90 back!' This can not be,
for the increase has been too general over
the entire state. Emporia has only kept
pace with nearly all other towns IN the
state, while many have surpassed even our
rate of growth. Whether in the future
we grow, stand still, or go back, we need
more and better room for the children of
the city. Economy and good Judgment
demand it. l presume all will admit the
fact. The only question of difference
| seems to be in the manner and form the
room shall be furnished
Coming as we do from almost all parts
of the known world, we all seem to have
our own pet ideas. Some desire one
grand central building worth $50, 600 to
$4,000. Others wants rooms every few
blocks; only two. or at most, four to-
gether- Now, If we were not already
provided with a portion of the neces-
sary Dom, the former plan would prob
ably be the most economical, but as it
has other serious disadvantages, should
not, under present circumstances, be-
lieve that plan the most desirable to be
adopted. The many-smalLhouse plan [
should not like to recommend on ac-
count of its great expense, and on ac-
count of the almost utter imposibility of
providing proper ventilation and heat,
and sustaining such grades as would be
worthy the name. The true course for
Emporfa is a medium ground that
which would be known as the ward
plan with a central school for higher
| grades. Experience and present tenden-
cies seem to be favorable to centraliza-
ton. Many states are adopting what is
known as the township system; others
are uniting number of old districts
into one. England boasts that in adopt
ing the parish as the school district that,
although too small, it is far better than
the district plan in the United States.
An examination of the map of the
| Emporia school district will show that
EmpOria is not behind in the idea of cen
tralization. The original district being
one mile square has increased until it
extends three miles cast and west and
more than three and One-haif miles north
and south. The outside boundaries are as
yet somewhat irregular, but the odd cor
ners viii soon be enSbled to see the great
economy and educational benefit in cen
traliZatiOn, and will become attached, as
the other outside territory has already
done. Emporia district is not only thus
rendered large district, but very
wealthy one. School house bonds, if
voted, will at presant, fall upon nearly
six sections of land, including six and one
half miles of railroad, besides shops and
much other valuable Improvements. The
town is atpreasant divided into two parts
for school purposes, the line. being
formed by Commercial street. The
| grades in the east division
accommodate in Union street
school being duplicate of the west di-
vision accommodated in Constitution
street school. These schools represent
the It'll, 9th, 9th and Attn gradcs-about
two-thirds of the entire school The Sd,
I'd, list andhigh school grades are union
or central grades, and compose the re-
naming one-third of the schools. These
schools are at present very unsatisfacto-
rily provided for on the public street at
an expense OF $50 per month Another
year this room must BE- almost or quite
doubled. and then room will only be
imperlectly provided. That amount, in
Guiding the expensive fitting up Of rooms
will more than pay the interest on the
bonds TO erect a good central building
that will not only properly accommodate
these central grades, but also make Il
proper showing for fulfilling our ad-
vertised obligations to immigrants 4
very gooG eightroom building was erect
ed in Manhattan, Kansas, two years ago
for less than $4,000. 1t was well fur
nished with bell, modern furniture, heat
ing and ventilating apparatus, clocks
etc. for less than $4,000, bringing the
entire amount within $4,000 Besides
this central school, there should be pro
yided a.small building soruh OF the rail