The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The New Hi.h-sohooI Building.

| That we need additional accommodations for
our city high school is no longer an open ques-
| ton; all that remains is, when and where and
how to supply the demand. With the gradual
yet certain return from the system of examining
which prevailed few years ago to the more
sensible and more ancient system of educating,
which made scholars in former years. and with the
abandonment of the iron-bedstead method which
crippled everybody by its cruel method of clip
ping or stretching every pupil so as to fit the
ideal standard, our public schools are annually
growing in favor, and no department is sharing
this increasing popularity more than the high
school. For quarter of century, or more
yet, there will be heard occasional muttering
against the teaching of certain branches,
but no material changes will be made unless it
| be in favor of devoting more time and pains to
the very branches now sought to be eliminated.
But first, where shall the new building be To-
Gated! indianapolis is almost as distinctly di-
vlded by the railroads into north and south
| if the river ran where the Union tracks do In
deed, it would be less hazardous to cross the
river than to cross the tracks. That is one fact
to be considered. Another is that our city ex-
tends nearly four miles north and south. not to
mention the increased distance for those who do
not travel on due north and south line, so that
as matter of fact, some who now attend the
high-school travel daily nearly if not quite, six
miles while quite number travel four miles
and more.
| Now is there any consideration financial or
| educational, that iustifes this immense tax upon
the strength of pupilsl 1t is nothing to the argu
\ ment, pro or con, that those who have
| furthest to traYel generally the poorer peo-
pie. The fact of the travel is sufficient. In the
| first place, educationally There are in the
| high-school more than 600 pupils OF these
about $50 are in the first year. The theory of
the management is that no class shall exceed
twenty -ive and usually this theory is main
! tanned very nearly. Now, what is the result!
| Teacher hears the first section of twenty five,
| then dismsses them to hear the second section
and then these to hear the third, all in the iden-
| teal studies while Teacher is hear
| ing III another room exact dupli-
| Gates of these several sections Now,
| is there any reason, economic educational
why teacher B might not hear her three sections
| in separate building two miles away, and two
miles nearer the homes of her pupils There is
| nothing in the aggregation of teachers pupils
which makes it at all desirable to congregate all
| the high school scholars in one building and re-
| quire seventeen teachers to do the same On the
| contrary, health and safety and economy would
| all be promoted by having not more than half as
| many IN one place Possibly, in the senior year,
! in which the aggregate number is rarely over
! sixty, it might be advisable, both for educational
! and economic reasons, to concentrate these under
one management in one place, but certainly not
| as to the other five hundred
Secondly IL matter Of economy: Happily,
we have passed the age Of erecting huge piles
| of brick and mortar in all kinds of fantastic
| angles and arches, and calling it architectural
| beauty, and school-house also The old men
| have not forgotten the sensation caused twenty
! five years ago, by the erection of that exquisite
| specimen of architectural taste on the corner of
| Virginia avenue and Huron street, so perfect in
| all its appointments that the supervising archi-
tect required tablet over the door to pe1petuate
| his name But we not building that kind
now. We have come down to common
| sense, and now build houses for com
| fort not for show, and house sufficiently
| large for the high school scholars that
live south OF the Union tracks can be built near
| the geographical center of that territory. say
near the crossing of Virginia avenue and Nc
| Carly street, for less than half the sum talked
! of for the new building on North Pennsylvania
| As to the present buildings, it must be admitted
| that they are not sufficient for the 600 pupils
| that demand admission, and soon to be 1,009;
| but there is possibility of their falling down
| soon. They are good for half thousand years.
with reasonable care. When we shall have
finished the new building on the South
| Side can give sthat such at
| 1t hardly be an open question:
| whether can build this south house and suit
ably enlarge and rebuild the present one for less
money than we can put up such a building as
has been talked of on the present site. But if it
should cost even more, the greater convenience
| to the pupils and the greater advantage of divid-
| ing the immense classes which now require to be
| divided sometimes into seven sections will more
| than justify the additional cost As | have
| shown, the teaching force need not be increased
| at all 1t may require additional superin-
| tendent but he Is also a teacher and by the
division teacher less may be needed. But
the money argument should play but a small
part when compared with the convenience which
is to save miles Of daily travel to so many pupils
u. Il. SEE. +