Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-12-28
Our High School,
A sUILDInG TN Ar Is A. CREDIT
TO THE CITY OF WILMINGTON
WHAT IT COST
AND VIII O. B U lit | T.

In speaking Of the High School
building now completed the people Of
Wilmington have right to hold up
their heads, because they have now the
most substantial, the handsomest, and
the best arranged building for educa-
tional purposes that ever stood upon the
soil of Delaware, not even excepting
the Conference Academy at Dover
and Delaware College at Newark. And
what Is commendable in this grand
educational enterprise is the fact that
the cost of this monument of educa-
ton is only $54, 1906. 46 including all ex-
tras. A better and more substantial
building for the money cannot be found
any where in any seaboard city, where
the cost of material is the same.
Standing upon the elevated corner OF
Eighth and Adams streets, and tower
ling above all buildings it can be seen
from every moderately elevated place
within the city. Such a building is q
fitting and cOmmendable monument,
marking the rapid and upward course
of education in Wilmington.
Not many years ago No. 4 was the
High School of the city, and the
height OF youthful ambition was to be
assigned seat within its walls. and
depart from 1t with the parchments of
a graduate. A higher step was taken
when the present High School build
ling was erected on French street be-
Tween Fifth and Sixth. This was a
1building which, when erected, called
forth more opposition from the "old
fogie " element than is now exhibited
|against the grand building which will
be opened next Monday for the cause
Iof education. If there is anything In
school house architecture, and pleas
Iant surroundings to animate youthful
lambition. then indeed can the young
Igraduates of our public school nstitu-
Itions step forth from this new monu-
Iment to intelligence with enlarged and
Irefined ideas of life, and an ambition
Ito make the world better for havin G
!! lived in it, and to have their names
carved upon the temple Of fame as one
Iof its benefactors.
| But the High School building, what
about it2 The committee who engi
Ineered it and who had charge of it:
erection is composed of DR.. Thomas A
tKeables, j. II. Hofecker, Esq, B. r.
Hsisler, S. J. Wiley and Michael
Dunn This was persevering com
mittee, that though at times disheart
ened and discouraged, never minded
opposition, submitted wisely to council
and legal directions, turned deaf eal
to criticism, and pushed on the work t.
such completion, that with pardon
able pride they can point to their worl
land say there it stands; II speaks fol
itself; was ever such building erected
for 30 little money!"
The lot upon which the buildin.
Stands is 1876 feet on Eighth street b.
!. | 145 on Adams street, and the building
Occupies 100 feet OIL Eighth street ant
lilo on Adams street, leaving sufficien
space upon the north and west for con
:: Ivenient roadways by which coal ane
wood are carted to the building ant
dumped into the cellar.
vi - The building surrounds a hollow
I square of so feet, upon which the fur
i mace and boiler house is erected, AM
lover them the water closets, easy o
laccess from every portion of the build
ling. The material of which the iu
lterior walls are constructed is bricl
l with terra Gotta and Indiana limeston
j finish. The exterior architecture is in
Itensely modern and American, Will
the interior is little after the Quee
e Anne style. In approaching the build
!, ing from Eighth and Adams street th
y VISITORS attention is directed to the hig
~ -. 81, seia .hn ha aql
mcnt to the Adams street entrant
~ being 10 feet, and the distance froI
a grade to apex of roof being % feet, an
the distance to. the top Of the mai
!. tower being 70 feet.
Ascending the fight of stone steps "
stand at the entrance. of the carpette
= floor vestibule % feet square. o.
d attention is directed to the beautif
paneled wainscotting finished in ra
wood. In fact all the wood work
finished in the same manner. Openir
n a pair OF heavy swing doors that mo'
y at a touch, we pass to. the hallwa
y which leads TO various school room
upon that floor. This hallway Is
feet wide. But before we explore Il
y. rooms upon the floor we step arour
,e land pass under the stairway to the bas
ment, where we enter first the boil
L room, where there are two section
G boilers of the Kelly 81 Jones paten
=. New York. These boilers genera
In steam in 12 minutes, and need at !
time exceed 0-pound pressur
though having double that capacit
1.-The boilers have the automatic regul
\ tor, and can never go dry I
Y want of water, or be submerged
1pipes carry the steam from the
boilers to every portion OF q
building. The coal and wood celia
Y. are at the north end of the basement al
convenient to the furnaces. From the
fo we emerge into the girls recreatl
lV room, 109x27 feet.
Tae floor is made of Portland ceme
III settees are placed around the walls .
here the girls retire for recreation o
exercise, and here they eat their iun
to without being turned ont In the win
cold and summers heat, % IL done NJ
ldl in most of the schools. Passing fri
here We enter the boys gymnasi'
room, 4Ox30 In extent with cement
floor, For the present the furnishl
sof The gymnasium will be left for
Ingenuity of the boys to supply.
lJani ol's room IL In the southw
corner Of the basam ent, and on the "
side Is the boys recreation and luI
room, ,109x36 fe t
Emerging from the basement,
enter the corridor running towa
Eighth street, and come to q sob
room designed for girls. 1t Is 2Sl
feet, and will seat AZ pupils ct sin
desks. Around the room between do
Land windows are solid slate bla'