Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-25
SCHOOL HOUSES AND SCHOOL
BONDS

To keep pace with the rapid growth
OF this city, and consequent heavy in
crease of school population, the board
of education is compelled to construct
several new school buildings this year.
This Is an imperative want, which can
not we'll be deferred. The enormous
revenue derived through the license
system will scarcely meet the demands
for running expenses, which might be
curtailed in various directions without
materially interfering with the eff
cheney of the schools.
The funds for building school houses
must, therefore, necessarily be raised
by the issue of school bonds.
The problem with which the board of
education Is now expected to grapple is
how to provide the suburban population
with accessible school houses, and meet
the wants of the shifting population in
the center of the city.
Within five years the resident por-
tion of the city has witnessed what
might be called revolution. The con-
struction OF business blocks, warehouses
and factories; the extension of depot
grounds has gradually crowded the
school population from what was the
east half OF the original town site, over
the sloping hills to the west, south and
north.
The school houses erected for the ac
commodation of the school population
of the lower wards are now in the busi-
ness district, and must soon be aban-
doned altogether. To meet the de-
mands of the present day and make
provision for our future wants, the
school buildings to be constructed this
year should be planned with view to
the future as we'll as present popu-
lation. Those constructed in more
densely populated sections of the city
will have to be on n scale commensurate
with the demand, and the suburban
school buildings should be planned with
view to future enlargement.
The people of Omaha have always
been very liberal in voting school bonds,
even when the reckless methods OF the
board have not inspired public
confidence. This time, however, they
will insist upon knowing just where
the school houses are to be planted and
what dimensions aud accommodations
the projected school houses will have.
From time to time there have been
various projects for enlarging the high
school, and this project will probably
be brought forward among others. We
very much doubt the wisdom of making
any addition to the high school build
ing this season. If provision is to be
made for accommodating the pupils in
the lower grades that reside in the
neighbornood of the high school square,
a new site should be purchased and Il
| first-class building modelled according to
modern city school houses should be
erected thereon. Such building is
needed now, and always will be desir-
able in that section of the city. The
sooner the site for such building is Sc
cured aud the school house erected the
| better.
The high school building must ere
long be vacated by all lower grade
pupils, and it should be remodeled for
its exclusive use for high school pur-
| poses. Ii we are to have q wing to that
| structure it should be designed for high
! school uses, and made adaptable for
normal department, which sooner or
later must be added to the high school.
We make these suggestions now in
order that the board may make no mis-
take in its bond scheme. A reasonable
amount of school bonds will be cheer
fully voted, but wildcat schemes or
manifest jobs will defeat the whole
proposition.