Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-15
A MODEL SCHOoLHoUSE.

Whklnsburg's New Building to be as Neat
and Substantial as the Court House
Its Accommodations the Best-An In
door Playground for Pupils.
The new public school building at Will
kinsburg will soon be completed. 1t is just
about year since the old one went up in
aame and smoke, from some mysterious
cause that was never discovered. There was
not brick or stone that could be used
again, so thoroughly had the fire done its
work of destruction.
Last spring the school board commenced
work in earnest. Ithad the large piece of
ground upon which the old schoolhouse had
Stood situated in the most desirable part of
Williamsburg. being high and central. 1t fronts
on Wallace street. Upon this it determined to
isnf ereet ] one Of the and most conven
the general opinion is that it has succeeded.
The building is of brick with stone TRIM
mlngs, resting, of course, upon solid stone
foundation. 1t is OF q composite order of archi.
lecture, leaning toward the Ionic. In a general
way 1t strongly resembles the Allegheny Court
House. There is a bell tower. not SO large as
tnat OF the Court House, but it is of about the
same shape. The main entrance Of the build
ing is wide-arched doorway, low-browed and
massive, like that on Grant street, and the
building generally has that solid appearance
that is SO marked characteristic of the Court
House.
a vestibule brings the visitor into a
spacious rOtunda, UPON all sides of which
are the doors of classrooms and the principals
private room. A wide staircase facing the
entrance branches Off on either side, so rs to
give two distinct stairways to the upper floor.
wnere gallery running around the walls
leaves vida space in the center. and permits
the skylight in the roof TO light the whole
building during the day. At night cluster of
eight electric lights in the dome performs the
same duty. From this gallery doors lead into
the other class rooms, the two floors being ex-
actly alike in arrangement. The stairs are so
WIDE and easy that there will be no danger to
the children in case of fire. The staircase
itself is a tire-escape. The bannister and the
railing around the upper gallery will be in
cherry finish. with handsome brass railing
along the top
The interior of the roof which Is DOME
shaped and glass at the apex. is cherry, finished
OF with handsome freeze. giving an artistic
eject, such as cannot be found in any other
school building in the State. There is nothing
stiff or angular about the whole interior, the
school board paying particular attention to the
The comfort of teachers as we'll as pupils has
been studied in the construction of this build
ing. Attached to each class room is 4 cloak
room, with a window-rather an unusual con-
venience in a school cloak room. Moreover,
ever one contains a washstand and toilet re-
quisites. Beside these, there are separate re.
tIring rooms for the teachers, also with lava
tories. There are "a rooms in the building, eX-
elusive of the cloak rooms.
In the basement will be an indoor playground.
1t Will cover ghe whole space under the build
ing. and with its hard cement floor and stone
walls, will be splendid place for the boys and
girls to enjoy youthful sports in rainy weather.
The ventilating and heating system Is very
complete. The sanitary arrangements have
been made very carefully, dry. odorless closets
being used, The principals office, on the
ground floor, near the main entrance. will be
furnished with 10 Speaking tubes, so that he can
communicate with teachers in any part of the
house at once without leaving his room. The
building will easily accommodate the 800 pupils
teachers.
1t Is expected that the new schoolhouse will
be ready by the 18th of January.