The Portland daily press., 1893-02-28

was the inauguration of new training
school system, which is nearing the close
OF its first years trial with every promise
OF gratifying success"
1.-The school building on Spring street
was leased to the Portland Fraternity as
tenants at WILL in consideration of the
free rse of rooms for the Portland School
for che Deaf with service of janitor. Pre-
v.ously the city paid 1915 rental for the
Deaf School,
An innovation of much importance
took shape the latter part of the year.
We refer to the evening school that has
been in session the past winter, which
had its conception in the mind of Presi-
dent MCGOWAN, of the Common Council.
He received the hearty cooperation of
both branc hes of the city council, and
the endorsement of this committee was
readily given, the proposed adjunct to
the public school system being regarded
move in the right direction. An appro-
priation of few hundred dollars was
sufficient to put the school in good work
ing order in quarters provided IN the
basement of the City Building. 1t was
success from the start, and the results
thus far more than realize expectations.
''It was soon aseertained that quite
number of young women were DESTROYS
of attending, and small additional APP
preparation enabled the committee to
crafty them. Quarters were furnished
in the Casco street school building and
one teacher assigned but the attendance
grew to such proportions that it was
soon found advisable to employ an extra
teacher. A recent report by Principal
Turner gave a good idea of what has
been accomplished by the evening
school, the success of which is due in
large measure to his intelligent and in
terested supervision.
lover fifty pupils have been registered
in the school for young women, but the
average attendance has been much less
than that number. The two teachers
here and the four in the school for males
have displayed lively interest and have
done excellent work. The gratifying
success of the evening school should not
only place it's continuance beyond doubt,
but ensure financial help sufficient to in
crease the length of its term and enhance
its usefulness in other ways
After speaking of the West school and
repairs of other school buildings, the re-
port speaks as follows about the High
school:
"Again, and we hope it will be the last
time there will be cause for so doing, we
direct your attention to the lack of prop
er quarters for High school pupils. Now
that the citizens are displaying an active
concern, and the health board has shown
the building now occupied is unfit to
such an extent that the lives of the oc-
cupants are endangered by the lack of
proper sanitary arrangements, ibis com
mittee feel that the radical steps neces-
sary to bring about the desired improve
ment will be taken the coming year. In
it's last annual report this, committee
treated the subject as follows:
1.-THE present High School building is
far behind what the times demand for
school of that grade. Built at a time
when ideas of heating, ventilation and
conveniences were crude and unformu-
lated, it ste.nds at the present time with
out any other reason for being than that
it exists. just what we should have for
the school, is a matter which requires
careful consideration 1t is certain that
better hygienic surroundings and better
classroom and laboratory facilities are
almost absolutelyess The question
will naturally arise as to whether it will
be practical and economical to remodel
the present building. 1t seems that any
attempt to so modify the existing struc-
ture as to make it conform with the
modern ideas of school construction, will
involve necessarily the outlay of
large sum of money. Such being the
case, we earnestly direct the attention of
our citizens to the consideration of the
ACCESSIBILITY of an entirely new building
on the site of the present structure
'We find there is much opposition to
the proposition to demolish the existing
structure, citizens claiming it would be
a shame to tear down such an imposing
building, and also poor economy when
the remodelling of the interior can be ac-
complished at a much less cost and
would obliterate all the present objec-
tionable features and provide commodi-
Gus and convenient quarters. Whatever
plan of Improvement is adopted it should
be radical. and as the next city govern
ment will find the school property as
whole in good repair, and as there is no
probability of other calls for extraordin-
airy special school appropriations. there
seems no good reason for longer delaying
the proper solution of this matter that
our city may have High school build
ing that will at least not be a discredit to
it.
Another year of Superintendent
Lords direction of the work in the
schools has been marked by steady inn
provement, the result of new methods
adopted after careful consideration on
his part and observation of work in cities
having schools conducted &C ording to
the most advanced ideas. While his own
views are abreast of the times, Superin-
tendent Lord is q close observer of others
engaged in the same work. and displays
good Judgment in adopting methods
which experience has proven superior.
He permits no outside affairs to detract
his mind from a lively interest in our
schools. which results show are very
fortunate in having such an able super
intendent.'
The report concludes: ''In January,
1892, the committee voted to introduce
physical culture into the schools, and
employed DR.. F. N. Whittier of Bowdoin
College to instruct the teachers in the
subject. His work was entirely salts
factory. He brought to it a knowledge
and zeal that could not fail to inspire the
teachers with enthusiasm. For year
we have had gymnastic exercises in our
schools twice each day. The good effect
is already apparent in the more erect
l.