The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-14


building becomes more and more earn
est each day. Now that the matter
has been brought into the business of
the board Of education, and that body
apparently means to do something,
now that the city council has endorsed
the movement, it appears that many
of the citizens of the city are also
interested in the project, and are Will
ing to help the erection of the struc-
ture along by their influence, and in
other ways.
That a high school building is need
ed, no one will deny. The structure
occupied by the school at this time
never was intended for any such pur-
pose. 1t was built for a, mercantile
house, and as such the sanitary pre-
cautions needed for a building which
is occupied by several hundred pupils,
were not taken. The ventilation is
defective, although steps to make i'm
provement in this direction have been
taken from time to time. But with all
this it is absolutely impossible to Sc
cure the proper conditions.
The membership of the school at this
time varies from 4S5 to 500. Although
the store building is large one, there
is not room for the healthy accom-
mediation of all these; indeed, it is
doubtful if half the number could be
safely handled in an edifce of the
character mentioned. 1t may be ar
gued that the board of education has
secured additional rooms in the neigh
borhood. but this falls TO the ground
in the light of statement by one Of
the young men attending the school,
who says: I'VE study for awhile in
one place and then go down the street
to reCite.'' Glasses are disorganized
and placed at a disadvantage, although
those in charge do the best they can,
and cause matters to run as smoothly
as possible.
Those in charge of the high school
complain that the rooms are not large
enough for the proper application of
the various studies to say nothing of
the unsanitary condition of matters
Glasses are hampered in their work
by reason of the fact that the appli-
ances are limited.
There are several studies in the cur
riculum which have to be demonstra-
ted by illustration and the accommo-
dations now are so meager that thor
ougn explanation is unnecessary. Then
this shifting of pupils is such that it
interfereS with the work of the young
people to a great extent.
In other western cities the high
school buildings are large and COM
modious. Denver has a magnificent
structure capable of accommodating
three times the number of pupils which
this city has, in one portion of the city
and similar structure in another.
Omaha. has high school building as
large as the joint city and county
building, although not constructed on
so costly a plan, yet substantial edi-
flee withal. In fact, every city in the
west, with very few exceptions, have
good high schools, and there seems to
afford an advanced education, under
favorable conditions, to those whose
term of education ends and with whom
Mfe's battle begins, when their certifi-
cate Of graduation is handed them.
There is one matter in connection
with the sanitary conditions in the
present building which deserves men 1
tion and that is the sewerage, which,
while fair, is still in a state of i'm
gerous, when the fact that hundreds
of pupils gather in the rooms every
day is considered.
What the city needs in the judgment
of AN who know anything of the prevail
ing conditions, is a high school build |
ing erected on modern plans, with
modern improvements of a substantial
character; building with room for
the young ladies and gentlemen in |
which to study and recite. When cold
weather comes, the danger to health |
of sending a pupil from one house to /
another can be imagined. Young folks
will not take the precautions in merely
passing from one place to another they /
would in leaving for their homes, but |
are likely to get careless and conse-
quences are likely to be fatal in
great many instances.
The committee on sites and build
ings of the board of education |
have the matter in hand and win pre-
sent to the body at the next regular
meeting a report on the probable cost
of the site and structure. It is under
stood that an edif1ce capable of ac-
commodating at least thousand will |
be the one decided upon as the school |
population is increasing so rapidly at
this time that to build a smaller one |
would be folly. in many respects.