Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-27

people OF wilmington nave known Tor
many years as the Howard School, the
highest public educational institution
for colored children in the city, and
people who have not been in tho vicin-
ity of Twelfth and Orange streets dur
ing the last five months will DO sur
prised the next time they pass that
way. The new structure can we'll
be chased with the High School,
Washington School, Wollaston School.
In fact the best appointed school
buildings in the great cities Al
though the Howard School has
for years been the colored high
school, the exterior of the building
would hardly have indicated that such
was the case. 1t was of the old regu-
latlon plan upon which Schools Nos.
8, 10, IL and others of similar type was
built. At tho time of lite erection it
was plenty large enough, but within
a the past few years the standard has
& been raised and manual training de-
4 partment added, and some time ago it
was apparent TO the members of the
Board of Education that there must be
relief in some direction, and il was the
opinion OF majority of the members
of the board that the proper thing to
do was to make an addition to the
Howard School sufficiently large for
the parpose.
AS result of this decision the board
has brand new building; that is, SO
far ~ can be detected either on the
outside or the inside. While the old
structure was not torn down, the only
portion of it used was the walls, and
they have been covered up to such an
extent that no eye can tell where the
old one stops and the new one starts.
Tho now editice is three stories high
and covers an area 64x122 feet, the
centre of the building, however, being
only 40 feet in width. 1t is built OF
brick, and the exterior is plastered with
Brandywine granite and Portland ce-
ment, giving it granite color and APP
pearance. The cornices and exterior
trimmings arc of galvanized iron.
The building contains II school
rooms, tho average area Of each being
20xa0 feet; room for tho principal
and another for the other teachers,
besides an assembly room 40x56 feet.
In addition to these rooms there ia
basement, in which are the boiler
rooms, Il manual training department
and kindergarten, for all Of which
ample provision has been made.
The ceiling in the basement is n inc
feet high, those in the first and second
stories each IL feet, and in the third
story ID feet. The peak of the roof is
So feet above tho sidewalk, while the
roof proper is Al feet high.
The foundations are just what they
should be in such large buildings.
The old ones have been materially
strengthened, while the new ones are
equally strong and well constructed.
The front of the school is flush with
the building line, all of the entrances
being on the sides. There are four
entrances, two on each side, two at the
front and two at the rear, and all face
toward Orange street, upon which the
yard gates open. Each of the entrances
is located in wing of the building,
which runs its entiro height, and in
each one is spacious winding stair
way running to the top floor.
The basement can also be reached
from each one of the entrances, ard in
addition there are doors leading to the
yard from the basement, which will
allow persons to pass to and from that
portion Of the building without going
through any part of the first floor.
Each one OF the II school rooms is
provided with an independent coat and
cloak room, which is decided adj
vantage over the former arrangement
There are also six, sets OF toilet rooms
built after the latest approved sani-
tary plans, and all are within the
building.
The largo assembly room, which is
on the top floor, has an elevated stage
at tho western end. 1t is nine feet
wide and "a feet long and is so ar
pan haip., in, Itna vie
ON each side, that in the event of per-
formances being given thereon a cur
tain may be stretched the entire width
of the room, and the rooms adjoining
may be used for dressing purposes en-
trance thereto being gained by front
side doors which would no invisible.
This room contains eight large win
duws, which admit ample light in day
time In the rear of the assembly room
spacious hallway extends from one
stairway TO tho other. There are also
four school rooms on the third floor.
Each room in the building is well
lighted, those in tho basement being
no exception in this respect, and this
condition, in connection with the ex.
cellent sanitary arrangements, is con-
ducive to good health, and in this re-
spect there ID no other school in the
city which is better equipped than tho
Howard School. There are four open
tireplaces for ventilation in the assem-
bly, room and one in each of the other
rooms.
The entire building will DO heated
by steam furnished by two Hilles IL
Jones boilers Of the tpye used in other
large structures owned by the Board of
Education. The boilers have been
placed in the cellar and three or more
radiators will be located in each ono of
the rooms, SO that the proper tenpera-
ture may be maintained in the coolest
weather. Gas pipes have been run
through the entire building for the
purpose Of giving artificial light when
any OF the rooms are occupied at night.
The interior of the rooms has cheer
ful and attractive appearance. The
walls and ceiling are of stipped Ada
niant plaster in colors, terra Gotta and
buff predominating The rooms are all
we'll tlighted, none having less than
inur large windows. A wainscoting
three feet high is around the wall in
each room and an additional foot has
9oen added in the Railways. Black
boards have also been placed around the
walls IN the several rooms. In the
basement a wash room, with long
trough and hydrant, has been provided
Tor the boys in the manual training
department. In fact, the details have
feG Irl special attention throughout.
aINEa IL