The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-24
A HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
THE NEED OF sAvANNAHs PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SCHOOL SNSTEMs
DR.. j. b. Read, vice President of the
Board of Education, Thinks 1t Is
Time This Need Was supplied-He
Believes savannah should Have N
First-CIass Modern High school
BuiIdfng-supt. AshmOre Endorses
the Idea-Chatham Academy Over
Crowded and More Room Needed
There.
The next question of Importance to come
before the board of education will be the
erection OF a new high school building.
Since the tuition fees were abolished the
attendance upon the high school has
shown a large increase at the beginning
of each school year until now the school
is crowding the two grammar schools in
the same building, and there is not suffi-
Client accommodation for all the children
who should attend school there. Already
a number have been turned away by the
superintendent because there was no room
for them. with the same proportion of
increase next year and the usual ratio of
Increase in the attendance upon the
grammar schools the problem for the
board of education to solve will become
very serious one.
DR.. j. 3 Read, vice president Of the
board of education, has decided that the
time to begin discussion OF this matter is
before the problem becomes serious and
while the accommodations for children In
the schools in the northern section of the
II fn1x
THE great need of Savannah's public
school system just now" said DR.. Read
TO a Morning News reporter last night 'is
a modern high school building, centrally
located and equipped with all the modern
appliances. Since the tuition fees were
abolished the attendance upon
the high school has increased
RAPIDLY. There are now go
scholars there. and the prospect is that
next year there viii be nearer 500. We
should have had a high school building
before, but now 1t has become necessi-
ty. Every bit Of room in the Chatham
Academy is needed to give accommoda-
tons to the two grammar schools. There
are LOO or more children in the academy
now, and the building is overcrowded.
With the high school located elsewhere,
the entire building could be used for the
accommodation Of the increasing school
population IN the northern sectioh VI the
city,
DR.. Read was asked If he thought the
new night school building should be To-
Gated on the academy lot
mo" he replied. That is too far down
town 1t should be more centrally located |
somewhere south of CASTOR street, prob
ably The building should 'be an orna-
behind other cities in this respect |
There are few cities Of the
size of Savannah, which have not at least
one public high school building. In erect |
ing such a building it should be taken |
into consideration that Savannah is |
growing city and the building should be |
one which would answer the purposes for |
which it was intended for years to come
1t should cost not less than 100000"
How would the cost of such a building |
be provided for?" DR.. Read was asked.
1.-THE county could levy a special tax
for the purpose as was done when the
court house was erected or It might issue
bonds. The bonded Indebtedness of the
county is only 100000 and it could easily
float a 5-per cent. bond at premium. This
would make the new building cost the |
county less than 5000 year.
DR.. Read will bring the matter before |
the board of education at its next meeting. |
Supt. Ashmore was also seen and ne |
heartily approved the proposition.
THAT a high school building is needed |
Is undoubtedly true" he said. '"The re-
moval OF the high school to other quar- |
tiers would greatly relieve Chatham Acad- |
envy. Although the lines Of the school |
districts were moved northward this year, |
the attendance at the academy is larger |
than ever before and the building is TN |
able to accommodated the children who |
have applied. A number have been turned |
away, chiefly small children, who are un- |
able to go long distances to school. Had |
they been large children they would have |
been sent to the schools further south. If |
had room l could form two new |
grades at the academy now In one room |
there are sixty-two children, which is en- |
ttrely too many, but the class cannot be |
divided for want of room. 1t is evident |
that we must have more school accommo- |
dations in the northern section of the city |
Our increase in school population is re- |
markable. / should be delighted to see a |
modern high school building. 1t is needed" |
Atlanta has recently completed and Is |
now occupying a very handsome building
for the boys high school, The girls high |
school has had a separate building for
some time. If Atlanta can afford two
modern high school buildings, with sepa-
rate high schools for the boys and girls, it
seems that Savannah might afford one
building for both.