The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-26
ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS.
The Board Preparing to Erect Addi-
tiOnaI Buildings to AccOmmO=
date the Rapidly Increas-
ing Attendance.
A GRAND OPPORTUNITY IN SIGHT
For Making the lola High School Practically
County School to the great adVan-
tage of all Concerned.

The necessity for additional build
ings for the accommodation of the
rapidly increasing number of child
rem seeking admission to the city
schools has become so apparent and
pressing that the school board has
this week bought tract of land $50
by 265 feet, lying just west of A. w.
Beck's residence in the east part of
town, the price paid being $500. The
board is also considering PROPOSE
ton to buy number OF. lots on north
Washington avenue, across the street
from J. Buffers residence.
Of course the board has no funds at
hand to begin the erection of build
ings on these lots, and cannot have
until they are provided by the issue
of bonds or otherwise under direction
of the annual meeting. At least one
additional building ought to be erect
ed this summer, however, in time for
use when the fall term begins, as
there are fully a hundred more pupils
in attendance now than the present
building can properly accommodate,
and this number will doubtless be
largely increased by next September.
In addition to the erection of new
building some additions to and alter
ations in the old have been suggested
70 Ia OriT
School room, and the REGISTER hopes
that these suggestions will be given
the most careful consideration. 1t
was made apparent by the election
held two years ago, that county
high school cannot be established in
Allen county by vote of the people,
to be supported by county tax. 1t
is our conviction, however, if the pro-
per action is taken and taken now,
that the lola High School can be
made TO all intents and purposes a
County high school. What we mean
is that if we will enlarge the room
and perhaps reduce somewhat the
tuition we can secure a large attend
ance of students from all parts of the
county who will come here to prepare
themselves for the University or to
supplement- their course in the dis
trict schools. Even this year, when
we have made no effort whatever to
induce them to come, the enrolment
from outside of this district has reach
ed "a. By making room for them,
expanding the course of study some
what, perhaps, in the direction of
normal work, and urging them to
come, we believe that the attendance
of outside students at the lola High
School can be brought up to num-
Der quite as large as the enrolment
at many of the sO-called colleges" of
Kansas. Suppose we could secure
the attendance here of a hundred stu
dents from outside the district, would
not the direct commercial benefit to
the town be considerable? A great
many towns in Kansas have given
thousands of dollars in the way of
bonuses to colleges" and "academ-
iesu of various sorts which never
reached an enrolment OF 100. But
aside from the advantage to the town,
it is worth while to consider the ines
Unable benefit that might be con-
ferred upon hundreds of young men
and women in the surrounding cOun-
try who would be given the Oppor-
tunity to prepare themselves for col
lege at a minimum of expense or to
add four years of splendid training to
their district school course.
So it seems to us there is splendid
opportunity for this town to make its
high school an institution of much
more than local standing and influ-
ence. 1t already has a reputation
second to that of no other school of
like character in the state. Up at
the State University last term out of