Evening star., 1898-08-09
NEW WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL
A Building of Strictly Modern Appointments
Th-oughou
Affords Superior Facilities in All
Branches of Study-Fine LOca-
tiOns--Splendid Views.

ing q DullQing remarkable EOt Only among
our city school edifces, but also among the
school buildings of the country. In the first
place its location is an IDEAL place for study
Built on the ground of the cid Earle estate.
formerly known as The Cal:,rs,'', it stands
well back from the street, in the midst of
fine old trees To the south and north
stretch open fields, a snort distance to the
west is belt of woods, and 10 the east the
eye is pleased by the prospect of quiet old
Georgetown homes The streets of the
vicinity are of asphalt. This merit may not
be appreciated unless one has strained his
voice. as teacher or pupil in one of the
other high schools trying TO drown the din
of market wagons Iattlinss over Belgian
blocks, the changing of gongs on electric
cars and the deafenl1g cries of the children
of the graded schools the same block
whose chief delight nt recess seems to be
praeticing Indian warwhoops under The
high school windows.
Imposing Exterior.
The building, which stands on a slight
elevation, prese nts an imposing exterior K
is built of light buff brick in the colonial
style, two of its striKiu:, features being the
tall Ionic columns used in the entrance por-
tcos and second-story balcony and the lal
ustrade surmounti3g the wnOle structure.
There arc two main en-r1nces, reached b.
to the walks, a se,ni-circniar driveway
leads up from the street to the doors.
Entering through : side to3r the we'll
lighted, high-ceiled base euent, one finds be-
sides the toilet rooms Il large drill hall of
convenient proportions, the engine room,
battery and acid storage rooms, lunch and
bicycle rooms. Th- greatest IpnovarIon of
the basement, and, n fact q novelty III
Washington schools, is the large lunch
room in which tempting hot lunches are to
be served. This is fitted up with Il steam
table, lunch counter, sinks, cupDDards,
chairs and small tables. 1t is really
CesSfty because of the absence of any mar
ket, stores or penny shops in the vicinity.
BY substituting. at moderate price, nour-
lShing soups sandwiches end cocoa for the
popular schoolgirl diet of candy. pickles,
pie and cake. it is hoped that wholesome
eating habits will be formed. in themselves
no small part of a liberal education. To he
sure, such an attempt resulted in q pie
strike in a New Hampshire town, but it
has been adopted in other cities, notably
Boston, with gratifying results 1t may be
tl.at the ladies of the Washington Branch
of the Collegiate Alun.nae Association VIII
Undertake the conduct of this important in
stitution of the new school, but whether
they do or not, the iuncn room is a sure
thing.
The main feature of the first floor Is the
commodiOus and hands Dmely furnished as
sembly hail. 1t is u Vast Improvements in
plan over all the Hld b-.ifdia!,s. where this
hall is on the top -iOor. The patrons of the
Western, when invited to an entertainment.
will not have to pan. bre3Itaiess up two or
three flights of stats. nor Will the pupils
have to drag themselves and their books to
the top of the building for opening eXer-
CISeS.
Tints in Harmony.
Perhaps the colors of tie Western High
School have something to d1 with the dec
grafton. for the walls are tinted a pale
green, the opera chairs are of deeper
shade and the stage curtain is to be of
green velour. TIE stage is unusually large
and so arranged as to furnish ar interior
room. should theatricals demand it. 1t is
provided with footlights and an adjuste BILE
gas lamp for the reading table
The dressing rooms have the unique ad
vantage of opening directly off the en-
trance portico, so that lecturers, singers
ard actors will not need TO pass through
the audience room 10 reach the stage. The
rest of the first floor is taken up with the
library, the offices of the principal ard
clerk and class rooms of various sizes. The
difference in the size of class rooms is an
interesting feature, inasmuch the class
rooms of the other schools are nearly uni
form so that college Greek class of three
nay be lost IN a class room one hour
where, during the next, an English class of
thirty-five is crowded. There are class
rooms suited to every need in the Western.
One ought not TO pass over the prInci-
pals office which certainly equals any
business office of Wall street in it's con-
veniences. From it the time the dials
in the rooms all over the building is regu-
lated. 1t has also telephone connection
with every part of the building. y neatly
carved pedestal of oak stands within easy
reach of the principal as she sits in her
chair. This pedestal is hollow and through
it's interior wires run, connecting the disc
at the top with the various parts of the
building. By simply turning small lever
ard pressing it upon the proper button on
the face OF the disc the principal puts
herself in communication with the Jani;or.
engineer, or any one of her teachers whom
she may desire to summon. a frame is ar
ranged beside the entrance to the office for
the names of the teachers and sliding
plates reading In and out" Each
teacher marks his own entrance and exit,
ard there is, therefore, always an accur-
ate record of teachers present in the build
ing at any given time
The Second Floor.
On the second floor are other class rooms,
the rooms of the drawing department, re-
tiring rooms for teachers, and large study
hall 1t ought to be an inspiration to study
to be in the aforementioned room, for from
its windows may be seen a beautiful pan
cFama of Washington, the domes of the
Capitol and library, the cleaning shaft of
me monument, Hrting themselves sky
ard. The drawing room is tinted a deli
cate green and shaded with dark green cur
tains- The spaces between the windows
are 10 De hung WIN green velour as a Dack-
ground for statuettes of the Apollo Belve-
dere. Nerus de Milo Flying Mercury,
Winged Victory, and others, while spaces
are also left for hanging reproductions of
famous pictures.
The art effect is not limited to the art de-
partment, however. 1t permeates the whole
bUildnS-evsn, strange 10 say, the labora-
tories, which occupy the greater part of the
third story. The biological laboratories at
the north end are almost crowded with
handsome oak cases for the collection Of
specimens. Among the onveniences of the
laboratories are the writing boards of dark
blue glass, hung like window sashes SO
that when the lower frame is full it can be
pushed up where all the class can see it
easily. while the upper frame is pulled
down for fresh inscriptions.
The chemical laboratory is said to be un-
equaled by any other in the country Here
apart from the utitarian point of view,
one is again pleased by artistic effects,
something hitherto thought unnecessary in
a laboratory. The metal standards which
support the gas, steam and water pipes run
ring along the laboratory tables are decid-
e6ly ornamental. as is also the upper
framework of the hoods. There is a nota-.
bic Improvement over the averags labora-
tory in the provision of a separate room for
the generation of sulphuretted hydrogen.
Western pupils in the future are not des-