The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-22
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DRENNEN FATORS
- -
new HIGH SCHOOL
He VIII Back Supt. Phillips Re-
commentator.
BUILDING TO COST 100000
Report Includes Plan for Three Primary
Schools for Pupils Between Ages
of Seven and Twelve, Which
Are Badly Needed

Mayor Drennen is heartily in favor of
the new high school building recommended
by Superintendent Phillips and if the chief
executives efforts avail anything it will
not be long before a site is purchased and
work begun.
AT the next meeting of the city council
the report will be referred to a special COM
mittee, or probably a special one appointed
for the purpose. In any event the matter
will be considered at once.
ut will be money to the city," said Mayor
Drennen ito erect building costing 100000
We should build for the future as well as
for the present. With a larger building
nere would, l believe, in three years be an
attendance on the high school of probably
one thousand young men and women. In
that event the income from tuition would
pay the interest on the bonds issued for
the construction of the building as we'll as
the salaries of the teachers. The city now
rents a building totally inadequate to its
needs"
The following extract from Superinten-
dent Phillips report recommending the
new building will prove of interest:
supt Phillips Report
Zone item suggested under the estimate
for equipment may possibly be regarded by
some as extravagant. l suggest that a site
shall be purchased for the high school to
cost not less than $4,000, and that a high
school building be erected to cost not less
than 100000. A little reflection will remove
the impression that this suggestion is ex-
travagant and unreasonable.
1.-The city needs and must have a suitable
HIGH school hniIdipG n old
building, as poorly adapted for the purpose
as any one could imagine, and has already
paid in rents more than the property was
offered for, even in boom days. Last year
there were housed in this building about
$50 of the citys brightest young men and
women. With a suitable building the at
tendance at the high school today would
be 500 or 600 students Besides, the building
is too small to accommodate properly even
the number in attendance last year.
at must be remembered that while the
elementary schools are planted in different
sections of the city, and are multiplied in
number according to the demands of the
population, we have, and expect to have,
but one high school for the entire city. The
people of the entire city, therefore, are in
terested in having first-class high school,
-, 1T is admitted that 1t Is only question
of short time when the city limits will be
extended so as to include many of our SUBJ
urban towns. In that event there will still
be but one high school for the entire city,
and the pupils of the suburban towns, after
completing the primary course in their To-
cal schools will seek admission to the GEN.
trail high school.
with these facts before us, 1t seems to
me that the erection of a cheap high school |
building will be extravagantly wasteful. |
/ recommended that building be erected |
in a central location, to accommodate not |
less than 1000 students, such building |
without the equipment should cost at least |
100000 1t should also be constructed in |
such a manner that additions could be |
made to 1t from time to time, according to
the needs of the city, without change in the
general plan or style of architecture"
The Primary Schools
In regard to the building of the three
new primary school buildings, Superin-
tendent Phillips has this to say:
1.-THE three primary schools suggested
should be located as follows: One for
louisville and North highlands; one in the
vicinity of the Rolling mill and Eleventh
avenue, south; one in the Lakeview dis
trict, near Thirtieth street. In establish
ing these schools, I recommend the erec-
ton of four or five room buildings, for the
accommodation of the four primary
grades, or children from seven to twelve
years of age. Children between these ages
residing in the localities above mentioned
cannot, without Inconvenience and even
danger, attend the schools as now located.
The older pupils of these DISTRICTS requir-
ing instruction in the higher grades. will
continue to attend the present schools. I
would suggest that the lots secured as
sites for these schools shall be large
enough to permit any addition to the
buildings that the future may require, and
at the same time afford the children
abundant playground without compelling
them to occupy the thoroughfares of tho
city"
The building of the primary schools will
be taken up along with the consideration
of the more important matter.