The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-03-09
Bond Proposition.

|
new high school, is attracting consid- |
cradle attention among the voters and
taxpayers of the city. Our voice has
always been raised in this town for
better schools and better school ia
cilities.
We have plead with our citizens
and the board for more liberalty in |
providing school rooms and for better
compensation for teachers and a |
higher standard of instruction. We
are still facing the humilating fact
that as high school we have very
poor standing among the educators of
the state, not nearly so good in fact
as the schools in other smaller towns
Of the state.
Strenuous efforts have been made
here for years by the few to bring our
schools up to the ideal standard of a
school system of town Of this size
but in the absence Of we'll defined
system or policy rigidly adhered to
from year to year, and the further fact
that in rapidly growing town like
we are 1T has seemed to tax the capac-
tiles of the tax payers to keep pace
with the growing population in the |
line of adequate school rooms, and on
account of local Drejudices and ward
prejudices we have not done what we
| pln or could hn nj 1icln
On account of the crowded condition
of our school rooms, our classes are
continually crowded out and up be-
fore they are ready, to make room for
the next class, and our pupils have
been rushed forward from grade to
grade before they were ready for the
advanced work, and the results have
been that they reach the high school
with a very imperfect knowledge Of
much of the work they have passed
over, and our high school has become
veritable kindergarten, being oblig-
ed to do the work there that should
have been done in the lower grades,
to the detrlment of the high school
work proper.
In the first place, our school year is
one month short of what it is in the
better graded schools Of the country;
and then we cut the time allowed for
completing the course one year from
what it should be. This year, with
the one month off of each school year,
makes US two years and a half short
on the time required to complete the
course required for entry into the
university. With this shortage, in
time, there is jam and hurrah
from the time Of the pupils entry to
the close of It's school life, in vain
effort to accomplish in the shortened
time what equally bright pupils are
only doing in two and a half years
more time.
The results are our graduates pass
out lily grounded in the elementary
practical branches and are crippled
through life in their efforts to attain
a higher education. The first thing
necessary for good school facilities
is plenty of good, commodious, well
lighted rooms.
They being secured comes the prop
er furnishing, and then the competent,
well qualified and well paid teachers.
We are well aware of the fact that we
are woefully in need of suitable rooms
for the accommodation of our child
rem. They are the first requisites,
The proposition now coming up to
vote 100000 bonds will not meet with
the approval of the people and will be
voted down and we are left just where
we are for another year.
1t will open up at once the PROPOSE
tion of the relocation Of the high
school and engender strife and discord
sufficient to defeat any proposition
that may be made. 1t strikes us that
the better theory for the present is
that advanced and started in on sew
eral years ago to leave the high
school where IL is Tor several years to
come yet, is for the best interests of
all concerned.
Then all that is needed for the pres
ent is the purchase of ground some
where in the Fourth ward where a
good two or four room building can |
be erected for the accommodation of |
the lower grades and the completion |
of the building in the Second ward.
This would give us room enough |
for the present and probably for sew
eral years to come. Then reoganize
your schools, give at least another
year to the work, pay your teachers
living wages and see to it that only
the most competent are employed and
let the board see that they do thor
Oughly the work required.