Evening journal., 1900-04-26


which would result both in giving re-
lief TO the pressure exerted by appli- |
cants demanding admission into the
primary schools and in providing a fit
ting home for our rapidly growing
hign school.
The latter course commended itself
TO the various members of the Board OF
Education as the wisest ana most busi-
nesslike, as well as being to the best
interest OF the city. Accordingly. mem
berso the New Building Committee and
others, including our late worthy pre-
siding officer, Mr.. Baird, visited Scran-
ton, Pa, and at a later date Brooklyn.
n. T.. for the purpose OF inspecting the
handsome high school buildings In those
cities.
The building in Scranton commend
ed itself most fayorahly 10 the visitors
as model building. suitable IN all re-
srects for the purpose-a building mod
ern in its appointments, commudious.
well ventilated, and archltecturally "a
credit TO any progressive city In the
land.
From the data thus secured plans
were Invited to be submitted by archi-
tects in this and In other cities. and
the Board of Education. after full and
free discussion, adopted one of these
plans which, however, was consider
ably changed in order to reduce the
cost Of the building.
The bid of A. S. Reed and Brother
Company was accepted at q total cost
OF Sl45 900, and that of II. A. Miller for
heating, lighting and yentilating, az a
cost OF S42,737.
The Board Of Education had about
100000 In sight to apply on the con-
tract and by somewhat anticipating the
annual appropriations could in six
years pay on the total Indebtedness
course most economical in character.
The same method was pursued in the
case OF school No "a, and in other new
buildings. The building was begun un-
der contract and about 100000 has
Deen expended in its construction thus
far
Now some suggestion is made that
the work upon this very much-neededI
structure should, at this late day be-
entirely stopped. and remain stopped
until application can be made to the
Legislature for permission to issue
bonds a year hence. This is a brief
statement Of the needs, inception and
lhe present satus Of the new High
School building.
lt is the unanimous opinion OF your
committee that TO stop the operations
now going on would be most unwiseI
for number Of weighty reasons. In
the trst place it would be highly det-
iimental to the building II would be
injured many thousand dollars. There
is at present an example of the penny
wise and pound-foolish" policy in the
building OF the Boys High School inI
Philadelphia. begun some years ago and
ielt IN an unfinished condition. The
injury T. .he building is placed all
mere than 100000. We are confident
that the members of the Board of
Education and the good people of Will
mington would not sanction courseI
iraught with so much harm.
Again the Board of Education was
most fortunate in securing bids at the
tlme It did. for since then the price oil
lumber and all kinds of building ma
terlal mas greatly advanced, and the
school could not be completed now at
cost of 100000 more to-day.
10y stopping the work now the con-
tractors would have ground to sue for
damages for breach Of contract. and
What Is more to the point the building
could not be used for school purposes
ana the schools would be hampered in
ther work -
1t will not need much examination to-
show that a building for the High
ochooi Is a matter of imperative need
ihere VIII be twenty-four rooms I'M
the new building planned and arranged
LOT school rooms, but at present two
OF tRese rooms must be used as reci-
tation rooms for the classes of the as
sistant principal and the instructor in
English ~
There will enter the new building
when ready for occupancy over SEQ
pupils occupying from twelve to thir-
teen rooms, to which can be added the
pupils OF the fifth and sixth grammar
grades which perhaps should be placed
IN the new building on account of the
Deneht derived in various ways. espe-
clalig IRON association with advanced
pupils developing emulation in them.
In this way also these grades could
receive instruction in manual training.
Whlch IN the opinion of a number OF
members OF this body, and also that of
large number Of our citizens would
prove highly advantageous to the pu-
piis oil these grades and consequently
10 our city.
The concentration of pupils in fewer
buildings has always been followed bv
greater intellectual activity. This
would add about $50 pupils to The
school II this policy would commend
ltsei TO the Board of Education as
wise, and would give an attendance Of
about 300 pupils at the time of opening
IN September next, and would not
leave many rooms unoccupied for the
future growth Of the school.
The building is so planned and con-
structed as to make IL possible TO ac-
commodate many additional pupils
when future demands become impera-
tive.
The following disposition of the pu-
pills would be made: There will be sent
to the present High School about asa
pupils from school No. 4. which would
leave about so vacancies. since there
are 5O4 seats In the building.