Evening journal., 1900-04-26
BOARD MAKES
EXPLANATION
Statement Issued Regarding
the New High School.
An APPEAL FOR MONEY
Interesting Figures Given by 4. \. Reed
and Brothers Financial Institutions
appealed 10.
An APPEAL FOR MONEY

Members OF the Board Of Education
have practically decided to appeal to
Wilmington iinacial institutions to
rome to their aid and advance money
enough to complete the erection OF the
new High School Building,
They state THAI they had studied the
problem before the building was begun,
and figured out how the work could be
done, and paid for within six years
without increasing the tax rate. The
school was to be paid for with certifi-
Gates OF Indebtedness. which the mem
bers had been assured the banks would
cash.
$4,000 RAISED
BY making the contract for the
school at the time 1t was drawn. the
board saved about $4,000 on present
prices. A. S Reed and Brother Com
pany say that the iron work on the
building which will be put up for $751;
600. would now cost $50, 600.
The lumber would now cost about
10000 instead OF $4,000. the contract
price and the plumbing would cost
nearly $4,000.
STATEMENT OF COMMITTEE.
The following statement. which will
be presented to the board at its next
meeting, was made public yesterday by
the New Building Committee:
The rapid growth OF the public
schools Of this city has been a matter
Of pride and cOngratulation. From a
few buildings, small number Of
teachers presiding over handful OF
children. until the present time. when
twenty-eight buildings. 245 teachers
and ll.005 pupils receiving instruction
is a tremendous step. and almost baf-
iies our ability to realize the immense
strides made in our educational sys-
TEN.
Accommodation for this small army
OF children have kept pace with the de-
mands made upon the Board Of Educa-
tion from year to year.
For some time, however. It has be-
come evident TO those whose duty il is
10 watch over the educational interests
OF the city that the present High School
Building would soon become too small
for the accommodation OF the ever-in-
creasing number Of pupils seeking the
advantages offered by the school
The Board OF Education has dealt very
literally with the city in arranging "A
course in manual training so as To as
sist our young In vocational sense To
NJ them 10 earn a livelihood. and thus
20 benefit our city's magnificent manu-
iacturing interest by supplying intelli-
gent apprentices. The demand for
nigh school graduates has more than
Kept pace with the number graduated
IRON year to year. showing that mo
opinion held in this respect was more
than justified by the result. The rapid
growth of the city the increased inter-
est In education. and the training ana
advantages Afforded by the high school
have greatly increased the school an.
tendance
ihere was another potent factor
which came up for solution in the
shape of the large demand made upon
the primary schools for seats and
which last year compelled the renting
OF private house to accommodate
some or those knocking for admission
ms new school has a large attend
ance and IL is the opinion and iudg-
ment OF your committee that IL still
better accommodations were provided.
the attendance would be still larger
Naturally provision must be made for
these applicants for seats during the
nrst year OF the primary course.
The demand could be met by the con-
struction of new primary school build
ings In various parts Of the city. but
this would only in part solve the prob
lem OF increased school accommoda-
ton. We would not add a single seat
10 the present grammar or high school
accommodations, and would stil leave
us under the necessity OF increasing
the capacity Of some of the grammar
school buildings, and also increasing
the capacity of the present High
school Building, which will be taxed
beyond its seating capacity the coming
term, by additions at a large expense
This method of enlarging the building
would prove, under the most favorable
circumstances. highly unsatisfactory in
every respect 10 would also prevent "A
concentration of pupils in a smaller
number Of buildings, which experience
has shown to give better results educa-
uonally than when pupils are scattered
NNN. NNI--I