Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-21
THE HIGH SCHOOL
Plan Suggested for Meeting Its Most Ur-
gen. Needs.

The present city government has the
matter of High school building To
wrestle with again this year. but it is
I believed that a solution of the prob
lem has been found. This as outlined
| rs Mir. Purinton. chairman Of the
St hool board is practically as follows:
! III the first place ii is not believed that
/ the city will be able to afford an ap-
/ preparation Of $4,000 or $780, 900 tor q
new High school building for several
years. In few years now some Of
the property that has been exempted
from taxation will come in for taxation
/ ana the income Of the city viii be in
creased by several thousand dollars
per year. Those in favor Of the present
! plan believe that the city will then be
! bitter be able To build a new building
for the school than it is now. Mayor
| BlaiSdell is very anxious u reduce the
I city debt this year. without material
~ increasing the tax rate. He believes
| this is the work his administration
| should do and he has been figuring
every possible way. of accomplishing
| this.
! Meanwhile something must be done
| for the High school. The present quar-
ters are absolutely inadequate for the
| growing needs of the school. The lower
grades are comfortably situated and
can get along very we'll for several
years with only incidental repairs.
! Their rooms are not crowded as are
those of the High school and they are
more comfortable in every way. The
! High school rooms at present are in
3 had shane hui h.. hnilli &c
all right. The walls are firm and as
good as can be built today and the
plumbing is excellent. 1t is altogether
too good to throw away. in the opin-
ion of those favoring this new plan.
a good many want the new building
when the city gets to it, constructed
on the lot now occupied by the old one.
as il is an excellent location. Others.
however, say that the lot is too small
for the building that the city will
eventually come to build. To this party
the Gilman field is the better location.
They say that the business section of
the city is moving north and that the
center will soon be in the vicinity of
this land There is enough in the field
for all the needs of the new building.
Now. then. the position taken by the
supporters Ol the new pan Is dbpul
this: They say that the High school
building is altogether too good to
throw away although in its present
condition it is not fit for the school.
They believe that it can be put in
proper condition at moderate outlay
The interior arrangement can be
changed. additional windows put in
so that there will be an abundance of
light. an addition built on. gi.'ing
more room. the present rooms be given
steel ceilings and other modern i'm
provements. the present heating eyS-
TEN taken out and q modern one put
in. and in short the whole building
renovated.
Those favoring this plan claim that
this can be done with a moderate out
lay and that it will put the building
in proper shape for the needs of the
school for 10 years. BY that time it is
thought that the city will he much bet
ter able to build a fire new building
for the High school and that the old
building can then be turned over to
the lower grades and still be used to
advantage by the city. BY this plan.
they say, that the city will not be too
heavily burdencd at present and hat
the money put into the old building
viii not be wasted. When the lower
grades are transferred to it the wood
en- buildings vacated can be sold as
they are in good locations and can be
used to better advantage than the
brick High school building could if il
should be abandoned.
One thing is admitted by all, and
that is that something must be done
for the High school at once. The build
ing cannot be heated by the present
syste m, and there is no adequate means
of ventilation. The school has had to
be dismissed time and time again dur
ing the present year on account of the
cold. 1t is not properly lighted. and on
the whole is unfit for school purposes
unless materially changed. In view of
the fact that the city will probably
not be able to economically build a
new building for several years, a good
many are in favor of the plan of re-
pans such as has been outlined. There
Is Il general objection to any more
patchwork on the building. Those
1aVoring the new plan do not want
any more of this. but they wan: the
building thoroughly overhauled and