The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19
The PENALTY OF GROWTH
REPUTATION OF INDIANAPOLIS
CALLS FOR MORE SCHOOLS.
Surprising Increase of School Chill
dren i'm North Indianapolis, the
south Side and North Side.

"It is one of the penalties OF growing
cities" said Superintendent Kendall TO a
Journal reporter, that there must be a
continual expenditure Of public money for
school accommodations If the children are
to be educated. 1 do not think that many
residents of Indianapolis realize the ex-
pansion of the city in recent years. II
they had TO make provision for the hous-
ing of 600 additional children in the ele-
mentary grades by renting inferior quar-
tiers in the newer parts Of the city they
would be impressed with its growth An
increase Of 900 each year Of the school pop
ulation means fifteen rooms with forty
pupils in a room.
I'm this as in other growing cities the
provision for school communications does
not keep pace with the growth Of school
population Large expenditures are now
being made in New York, Chicago and
smaller cities for schoolhouses. During
the next few years from twelve to sixteen
new houses will be needed annually. In
North Indianapolis school No. Al has up
ward of 200 pupils. These pupils are now
taught in five separate buildings, only one
of which, an eight-room house, is well
T. ~ SAO IA POSCS. "A
room schoolhouse is needed in North In
dianapolis as soon as 1T can be constructed.
THE Lincoln School on the South Side,
on Palmer street, is a new building Of eight
rooms. 1t was opened in the fall of 1901
with one vacant room. Since that time
so rapid has been the growth of the city
in that direction that not only has the
vacant room been occupied, but a corridor
has been partitioned of to make two addi-
tional rooms. And yet we need another
room for the Lincoln School to-day. AS
showing the growth of the city In that d.
%rection, il was thought two years ago that
a Iour-room building would be ample. Now
we need a twelye-room house and in the
near future a sixteen-room house will be
needed to accommodate the children In that
part OF the city.
''The rapid growth of Haughville the
past two years makes a six or eight-room
addition to the present building a neces-
sity. We are now using one rented room
and two portable schoolroOms. Since the
annexation of Tuxedo the growth of popu-
lation has been so rapid that a six or
eight-room house is needed. We are now
using one rented room and must rent an
other. The growth of the city in the direc-
ton of the Insane Hospital the past two
years makes a house of eight rooms neces-
sary.. The increase in population in the
Vicinity of the Atlas works makes a large
house necessary. When the fourteen-room
house was built in the spring of 1901 1t was
thought that no more than ten or eleven
the fourteen rooms needed last year, but
eighty children were transferred from that
school to another in the vicinity.
THE MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL.
1.-The Manual Training School has accom-
modations for 500, but this year $500 pupils
are enrolled. Not only are the shops so
crowded that good work cannot be done,
but all the class rooms are rowde so
that efficient work is impossible.
THE increased attendance upon high
schools is one of the marked features of all
the progressive cities in the northern part
of the United States. Indianapolis is nc
exception. In June, 1893, 1888 pupils were
enrolled in our high schools; in June, 1902.
the number was 2.Sl5." When asked If this
large increase of more than 12O per cent.
in the high school enrolment is not due
largely TO the Manual Training School Mr..
Kendall answered.: In part, but there is
a growing interest on the part of parents
TO have their children go through the high
school. They find that boys who have
been through the high school stand a far
better chance to get employment. The
high school discipline and training prepare
boys and girls for a wider field of useful
ness. / would strengthen the Shortridge
High School by introducing a commercial
department with = course of four years.
l would not have bookkeeping made the
leading study by any means, but 1 would
have the course embrace commercial geog-
raphy and the commercial methods Of other
countries. / would have Spanish taught
and practical civics, which would give pu-
pills a thorough knowledge of workings of
national, state and municipal governments.
and also economics or political economy
superintendent Kendall is a firm believer
In the theory advanced by Mayor Low, of
New York, that SCHOOLGIRLS should be used
as play grounds during the summer when
schools are not in session. There is no
reason, he says, why these breathing spots
should be closed during the season when
the children most need them. He suggests
lots should be secured because land is
cheap now and will soon be dear.
Returning to the need Of more school
houses, superintendent Kendall said tina
as the case now stands the board is al
lowed but 5 cents on each 500 of taxable
property, or about S63, 900 each year, for new
buildings and repairs each year. The re-
pairing of sixty buildings will not leave
over $4,000, which is not sufficient to pay
for the buildings now needed. ut is not
for me to advise" said the superintendent
but II we had a larger amount for three
years we could catch up on schoolhouses
with the city's growth in population and
the needs of the high schools. L also be-
1eve that Ii would be an excellent use of
money to raise the salaries of teachers
who now receive 500 to $500 a year. Fol
the work they do and considering what is
required of them. the grade of teachers
receiving $575 is poorly paid.
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"OTHELLO" WILL BE PLAYED.