The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-24

side of town is sure to increase in popu-
ON THE VEST SIDE
The Potwin building located in
Potwin was originally planned for an
eight room structure, with but one-half
the building erected and completed. The
board now proposes the completion of
this building, in order to relieve pupils
in POtWin and Auburndale from the
necessity of travelling such long dis
tances to Clay and Sumner. Last year
seventy-three children, representing
grades from the third to the eighth. in
elusive were obliged to be sent away
from this building because of the lack
OF room. These seNenty-three pupils
travel an average distance of twelve
blocks. Many of the pupils travel
more than twenty blocks in order to
reach a school where they can be ac-
commodated. The board feels that this
is an injustice to which these pupils
should not be subjected, and therefore
proposes the completion of the POtwin
building as originally contemplated.
THE HIGH SCHOOL ANNEX
But the ward schools are not the
only schools which are overcrowded.
For the past two years our high school
building has exceeded its capacity. One
of the marveIs of this city has been the
rapid increase in attendance upon the
Topeka high school, showing that the
high school holds a place dear in the
hearts of our people. When we occu-
pied our present structure eight and
one-ha1f years ago September 1894,)
the attendance on the high school was
but little more than three hundred
pupils. Now the number of different
pupils enrolled in the high school dur
ing each Of the past three years has
been on an average about eight hum
dred and fifty pupils.
Children in attendance upon the high
school come from homes which repre-
sent every walk in life-fr0qn the homes
of those in moderate circumstances,
from the homes OF the Well-to-dO. a.
well as from the homes Of the wealthy.
But il has always been true in the city
of Topeka that d vast majority of the
high school pupils come from the homes
of the laboring classes. The high school
is surely the poor mans college. NO
growth of any phase of education rs
the United States has been so rapid as
the growth of the American high school.
Topeka is justly proud of her entire
public school system, including her
splendid high school Certainly no citi-
zen of Topeka can look upon our pres.
ent magnificent high school building
and think Of the regiment of boys ana
girls enrolled therein without a thrill
Of just pride and JOY. But that pride
should be just little greater, and THAI
JOY just little fuller. when he thinks
Of the fact that our oVercrowded conci-
ton already demands the erection of a
supplemental high school building as an
annex to our present structure The
board Of education therefore in order
to relieve the present high school of its
overcrowded condition secured an OPP
ton on the John Martin property imne-
dlately south across the street from the
present structure. with a view to erect
ing thereon a supplemental high school
proclamation
This building. when erected. is to be
IN the nature Of an annex high school. TN
Ger the same management to supervis-
ing lorce as the present high school and
II should be emphasized before the COM
munlty that the primary purpose of this
proposed building is to relieve the crowded
CONDITION of the present one However
When this building is erected the board
introduce manual training and domestic
economy as part of the course of studv.
Ihat Is to say. manual training will take
~ Pldce III the course OF study alongside
of the languages and English and anathe-
nistISs ana history ana the sciences The
Suppleueatai nlSh schooi, therefore, IS not
70 be xclusiNeiy a manual training school,
out the building when erected is to be
constructed so as to anticipate the intro
duction Of manual ira is1irrel ass a part of
the present course, of study should like
to emphasize > this one Bofnt-thatf | do
bers of the board do not believe in the
ERECTION at this time of . high school
building in which manual training Will be
the whole thing When manual training
comes in our high school course, as il is
must keep abreast OF the best things in
education, it must come as a part of the
present course OF study, bearing its true
subordinatiOn to branches already taught
1t VIII not come as q trades school. Ger
talnly no member of our board believes in
that When manual training does come in
the high school it must come on the same
footing as 1t must come when introduced
into the ward schools I emphasize this
point particularly because an impression
has lodged in the minds of many that the
proposed new high school building is to be
exclusively manual training school. it
is not. Again let me say its primary Iir-
pose is to relieve the crowded condition of
the present building"