The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-29
STATEMENT TO CITIZENS.
Board of Education Give Their Views
of the Matter.

of the Matter.
Yesterday the board of education
issueu the following statement regarding
the high school bonds:
The board OF education, as the repre-
sentatives of the people of Wichita in
school matters, deem it a reasonable
duty for the information of the public
particularly in submitting the proposition
to vote bonds for high school, to likewise
submit for consideration the facts and
conditions which have induced the board
to call for said bonds.
There are two urgent and cogent causes
requiring said bonds: First, the crowded
condition of several of our ward schools,
aggregating now some 26 rooms with too
many pupils for effective work, reason
able comfort and preservation of sani-
tary measures and the children's health.
The size of our average school room
will only accommodate, under favorable
conditions, 40 pupils. Many rooms now
contain from So to 20. The records, too,
show rapid increase in attendance. pre-
cluding any hope of relief, except in ad-
ditional rooms AS an evidence of this
note the following:
Total enrolment January l, 1900. ~
Total enrolment January l, 1903. .-...5, 14
Or 1.ooO more pupils now than six years
ago. which, at 20 to the room, require p
more rooms or three more eight room
buildings at cost of about $4,000, for i'm
mediate relief; and the present rate of
increase. will require as much more in
side of five or six years, or a total addi-
tional expenditure of $4,000 But even
that will not relieve the high school, as
each year increases its attendance as
well as of the graded schools
The present high school building is in
adequate. both in size and facilities,
though it contains twelve class rooms.
True. the present attendance can be
fairly well accommodated. but next year
will overcrowd it if the usual proportion
Of the eighth grade and outside students
enter.
High school enrolment this year ......4S7
Graduates this year ...................... 81
Leaving for next years nucleus 1888
Add outside students, same as this
year -............-.-.--.-...... 80
Add from this years eighth grade. .15S
Making, conservative estimate, next
years enrolment at least. 500
Or so pupils TO each teacher. which is too
many. But we can not add more teach
ers without more rooms. The above
showing, too, only estimates for the COM
ing year, leaving out of account what
conditions there will be inside of three
or four years.
lie board, therefore, after very care
fully canvassing and investigating. both
present and immediate future needs, has
new high school building, and thereby
meet the needs of both high school and
largely, though not fully, of the graded
schools, by using the old high school
building for the higher grades of the
nearby schools. This would make the
$125,o00 called for accomplish nearly twice
the relief that $4,000 would put into
ward school enlargements alone. Besides
the latter would not better, but rather
aggravate difficulties in the high school
in very short time.
Is s125, 900 bond issue too much? Our
taxpayers have a right to know. Our
Judgment, in the light of all facts before
US. approves the amount as both reason
able and necessary. We believe a less
sum would certainly soon prove false
economy.
Topeka's recent experience would un-
doubtedly be duplicated by Wichita If
we used less; though. of course, we will
save dollar in the procuring of the
building wherever We can. Topeka only
a short time since built a new high school
which, including the ground, cost $500
1t soon proved too small and now that
city will vote. at the coming city cleo
ton on proposition TO issue s131.500 more
of school bonds for sites buildings and
additions, of which sum $4,000 is, ac-
cording to it's election proclamation, for
part payment of site and supplemental
high school building. That will make the
total cost of Topeka's high school $163. 600.
besides quite large additional amount
for balance payment of site. furniture
and equipment. Topeka, it is true. is
slightly, but not much. larger than Wich-
ita. But who of Us believes it will be in
side of five or six years more? Already
we are promised that the Orient shops
and road and the Missouri Pacific shops
will add from 5000 to 10000 to our popu-
lation within two years. But when we
shall have invested the s125 900 in a new
high school We will still be more than
$4,000 short Of Topeka's high school in
vestment. Therefore we feel sure that
the people would justly censure us if we
put at this time $4,000 or $4,000 in high
school building, then within three or four