The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1903-07-31
The Columbia Boys Training School,

Editor Herald.
Through the generosity Of public..
spirited gentlemen OF Columbia and
Maury county, We now have an oPpor-
tunity Of procuring a school for young
men in our city. The object OF the
originatOrs Of this school is two fold:
IL. That there might be IN this I'M
mediate vicinity q school az which our
young men can be 50 prepared that upon
completing their courses al It they can
without further preparation enter any
of our universities.
(2.l That this school shall be OF such
character that young men OF other
counties and states will attend IL and
thus increase the business 10 our city.
In order that the first object might be
accomplished, We must have an educa-
tor at it's head of much learning and ex-
perience. A man who has taught young
men and has been accustomed to handle
them not only in the class room, but In
study hall and dormitory.
That the second object might be at
tain d, many things must be considered
and accomplished We must have as
master a man who is widely known;
man who by his attachments, character
and disposition will attract young men;
man with a following.
But however attractive the man, no
young man who has any say In the Sc
lection of the school he is TO attend, Will
come here unless our school itself is at
tractive. What points does the boy of
today most consider when examining
the catalogue of school? The curicu-
lums of most "Prep" Schools are about
the saline, so that may be left out OF
this discussion. He looks for the
picture and description of the school
building. Then those of the athletic
field and gymnasium: then for de
scription of the "living system" And
why should he not? 1t is now thor
oughly demonstrated that the school
boys who take part in sports are better
able to stand hard study than those " no
do not. | feel safe in making the broad
assertion that no boy whose wishes are
considered in the selection of school
would for minute hesitate where two
schools are under consideration -one
with gymnasium and athletic field
the other without same.
That we might have boys from away
we must have these two things.
As TO the athletic field, we now have
one here in Columbia than which we
could find no better. Riverside Park
can be leased. Some will say it is too
far away. That is mistake. The
fields of a great many of the best schools
and colleges in the country are situated
from quarter to half mile from the
gymnasiums. This is an advantage
from an athletic standpoint. For after
hard afternoons work on the field the
boys should cool down gradually before
taking baths and this they can best do
by walking or trotting from the field
to the gymnasium Riverside Park has
a fine diamond, grand stands and
bleachers: is conveniently located for
those who would attend the sports and
thus encourage our young athletes on to
victory.
The modern gymnasium is on the top
floor of athletic clubs So we combine
our dormitory and gymnasium-haying
the gymnasium on top hoor-eud thus
not only reduce the expense, but add to
the convenience.
Then, we must have a dormtory.
There the boys would have comfortable
and sanitary quarters: they will be
closely associated which eugenders
school spirit" without pleasure. But
the most weighty reason why we
must have dormitory is that the young
men whose parents have sent them to
us may be guarded from the temptations
which surround him. What parent
would allow his son to attend a school
situated in town where there are sa-
looms and other worse places unless he
were under the direct care and protec-
IF
wish your boy 10 board around town.
come when he pleased, go where. when
and with whom he pleased? Surely
not. Then, We must have a dormitory
where our boys from away would be
under the care of a master resident in
the same house. Outside of this there
are economic reasons why we should
have dormitory. 1t would afford our
"foreign boys" comfortable rooms and
good wholesome food for cheaper than
they could procure it in private families.
Poor boys would be on the same footing
as the rich ones: no boys would envy the
room of fellow student, nor be ashamed
of his own. 1t would cause a demo
cratic spirit instead of ''snobbery" to
permeate the students relations.
We have discussed TO some length
WHAT we SuOuIu nave. NOW. let US see
how We can get it. The king Place"
is out of the question if we desire to do
as above pointed out. For, after pay
ing for the land, there would not be
enough left to build even respectable
school house-let alone dormitory and
gymnasium. But there is another rea-
son hitherto not considered. The King
place is less than three hundred (3O0j
feet wide. Il state this from hearsay
Then we could not have a ball field if it
were taken. The distance from third
to first base on diamond is one hun
dred and twenty-seven and one third
(12713) feet There must be at least
one hundred feet (1OO) to the side
Of either OF these bases in or
der that there might be ever a small
out field and foul territory
The "Allen Place" would be too in
convenient for Columbia boys, and there
would be no funds remaining after its
purchase with which to build dormi.
tory and gymnasium.
So We have left for consideration,
the Andrews school property. III
we desire to accomplish the second