The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-05
Structure Hen1med in by Other
Buildings-Has Practically
No Playa Grounds. S,.$
GREAT WORK is BEING
VERY BADLY HAMPEREDI
Prominent Gentlemen Interested;
il Education Point Out De e
fects in Present. Building and N N
Emphasize the Need for a IN,
New One11hat Or.
Mitchell Thinks Of lit.

Hoary with honorable age. and worn
with the batter Of many years, the pres /
ient High School of Richmond IL an In
ttercsting relic of the early struggles OF
public education In Virginia, but is
3manitestly and more and more conspicu-
EGusly anything but worthy shrine for
tho broad and notable work now being
conducted daily withlnits doors.
This fact, with the various things 1t sig
miles and suggests, is just being pressed
closely home to the people OF Richmond.
"a few public spirited gentlemen and
ladies, more observant than others, possi-l
bly,, have come to detect the fault OF
the building. and the high merit CT
the teaching behind It's walls and have
witnessed the sight Of so striklngly val
,uabe and noble an effort hanpered and
confined by bricks and mortar that were #
built W, q quarter OF century ago. and Il
that have failed to expand with the cal-$
{endar. These observations have led to-
/ a noveirlen i, the! inme diate result of
which has been to call the wandering at
|tention OF the public to this ntdueS sit.,;
suation, and the Ultimate effort OF which
will be visible IN D. new md mt dern high
school, architecturally, hygtenica ally and
otherwise In keeping with the e9twentteth
Scentury-a thing that must be because Il
must. is,s 5 A
Cause for Congratu1ation,
That Richmond has outgrown a high
school building constructed for 1t many
years ago, is a cause for con gratula ton
and not for regret. The building was
erected in 1s 8; that is to say, the larger
part Of what now constitutes the High
School Of Richmond was put up at that
time. There were three stories Of 1t and
four rooms on each floor The school
began, grew, and filled the place from
end to end. TWO rooms and a wing were
added on the southwest corner. When
these were filled In turn an addition was
made TO the southeast corner. The chill
dren continued to come In growing NUNS
ber. Three or four years ago three more;
rooms were tackled on to the west side-6
Now these are full. and as before. the
children continue to come In growing
number. But no more extension is pos
sible Physical limitations in the way OF
land prevent any further expansion url-
less tent Is erected on top OF the OLD
pile or some other device at present
unimaginedt is adopted. III {tt
THO situation is very plain and patient
to any man who takes the stro orble TO IN
vestigate, and the remedy, and the only
remedy Is equally OBVIOUS Inc MB ~
school lis a sort Of university Of the tpeo-t
pie; hundreds Of young men and women
who appreciate. but cannot avail Them
selves OF the advantages OF the cole
curriculum look to this place as the most
important Influence In their early life. lts
is To them as much an alma mater a.
tho high-sounding university IS to MIN
who can attend 1t. The work Is q very
important one, and In the case. OF Rich-
mond is particularly important one, AZ.
DIR Mitchell SO admirably points out be-
low, the building and the teaching are
antithetical degrees-one the worst ana
the other the best. S 81, U IS iss J. .5 5gf35
There is now daily attendance OF be- pc
tween seven and eight hundred pupii
In the school. Tho total enrolment ~
over 9Oo The staff of teachers Is OF 2
very high class. and the school rs q pow
erful influence In the community for edt-
cntion and culture. tits constantly grow
Ing, The attendance this year Is larger
than that of last. and next year 1t VIII
he larger still. In tho course OF tinle tne
outlying territory will be annexed 70
Richmond. and many other chiidren Wiz
| be added to the rolls. &,S
Dark and Dreary.
,rhe building now being used Is utterly
tnadeouate. Tho rooms are small aark
ana nyercrowded. The ventilation Is PAD.
| trho danger to health is considerable.
Th, protection from fire Is not OF the