Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1904-04-27
FORMAL OPENING OF PRESCOTT
HIGH SCHOOL ON SATURDAY NIGHT
Interesting Exercises Attend the Dedication Of
the Building to Cause of Education---Ari-
zona's High Standard of Excellence.

( is ninety cents on the 500 or one
sixth Of the total tax rate for the city
and county, very small proportion
as compared with older communities.
Another important thing touched
upon by him is the fact that in taxes
and licenses Prescott contributes
s24, 600 per annum of which s12, 900 or
one half goes to the support of schools
in the poorer country districts.
For the benefit of those living out
Of the city, or who we're not present
to personally inpsect the building and
its equipment, the Journal Miner will
give somewhat detailed description
of it.
One of the first improvements to the
building and grounds to catch the
eye is the new entrance. When the
streets we're graded it left the build
! ing several feet higher that the street
level. This made it necessary to
build retaining wall and steps lead
ing from the sidewalk up to the plat
form in front of the entrance. The
wall was built of the new sand stone
brick and is a real ornament. The
steps we're constructed of cement and
lead up from two different directions.
The platform landing has been en-
lsrged and provided with banisters
making a great improvement in the
looks of the building. while the steps
provide a splendid means of ascent
from the streets.
On entering the building one can
hardly realize that he is in the same
old building. A brick addition was
built on the building in the
rear, the dimensions of whick are
about Is by 80 feet, two stories high.
This was done in order to allow the
stairway to be built to the assembly
hall without taking up any of the
room Of the hall. and also to provide
toilet and wash rooms for the pupils.
The stairway is large and handsome.
The hall and the assembly room have
new hardwood floors while the other
rooms have new pine floors. The
ceilings and walls of the entire build
ing have been handsomely tinted
while all the wood work has been
treated to bright new coat of paint.
To the right on entering, is the
Office of the superintendent, B. d.
Billinghurst. Beck of the Office is a
reception room.
The old kindergarten room has been
remodeled and fitted up for the regu-
lar study room of the high school.
The present capacity of the room is
about forty pupils. AS the school en-
larges it is probable the assembly
room of stairs will be brought into
service as a study and reception
room.
To the left on entering the first
floor is the chemical laboratory. This
is fitted mp with everything needed in
that line such as lockers for the chem
icals ad apparatus, pneumatic trough,
bottle racks, individual tables,
basins, etc. A ventilating hood has
also been provided for carrying off
obnoxious gases. In fact there has
been nothing overlooked in arranging
this department that would add to its
usefuless and completeness.
The physics and physical geography
room is located in the southeast cor
ner of the building. This has been
properly equipped with every conven-
fence and apparatus needed to make
the study of these intensely interest
ing subjects practical and plain to the
pupils. In these lines of study Prof.
Bililnghurst is probably without su-
perior in the west as an instructor
and with the apparatus he now has at
hand is making these studies so in
tensely interesting to the high school
pupils that it would be the greatest
punishment for any of them to be alb
sent from single recitation.
OFF from this room is a small room
that will be fitted up as a dark room
for optical experiments.
The assembly room is source of
pride, not only to .he school but to
the whole city. 1t has been fixed up
in fine first class manner and will
not only be a source of pride but
great convenience and help. The en-
tire upper floor is devoted to this ball.
The hall has seating capacity Of 400
people, is 81 by 81 feet in the clear,
we'll lighted and ventilated and pro
vided with FIVE beautiful chandeliers
and many electric lights for use at
night.
The stage is in the west end of the
hall and is provided with every con-
venience of a modern stage. Besides
row of foot lights there are several
frames of globes overhead which can
be raised or lowered at will, making
over 100 globes that eau be brought
into use in lighting the stage. The
two drop curtains and grand draperies
are gorgeous in richness and beauty,
being the most handsome ever seen
in this city. Two sets of stage set
tings are provided, one a parIor or
drawings room effect and another a
lovely rural scene. Many exclama-
tioDs of surprise and admiration we're
heard Saturday night from the visit
ors to the building when they saw the
stage and its equipment. The stage
is seventeen feet deep, 81 feet wide
and the front opening is twelve feet
high and twenty feet wide.
Prescott has every reason to be
proud of the high school building and
profoundly grateful to those who
planned and executed the work of re-
modelling the old building and con-
verting it into such an up to date,
convenient and complete structure,
and at the very reasonable price at
which the work was done.