The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1904-12-30
Putnam High School Needs.


of the work and needs of the Putnam
High school, is from the pen of Miss
Susie Walton of this city, a pupil,
and served as the leading editorial
in the High School Gazette, " a pa
per read at the Christmas exercises
in Putnam High School last Friday.
Having labored increasingly to
make this holiday edition of fine Ga
zette more interesting and attractive
! than any other issue of the year, the
editors are confident that it will
reach a more extended circle of
readers than any previous number
has done. Consequently we feel that
a brief report of the condition of the
school at present and its prospects for
the future should find place in its
pages; that the citizens of the town
aud the county may have the oppor-
tunity of judging of the Importance
of the school as factor in the Gem
munity, and the necessity of meet
| ing its imperative demands
The school now is in most -four
ishing condition, and the outlook for
| the next is most encouraging
one. More pupils are enrolled than
| ever before, and new ones are enter
ing weekly. Our corps of teachers is
an unusually strong one, never al
| lowing the consideration of trouble
to deter them from undertaking any
| thing tending to the betterment of
| the school While we should enjoy
"a more intimate acquaintance with
| the Superintendent and Members OF
| the County Board, we are confident
from the excellent condition of
affairs educational, that they must
be exceptionally efficient.
Another thing that argues an en-
couraging future for the school is
that the~tOwn itself is progressing,
and therefore all of its institutions
must advance. A new railroad track
is being laid and a station will soon
be erected; the town is being sur
veyed for an approved new sewer
age system, and two of the principal
streets are to be paved Immediately.
Property has greatly increased in
IN value, and vacant houses are at
premium. New families are con-
stantly moving in, and one of the
most potent forces in bringing them
is the opportunity of providing for
their children really good educa-
tion.
This influx of new pupils is, of
course, one cause for the congested
condition which prevails in the
school at present, but even without
them we should be sadly hampered
on account of lack of space.
In the high school room are the
-,
this room there is an enrolment of
seventy pupils, with seating ca
pacity for sixty. These desks, too,
are made for only one occupant, and
it is consequently extremely uncom-
Portable for those who are compelled
to share their desks. Again, few
school-rOoms are properly ventilated,
and an over crowded room, the at
mosphere being full of chalk-dust
from the boards, must be injurious to
the health of the students, but not
only is it unhealthful, it is unjust to
both teacher and pupils.
1t should not be forgotten that
these seventy pupils are divided
among five grades, and as three
classes recite at every period, the
necessary confusion caused by their
interchange is not inconsiderable.
1t will be readily seen that two
grades are always studying in the
room, while recitations are going on
during every period. By taking the
average of the pupils remaining in
his room during each period, we
find that several times there are as
many as tifty-five, and at no time
less than thirty. 1t is simply inn
possible for any teacher to properly
instruct class while overseeing that
number of restless boys and girls.
II e bright pupils take advantage of
her unavoidable destruction, and the
dull ones plOd along without the re-
quired explanations. We feel salts
fed that measures will be taken to
provide for the increasing proper
tions of the school, as soon as the
conditions are properly brought to
the attention of the people And we
would like to beg that while they
are providing an addition to the
building itself, they would also in
crease aud improve the Fairgrounds.
A background for the boys and
court for the girls are felt to be ne
cessity, and the outlay in providing
these would be amply repaid by the !
increased interest and pleasure of |
the students, as well as by the con- |
seriousness that we need no longer |
feel ashamed to have a stranger pass
our school. BY the expenditure of a
few extra dollars, the house itself |
could be. greatly altered. A veran-
dab in front, with supporting
colemns, ana a small observatory |
upon the top would do much to re-
lieve the severe simplicity of the
present architecture. Let us have |
the material side of our school to
correspond with the high standard
of scholarship which it maintains.
Educators rank this as one of the
best schools in the state. That this
is a worthy judgement is proven by
the ranking of graduates from this
when they enter the col
eges and universities of the country.
The course has recently been
greatly strengthened by the addi-
lion of a labratory for the scientific
work, and library for the supple !
work in history, English,
tic. In this connection we note with
the evidences of grow.
ny appreciation of good school on
he part of patrons and people.
This has been strongly shown in the
generous appropriation made by the :
lily Council for the laboratory and :
library, and in the hearty cO-opera-
ion of the people in securing books :
or the latter The Fortnightly :
Tub especially has earned the graft :
ude of the students by its generous :
nd unsolicited aid toward the Ii Z
'rary. While both these depart :
nents are as yet insufficiently {
quipped, a very creditable begin 1
ing has been made, and we feel as !
ured that the interest already {
hOwn promises further assistance {