The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-04-27
President {. C. Theirs Speaks to
School Board on Work Which
Should Be Done this Year.
The Board Decides to Open Room
in the Durkee School, Under
the Direction of Professor
c. b. Woodstock.

Tai dOQIGSS 10 llAC DOoA u AcISt AAS 80,
this speech being the principal fea-
ture of the adjourned meeting Of the
board.
Mr.. Theirs spoke as follows:
Members of the Board of Education.
Gent1emen:-Upon taking up our
work for the coming year let us con-
slider the situation, and what should
be done.
This is a rapidly growing city. Our
last school census (19O4) shows 1893
children Of school age within the city
limits; add to this the joint school dis
trict of Pleasant Prairie and Somers
and we had 5000 school children one
year ago within our school district.
What the growth has been the past
year and what it will be during the
next few years we can but estimate.
We shall soon have city of 10000
people unless something, as yet I'M
forseen, checks the present rapid
growth.
We have six school buildings with
total of thirty-eight grade rooms,
which on the basis of forty pupils per
room, plus 240 for the High school,
gives us a total school accommoda-
ton of l, 700, on basis of forty-five
pupils, 1850; and fifty pupils per room,
which should be the maximum, total
accommodation of 2, 14O. Our present
enrolment is 2, 028. Every room is oc-
cupied except one in the Gillett
school, and this would be occupied
and several rooms in addition, If we
had them, we're it not for the fact
that six grades are divided, that is,
six teachers divide their pupils into
two sections, each section attending
one half day.
In the Central or High school build
ing we have no assembly room sufici-
ent to hold it's 240 pupils. 1t is neces-
sary to use what should be recita-
ton room for an additional assembly
room to accommodate the overflow. It
seems to me that there should be one
room of sufficient size that all the
High school pupils may be together
at least once day for a general exer-
else, lecture, or other instructions.
This is impossible with our present
building.
The necessity Of enlargingssome of
our present school buildings, or erect
ing additional buildings is therefore
evident and imperative. There are
hundreds of children within our
school district who will or should de-
mand a school home at the beginning
of our next school year. The number
of children enrolled in our public
schools in proportion to the number
of school age is very small, owing
doubtless to the parochial and private
schools, and to the number employed
in the factories of our city. With the
Introduction of manual training we
certainly should draw a considerable
number of the children who are now
either truant or working in some of
our factories.
According to the last published re-
port in June, 1902, we find total of
fifty cities in Wisconsin in which city
superintendents of schools are en-
ployed. There are but two that rank
lower than Kenosha in percentage of
school accommodations to children of
school age.
We had at that time AZ per cent, or
less than one-half enough room; Chip
pewa Falls As per cent, and Milwau-
kee AZ per cent. Chippewa Falls had
eight school buildings employing
thirty-six teachers; Kenosha had six
school building and thirty-eight
teachers. Chippewa Falls had an
average of thirty-seven pupils to each
teacher; our average forty-six. Our
six school buildings had accommoda-
tions for 431 more pupils than the
eight buildings of Chippewa Falls;
our enrolment was the larger by Sol.
The total expense for teachers and
janitors' salaries, fuel, repairs, insur.
ance and supplies was 10 per cent
more for Kenosha than Chippewa
Falls, and we gave instruction to 80
per cent more pupils. This COMPARE
son proves beyond question the econ
omy of large buildings.
Shall we listen to the cry of that
class of taxpayers who would allow
children to grow up in ignorance
rather than pay their share of neces-
sary tax, and it is always the small
taxpayer who complains, or whose
complaint is heard. The poor man
and the small taxpayer are the par
cuts of the school children. The rich
have comparatively few children, and
few of these are educated in the pub
lie schools. A small taxpayer in orr
city with an assessed valuation of
81, 10000 pays less than $500 per year
as his share of current expenses and
has six or eight children in the school.
This same man who is "howling"
about his school tax has one or two
dogs upon which he pays as great or
a greater tax.
Including the cost Of the new Dur
kee school the city school tax levy last
year was only $4.78 per 81, 100000. The
large taxpayer pays 100000 to So
10000 per year as his portion and has