The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-02-14
ANSWERS TO
AID. REYNOLDS
Councilman RakepsaCH and
Principal Weston Reply,
LIVE CONTROVERSY STARTED
Figures Presented 10 Show Coagsstsd Con-
dillon al School T. Lucid Arguments on
Other Matters Brought Forward.

The drastic comments made by Alder
man w X Reynolds on the Technical
High school have already stirred UP live
ly controversy. OF the oouncimen that
visited the school a. the time when Mr..
Reynolds discovered so much unwhole-
someness and cause for criticism several
endorse his position Councilman Charles
r. Makepeace OF the Second ward takes
issue with Mr.. Reynolds and In COM
ments hereafter quoted scores him in
no uncertain terms. Mr.. Makepeace says:
II am not willing, az q member OF
the committee from the city government
who visited the Manual Training school
on the 10TH 10 be placed IN the position
as would appear in the reported comment
OF Alderman Reynolds
THE criticism concerning the filthy
condition OF the building made by the
alderman is unfair. and in making same,
| due consideration OF the existing ctrcum-
stances was not given fun weight
SCHOOL is NOT FILTHY.
The Manual Training school has de-
/ partments which are not included I'm the
/ equipment Of any other school building
/ I'm the city. No one can reasonably ex-
! peru that a clay modelling room, a oar
/ penter shop machine shop. a foundry
I or molding room or a blacksmith shop
will be kept as clean as ones drawing
room or even an ordinary school room.
The corridors OF the building. which
! are used a great deal more than the
! corridors OF any school building in which
| instruction Is given to an equal number
! OF pupils cannot be kept AZ clean during
the sloppy weather we had at the time
OF the committees visit az they would
and are kept in better weather
IL have visited the school at times when
visitors were not expected. and that the
building presents any different appear
ance than from that when II was known
visitors might call IN not In ACCORD WIN
my observations
AS TO THE ORCHESTRA.
! Speaking about Mr.. Reynolds objection
/ TO the maintenance OF a school orchestra,
| Mr.. Makepeace says
THE city does not pay for any instruc
tion in orchestral music, and the onl,
expense I'm this connection Ia about 81
per year for sheet music divided betweel
the three high schools OF the city AM
| the Manual Training school There ar
in these high schools orchestras composed
! OF the pupiis muscslly inclined who have
received more or less instruction from
| their parents or outside instructors II
music and these orchestras furnish music
/ for all public occasions or graduating
exercises connected with the schools. anc
/ thereby save the city considerably more
| expense than the cost OF maintaining
! them. and therefore cannot be classed as
4 a useless or needless expense. This Is
/ a fact well known to anyone acquainted
with our public schools, or which could
| be ascertained by inquiry. The practic'
| ing listened TO by the committee while
| visiting the school at the time mentioned
was for the celebration incident 10 Lin
coin day. which II would seem that the
most captious could not object to.
THE AMMONIA BOTTLE.
Mention was also made OF ammonia
{ being kept i'm a bottle with a cork stopple
| and while | did not see this particular
/ bottle as It was probably one belongins
! In Mr.. Paddock's supply closet, the state
ment was misleading as all reagents re
ouired on the chemical work tables are
kept i'm bottles with glass stopples prop
/ erly arranged. and II is from these and
not from bottles with cork stopples the
students get their supply when they need
! the same.
'If the city OF Providence cannot af
ford 10 furnish the necessary funds re
! ouired for the extension OF this building
mission. then lets say SO. and II The
| school IS 10 be maintained let the peopl'
/ say whether retrenchments In other dlrec
/ tions shall be made or the money raised
as may best be determined for the school
Z or the school closed: one of those things
is necessary, for the school has grown
I beyond the quarters Il IS now In And
that there may ne no misunderstandinl
on this point. I will state the following
! ~ IN az
school:
CONVINCING FIGURES.
Now. IN an schools there Is usual,
provided q desk or seat for each pupil
| for holding his or her books, and thi.
building was built for and equipped with
2Ss desks. and today there are $50 pupils
enrolled. and the probsb abilities are that ir
| June. 1905 there will he 800 and ir
! February 1906. 500 Now, how can q
school built for 2SS pupils answer for 6S
| pupils Al present by utilizing hall and
| entryways and some spare rooms I'm the
! Classical high school building lc5 more
nupils than the Manual Training school 4,
capable of taking care OF are provided for
This the committee should have seen Il
! they had taken the trouble TO look bu
declined 10 do so although courteously
| invited
principal George r Weston in a care
| fully worded statement emphasizes the
narrow minded shoIts sighted position
taken by Alderman Reynolds and such
councllmen as criticized tho school Tn,
following excerpts from his comment ar,
Indicative OF his views
MIR. WESTON TALKS.
There were originally 2Ss desks pro
vided here. to accommodate 2SS pupils,
he said since September we hav,
registered 500 pupils and there are AZ IN
! regular attendance. ali or whom are en-
] titled 20 a desk We have been forced e
set up IS desks in the assembly room and
/ @ IN the recitation room. surtslning on
/ portions OF the building intended foi
/ other purposes. and In addition 90 this W.
| are now occupying i25 desks In the Classl.
! cal high school building. using eight
rooms I'm that building 10 quarter the
/ Technical students Some NJ the con-
\ dit,ons OF which complaint is made are
| directly the result % the eStremities "a
which ve have been put In making the
/ best use possible ~ the thoroughly in
adequate facilities AZ our command.