Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-02-26
THEPUBLIC SCHOOLS
A letter FROM SCHOOL BOARD
ON EDUCATIONAL Matters.
Special Election to Vote Bonds for
Additional School House. Reason
for Adding Ten Rooms to Market
Street School House, Instead of
Two Small Buildings,

Believing that you should be fully in
formed OF the plans and purposes Of your
servants, the board of school directors,
with the reasons therefor, we present to
you for your careful consideration. the
following:
For Saturday afternoon, March Sd,
1906, we have called special election at
the same place as the annual election for
the purpose of determining whether you
wish to Issue bonds for new school
building in Aberdeen. This call is post
ed in three places, the postoffice, on the
Market Street school building and on
the school room at 32O East Market
street. where the elections are to be held.
For further information concerning this,
please see these notices.
There seems to be no doubt that more
school room is badly needed. All know
that we are now renting four rooms for
school purposes in the business section.
This is expensive and very undesirable
from the standpoint of bodily welfare
and comfort of the pupils and the eff.
cheney o. the work. If We allow the
High school the room needed, and pro-
vide for an ordinary growth of the schools
for next year, ten additional rooms will
be needed.
But the matter OF the location OF the
proposed building is one that has caused
the board much thought. After careful
and thorough study Of the conditions
here and an investigation OF the expert.
ence of other communities which have
passed through such stage as Aberdeen
is now passing through. our unanimous
opinion is that ten rooms should be add.
ed to the present Market Street building.
This would practically be another build.
ing; but spacious, we'll lighted hallway
| would connect the two. In deciding
thus we have had in mind (l) the con.
venience OF location to the greatest mum.
Der OF pupils, (2) efficiency Of the schools,
(3) economy in the administration of the
schools. This location is row in the
center of the school population for all
that part OF the city not Immediately
tributary to the other buildings. There
will be but few pupils who cannot at
tend tie other buildings, who will find it
more convenient to attend at this build.
ing. Should this plan not be carried
out, at least two small buildings will
have to be erected in different parts of
the city. In such a case, not all the
first grades will be represented in
either building and more pupils would
be inconvenienced than by the plan
suggested. The proposed addition will
not prevent the erection of buildings in
other sections as rapidly as necessity
demands.
| Our school system has now grown so
| large that much Of our superintendent
time is taken up with rganization and
administration. He needs all the time we
can give him for supervision. Now if
instead of the addition proposed, two
small buildings be erected, making three
buildings in place Of one, one can readily
see the amount of time lost in going
from building to building. Whereas, if
all the rooms were in one building, the
time otherwise wasted, could be given to
supervision. The same will apply to the
supervision of music and drawing. At
| the same expense we have more needed
supervision and hence greater efficiency.
The teachers in the smaller buildings,
while not having more pupils, would
have a greater number OF classes thus
giving less individla attention. Poorer
work would be the result. Then there
would be three principals in place Of one.
One efficient principal, as we now have
at the Market Street building could
handle the work easily and we'll. He
would be given some time for supervision
instead of teaching all the time as now,
thus increasing the efficiency of the
school. At the same time the district
would save the entire salary of one prin.
cipal, and the extra salary of another, as
a principal receives larger salary than
regular teacher. Likewise there would
be saving on janitors' wages, upon the
carriage OF free text books, maps, globes.
charts, paper, and school supplies Of all
sorts, back and forth. With but the one
building, these would be kept in the
supply room by the principal and sent
out to the various rooms OF the building
as needed; and brought back to that
room when the teacher was through with,
them, ready to be sent out to another
teacher.
Another item is the cost OF sites. BY
! our plan We will need but one lot costing
about $4,000. In any other case at least