Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-02-09
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 0. 1905.
NEW SCHOOL HOUSE FOR
GRANTS PASS.

Dead towns do not have 70 ouiio
additional school houses, extend
streets, increase the light and water
service, or be to the expense OF the
betterment Of any Of the public utili :
ties as is the good fortune OF the live,
progressive town, for prosperity is the
inseparable companion of prudent
public expenditures.
Grants Pass is certainly prosperous
and has every certainty for a large
and steady growth in the years to
come, Judging by the increase and
betterment Of its public utilities The
streets are being extended, sidewalks
built, preparations made for paving
the business streets, the light and
water service both increased and bet.
tered, the schools and churches en-
larged and the commercial activities
expanded. That this forward move
ment in the building Of Grants Pass
into city Is based ON sound reasons
Is proven more especially by the in
crease in the attendance in the schools
II was % years ago that Grants Pass
was founded and school started en-
ploying one teracher. There are now
81 teachers on the roll. showing that
the school has averaged gain of
almost "a teacher year. In the last
five years this gain has been greater
than that the present year bringing
an increase Of three teachers. II Is
certain that at least four more
teachers will be required for next
year.
The enrolment of scholars as shown
by the city superintendent's report,
shows that the schools Of Grants Pass
have increased more than Il per cent
over the attendance for last year.
The enrolment on the first day after
the Christmas holidays for this year
was l07 more than for the same day
in the last school year. While early
In the present term room was rented
in building ON West II street and
another teacher employed to handle
the overflow of pupils, this did not
relieve the crowded condition Of the
schools and now room has been rent
cd In the Moss building on Il street
near Sixth aud Miss Mazella Mulkey
has been employed to take the extra
scholars from the second and third
grades, beginning with next Monday.
Even this will not greatly reduce the
enrolment in the other grades, many
Of which have 80 and 90 in room. II
is fact conceded by all who are posted
in school work that 40 children is the
highest number that should be under
one teacher. To bring the number Of
scholars in each room down to the linz
II that will enable the teach or and
pupils 10 do the best work and the tax
payers 10 receive the fullest returns on
the expenditure will require not less
than five additional rooms for nest
year.
This problem OF additional school
room has been under careful consider
alton by the the school board for some
time This board is composed OF five
OF the leading citizens and taxpayers
OF Grants Pass and II can be depended
ON that they will incur no needless eX.
pense. neither will they pursue mig.
gardly policy and to save the taxpay.
ers few dollars and thereby wreck
the schools, that are now n pride to
the city and among the best In the
state, Grants Pass being district OF
the first class the board has full po wer
10 make such cxpen iitures a. they may
think best for the betterment of III,
schools.
The board has under consideration
two building plans One is for q l(
room brick building and the other is
for the enlargement Of the wooden,
three room South building into q sever
room school Plans and estimate OF
the cost of enlarging the South build
ing have been secured from am archi
toct. The plans call for the adding
front room ou the FIRST 0oor and o
taking oG the roof Of the three pres
ent rooms and putting on % socun,
story 10 the entire building, m vmol
would be three school rooms and
hallway. The lowest estimate tba
can he had ON this work is $1,000 am
then the district would have only a
old building built over. So mucb eN
tra WORK would have 30 Dee dono ON th
old house that the cost VonId tuu
equal that Of "a nov building AS .
a hrics structure it IS found that'a
eight or 10 room, first, class. modcr
school building Gamble erected at aces
of s2oO0 per ROOM To rebuild the ol
wooden building viii cost mpre thar
half that amount uer room and hc