The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-09-13
MORE ROOM DEMANDED.

The first week of school in Mitch
ell has come to an end and with
it there are some embarrassing con-
ditions in several of the rooms as
relate to the amount Of room that
can be apportioned to the scholars.
In the high school building on the
west side there are just 104 seats
in the assembly room, where, 1t is
presumed, that there was intended
to be sufficient seats that every schol-
ar who was entitled to be in that
department should have a place to
sit. On the contrary, there is room
for little over half of the students
who are enrolled. And what is done
with the balance? They are sent off
into an attic that vas hardly intend
ed to be used as a school room, but
under the crowded conditions of the
schools in the past few years it has
had to be utilized for that purpose.
In the winter days these pupils of a
necessity are required to occupy the
room when the thermometer in it
rarely shows above 60 degrees in
warmth and it's lack of comfort is
easily seen. In several of the grades
there is such a large enrolment that
the teachers find it impossible to
give each pupil the attention re-
CURED, and perforce they are natur-
ally going to fall behind in their
studies. To relieve that %congested
condition it has been necessary to
secure a room in a church building
on the east side of town, just as it
was necessary last year to secure a
room in the Methodist church, where
school was held the greater part of
the year.
Mitchell is a growing city. OF
that there is not the slightest ques-
ton and this growth and develop
ment must be met in a way that will
continue to draw people to the city
In order to educate their children.
The public school system of this city
Is one Of its best assets as a popu-
lation incentive and it is not fair
that it should be hampered by such
an evident lack of facilities.
Last winter there vas a public
meeting held in the city hall build
ing in conjunction with the school
board, the object of which was to get
an idea of how the general tax pay
ing public felt about a new high
school building, and there were 60
or 70 leading citizens present. Prac-
tically every one of them was called
on to express their personal opinion
as to the advisability of expending
a hundred thousand dollars Or SO
for the erection of a high school
building, this expression being called
for after Superintendent Hof had
told of the crowded conditions in
several of the departments. There
was a unaniinttW of expression of
these men-there were'some honest
dissentors to the proposition, but
the greater majority by far was in
8falznrs Of the .new..high school build
:, ing. Before IN adjournment was
taken 1t was decided to have another
public meeting to bring out a further
expression from the people. Up to
the present time that second meet
ing has never been called. In view
of the circumstances in, several de-
partments of the schools, it would
not be a bad idea to have that second
meeting and ascertain II the senti-
ment is just as strong today for a
high school building as then. If 1t
Is then there should be no delay in
erecting that high school building
next year, and to do it next year
would mean hat a special election
would have to be called during the
winter to vote on the necessary
bonds to be issued to construct the
building. With the bonds voted this
the structure and everything got in
readiness to m active oper-
ations at the opening of spring and
the building could be ready for use
long before the school year of 1905
was ended. From the reports of the
superintendent and principal of the
schools the need of a high schoo
building is imperative, and it is w
to the people to say whether the.
will respond in keeping MITCHELL
school facilities up to the top notch
According to w. w. Jermane, tn
Washington correspondent of tn
Minneapolis Journal, the Roosevelt