Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-05-02
Through Discussion Of
Question Thursday Night
n Public Meeting Of Augusta
Board Of Education.
l.ellp.,on sturgis Of Boston Give,
Valuable Information.

Following is a stenographic report
., the public meeting held by the
poard of Education at City hall Thurs
dav evening on the High school ques-
ton:
The meeting was called to order by
chairman Brooks, who spoke in part
as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Board and Citizens
Of Augusta: .
.hat Is being considered by the school
hoa,d at this time is the question of
;rcreased accommodation for the High
school.
II would be perfectly apparent to
onv citizen who would visit the High
school building, that the school is very
much over-crowded.
The present building was erected in
1880 at which time there was an on
rollment of about 60. The present en-
rollment is something like 200. The
fact that there will undoubtedly be an
Increase in the number of pupils in
the near future, seems to make it al
most imperative that we should pro-
vide soon for additional quarters. With
This in view the Board OF Education
has endeavored, SO far as possible, to
rut itself in touch with recognized au-
thorities on school building construc-
ton.
Perhaps it will be admitted that the
state of Massachusetts is as progress
siye as any state in New England, at
least in the matter Of education. The
municipal organization of the city OF
Boston includes a board whose official
title, I think, is the Board of School,
house Commissioners. The chairman
of that board is r. Clipston Sturg1s.
The authority of Mr.. Sturgis is gen.
erally conceded: his advice and coun-
sci is sought by boards of education all
over the country.
I have here a copy Of the report OF
the Schoolhouse Commission of the
District Of Columbia. This report
reached me quite by accident today.
Among other things l notice this:
"The satisfactory condition OF the new
or Boston schools is largely due to the
careful attention to details by r. Clips
ton Sturgis. chairman of the board.
This commission is indebted to MT.
Sturgis for many details given to these
schools
II seemed wise to your board to en-
deayor to make an appointment with
Mr.. Sturgis to speak to the citizens
and with that view in mlnd' we ha:e
Mr.. Sturgis here tonight.
Chairman Brooks introduced Mr
Sturgis who spoke in part as tolio"s'
,a,. Gentlemen: l have come down mere
tonight at somewhat short notice, anu
without an opportunity to look over
your particular problem. except as l
have been able to look 1t over IN tne
short time after / arrived here 90
not know just exactly on what INES
YOU want such advice as may be aple
to give.
What Mr.. Brooks has said about
the Boston schools, and my work IN
particular there. needs certainly to De
qualified. The system under when an
the work in the Boston schools mas
been done in the last six years. mas
been a system whereby my board mas
worked with architects. one after an
other. to solve oar. schoolhouse PROB
lem.
During the years I have been on Ia
board we have erected 20 or ~ s"ho"
houses. (Here gave LIST of S h"ot-
houses erected by his ooard).
Our board has had the advantage o.
the best expert advice W. could get
t;rst from the education2l side. work.
ing in the school rooms with tn sup
erintendent of schools. Then we nave
had the advantage of working with
the very hest architects in Boston, and
have employed. perhaps, 20 dlnereh'
firms each one OF those firms have
contributed something definite ana
something essential to the knowledge
of schoolhouse planning and construc-
ton: and school equipment. So that
my board has been able to arrive al
a standard that Is satisfactory loi
Boston and its. conditions. We do not
claim II Is necessary or essential for
every other place; it is local, but we
have arrived at certain conclusions
that are Of general value.
Our primary schools consist OF noth-