Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-04-03
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
IMMUNE TO FIRE
COMPLETE PROTECTION FROM THE
FLAMES EFFECTED IN MADI-
SONS BUILDING.
OF BRICK AND TERRA GOTTA.
Walls Are Constructed and Floors of
Larger Rooms Are of Con-
crete and Steel.
TO HOLD NEARLY 900 PUPILS.

MADISON. Wis, March 2S.-T Spe-
cial. I-Complete protection from fire is
said to be secured in the new $250,0OO
Madison high school building, rapidly
nearing completion and it will give the
capital city the boast Of having the fin
est high school building in the state
In every detail freproof material has
been used and the building is provided
with the best appliances for fire escapes,
50 that the school will be a model for
boards Of education in all the north
west.
Every wall from those in the halls to
the small walls of the interior closets is
built Of brick and terra Gotta. The
floors Of the large assembly room, the
gymnasium, halls, and stairways, are
built Of concrete and steel. There are no
wooden window or door castings, wains
cOtingS, or basebOards. The ceilings Of
all the rooms are covered with metal
lathe and adamant plaster, and the floors
Of the study rooms with their thin wood
coverings have the only nHammabc con
struCtiOn.
Fire Escapes.
Two large fire escapes lead from the
rear Of the building and there are five
exits on the first floor Of the building
Two large stairways connect the base
mcHt with the third floor. Two stand
pipes extend the height of the struc-
turc and have connections on every floor.
Thus the 1000 children who will be
housed in the building daily after
September l, are to be protected from
the dangers of fire like that at Col
linwood.
Work on the new structure has been
going on for nearly two years and it was
three years ago, May ,, when the pro-
vision was made for the construction of
the building. 1t is located on the site
Of the former high school building, which
was torn down to make room for the
structure. and fills all of the block which
IS just off the capitol square The build
ing and heating plant cost $221 600,
which with the equipment raises the en-
tire cost 10 a quarter of Il million.
Increase the Capacity
The building is constructed oC brick
and terra Gotta with tile and terra Gotta
ornaments. The three floors and base
ment are devoted entirely to the room
Of the high school. On the ground floor
is the gymnasium, 50 feet square, the
rooms of the departments Qf manual
training, coat rooms and vcstibules. The
second floor has the assembly room
which will seat 900 students and the
class rooms. The class rooms in the en-
tire building will seat 1000, and in addi-
ton there are the lecture rooms and
laboratories which will increase the ca
pacity % per cent.
Features of the equipment which aid
in making the building the best in the
state are the vacuum cleaning system,
the compressed air clock system, and the
mechanical ventilation system. There
will be no dusty erasing of blackhoards
as all the chalk will be removed by air
brushes and conducted directly to the
basement. The system is to be installed
at Il cost of $1,000 and so far as known
the Madison school is the only one in the
country which has the plan. The Oak
Park high school is the only other school
in the northwest supplied with the com
pressed clock system. Forty-four clocks
will run on a master and secondary SyS-
tom which is said to be superior to the
electric systems in common use. Two
immense fans will force air into the
study rooms and the closets will be ven
tilatcd by az exhaust system.
The new Milwaukee north side build
ing is said to be second to the Madison
building, while the new La Crosse and
Appleton buildings are quite as good.
There are 600 students in the Madison
high school at present, but with the con
dition of being a SO-callcd independent
school, the enrolment will be raised to
near 900 in Il short time after the OPEN
ing of the school. The staff of instruc-
tors will be increased with the opening
from % to 30 At present the courses
given are only academic. but with the
new equipment, domestic science, man
ual training and commercial courses will
be taught.
Superintendent r. b. Dudgeon, who
has been at the head of the Madison
schools for the past seventeen years, has
been an active agent in the erection of
the new school and has been supported
by the board of education, composed of
Judge Anthony Donovan, president; Q.
:. NOrsman, secretary; Frank AlvOrd,
treasurer; George Kroncke, Fred Ar
thur. Prof. Victor Lenher. Aid. Freder-
lex +. Turneaure and Mayor Schubert,
ex-officio members. The building com
mittee is composed of George Kroncke,
chairman: Judge Anthony Donovan,
Frank Alvord. Prof Victor Lenher. Aid.
Frederick E. Turneaure and Mayor
Schubert L. G. Mccarthy of Madison
is contractor for the building and Cass
Gilbert of New York is architect.