Putnam patriot., 1909-09-17
NO 38

wiIh roem fer manual training, and built to accommodate tsree hundred students and, | necessary. 50 arranged that many niofe can be cared for in the same building, and we found that such building can se built, and we have reliable guarantee that the building can he built, Of brick and terra cotta, including the architecta' fees, for sum between Sat, t,000 and Sea,00e. We found that the old build Ing re-modled In a satisfactory condi- ton te care for students for the next ten years would cost between ei0, ,Ou0 and S4i ,0oo. This makes . difference in cost Of less than slS,0oo between . fine new structure, with all thinxs modern. and built to accommo<iate more than three hundred stadents, and our old high school building rc-mosilesl in such manner as to accommodate two hundred pupils, without gymnast- um and without many ct tho things which are both convenient sud usually required in well appointed high school buildings, The committec is there- forc adverse, and vcry strongly so, to making any extensive additions to our present high school building b. cause, In order to make such additions in manner to accommodate tho scholars who will attend the school In the years to come. the outlay required to make the additions In such way that the old and tlie new part of tho school will be well lighted, ventilated and heated would so closely approach the cost of . new modern building that 1t would not be good business to make any considerable expenditure fot that purpose.
 While making our investigation, tho attention of the committee was called to the conditions existing at the lsrael Putnam School. When our present new building, the lsracl Putnam School, was built, as an afterthought so called Assembly Hall WIS placed In the roof. and since the building was constructed the increase of scholars has been such that at the present time about sixty of the very smallest pupiln attending the Israel Putnam Suhoul are each day compelled to climb tho long stalrwnyS leading to this room In the rooi, which Is used as . school room fur them. We find this room poorly lighted. not we'll ventilated, and incapable of being properly ad- jnsted for n proper school room, the more especially so from the fact thnt all lavatory arrangements are In the basement and the little folks attending school In that room are subjected tO the hafdships of climbing up and down the long stairways, and the hardship is such thnt parents In general dislike 10 send their children there, and several of our most prominent citizens and largest tax payers have rfrained from send- ing their children because of the hafsi. ship which their little folks incur In attending school In this room which was never intended for school rooui and k inadequate even for the purposes for which II was built, and the conn mittee k of the opinion that more ample accommodations will have to bs forthcoming almost immediately t0 care for the scholars attending the Israel Putnam school.
 Your committee has also inyestigat- ed the conditions attending the smith Street school We not only rccom- mend, but we wish to state s.,at wc bs- Iieye It Inc imperative duty of tho town to forthwith provide for the sta- dents of the Smith Street School com pIete and nlnple inside toilet afrsnge- n,snts and we recommend that these arrangements be made ample for as many students as can possibly be seated in the smith Street school building, ns this committee Ia of the opinion that in a very short time all the rooms in that building will hs filled with scholars. We also recom- mend that proper means be taken to properly ycntilate the Smith 6treet School building and that good and suf- iicicnt heating apparatus h. rlseed therein, and that the grounds be put Into better condition, and we arc of the opinion that the smith Stress School can be so fixed, with very reasonable expense, that 1t will be good, health ful, safe building for children, with unusually good and ample yards and well lighted, we'll ventilated and well heated rooms and good sanitary as- rangements. Incidentally we suegese that the city should take steps 70 lay sidewalk on Smith Street from Shureh Street past the school, connscltng with al sldewalks which run from the streets on the south intb tho sanse = far west ~ Mafshall street. We he- lleve that this is duty which tho ely owes to the children who are unable to protect themselves and therefore d. mand the psolSetion q thoss in auth0s> tty.
 This sltuatloss therefore confFonts -.
 First. The present accommcdafio0e for the high school ars inadequate.
 second. The Israel Putnam 6ehoel is 0yercrowded in the i0wor grSs1es md there is no available spaes In tho butl1- ing t0 relieve the ccngestsd eondltton, l, and tho overesowded condition ts rap- Idly growing wosue. and means should hs taken to ssltevs tho situation svsu