The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-12-23
SCHOOL BUllDlNCS IN SAN JOSE.

G$sssS9lUu1l r GauseS ~ Tue -We$I. belfast
needs Modern School Building and an
Hotel.
ToTHE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL. From time
to time have seen articles in The Journal
relative to the school buildings in Belfast and
the need Of modern, up-to-date, appliances for
education there. Through the West the first
question asked by prospective settlers is that
Of educational facilities, and the towns that
are not up-to-date in that respect are given
the go-by. No matter what part of the West
you visit you will find good schools, and the
people are ready and willing to raise the funds
necessary for the erection of good buildings for
the purpose Of educating their children. Our
Eastern people would think that in the face of
the heavy expenses incurred by nearly all citi-
zens through loss at the time of the earth
quake, that it would have been impossible to
introduce measure to issue bonds for school
this State that has not restored their school
buildings, and put them in thorough condition
for the demands of the present age The
public buildings of San Jose were all bad
ly damaged and many were entirely re-
built, while some were repaired. Every church
felt it, and but few of them were repair
ed. Some of the school buildings could have
been repaired, but upon looking over the
grounds, it was decided best to remove the old
ones entirely, and replace them with buildings
up-to-date in every respect and by large ma
jority it was voted to issue the necessary
bonds for the purpose. Today the school
buildings, churches and county and city build
ings, are all practically new. The State Nor
NAL School was damaged but could have been
repaired, but it was decided to remove the old
building and replace it with larger and more
complete one. That you may form some idea
of what has been done here am mailing YOU a
copy of San House of Learning by and for the
People of San Jose,'' which wish every good
citizen of my dear old native town could see.
1t not only gives a description of the new
High school buildings but also pictures of the
four new Grammar schools, any one of which
would, Think accommodate more pupils than
all our Belfast school buildings. The Lowell
school is built upon lot about the size of that
occupied by our High and Grammar, only
other buildings, except the Longfellow;
are upon larger lots, giving more playground.
San Jose, should say, is about six times as
large as Belfast, but its school census will show
much greater in proportion than that of Bel
fast owing to the people from the European
countries who have located here on account of
the great prune orchards of Santa Clara county.
Only three miles from San Jose is the town of
Santa Clara, where they have fine schools of
their own, while just beyond the city limits
is the university of the Pacific" another in
dependent school, In addition to the public
schools of San Jose there are several private
institutions, such as the "Washburn School,"
"St Marys," "Notre Dame" est. Josephs
Grammar" est. Josephs High School," and the
Catholic Orphanage School, l understand
the cost of building in this country is from
thirty to forty per cent higher than in New
! England.
l hope it will only be matter of short
time before l shall hear that Belfast has not
only one of the finest school buildings in the
State, located upon the old common but will
also have hotel; for when east this fall gen.
tleman informed me he had at last visited my
old home and it was the most attractive place
on the New England coast; but he found there
was no desirable place where he could stay for a
few days, and he only remained few hours.
The people who have not been outside of
New England do not realize what beautiful
spot they live in, and what superior attractions
Belfast and Penobscot Bay have to offer the
summer tourists. Yours truly,
F. W. Angler.
San Jose, Calf, November %, 1909.