The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-10
NORTH SIDE NEWS
Propose to Beautify> Vacant
Quincy School Lots.
Prominent North Siders Much
Interested i'm Plan.
SCHOOLSARE GROWING
Enrolment at Grant and Quincy
Shows Great Increase.
C. NJ. Morrow Organizes and
Leads School Orchestra.
.SCHOOLSAREGR

| II was suggested this morning by
several prominent men on the North
side that the vacant lots
on the southeast corner of Quincy and
Gordon streets owned by the board of
education and formerly occupied by the
old Quincy school building. be trans
formed into a beauty spot through the
cooperation of the school board and
the park commissioners. Among others.
Councilman c. E. Jordan from the
First ward, Superintendent E. D. Stan
ley of the Quincv school. and Fred o.
Morns, secretary of the park board
were heartily in favor of the plan.
1t was Mr.. Stanley's idea that while
the grounds were too far from the pres
ent school building to be used as
play ground, they could be made into
botanical garden as well as a park
Tor the use Of teachers and botany
students of the school.
The proposition mentioned party
grew out of a report that the lots were
for sale. There are about nine lots al
together. This space. in the opinion
of many. even if 1t is not made into
a park, should be held for additional
school buildings. This view is ia
ken in connection with the growth of
the North side which has been remark
able in the last year, and especially
as to the increase of school attendance
Our lower grades average about so
pupils. We are so crowded that we
have to use a room which has been va
cant for over a year and to re- employ
an extra teacher. Miss McConnelly. for
the primary grade, and to make several
fearranSemenuS for the seating of the
primary pupils.
Our enrolment up-to-date is about
49, gain of nearly 100 over the at
tendance for this time last year. I
understand that the Grant school is in
creasing its attendance also. This in
C1cateS that the time is coming when
the North side will need another school
building and then the vacant lots at
the southeast corner of Quincy and Cor
don streets may be utilized for the pur-
pose. AT present ] would like to see
them transformed into a beauty spot,
with flowers planted in them. Some of
the flowers and plants might be botani-
cal specimens to be used in nature
studies. Arrangements could be made
by which the botany teacher could take
ner classes to study these plants.
AT present we have no ground avail
able for such a plan. OF course the
children run all over the playground
and need that space for recreation. On
the other hand, the lots referred to are
too far away from the school for a play
ground, but if they were beautified as
described they might be cared for by
the pupils and teachers in school time
and by the club women in vacation I
think we could interest the club wo-
men in the idea"
Mr.. Morns said that he was in favor
of anything he could to help the Pro
position in the way of giving any
shrubs or plants which might be left |
over from those which were to be |
planted in the different parks, but didn't !
know just what the park board could |
Go about the matter.
Mr.. Jordan said that he was very
much pleased with the idea of the CO.
operation of the park board and the |
school board to make the lots a garden |
spot and thought that if it was used |
for botany purposes that the school |
board would pay a great deal of ex- |
pense of fitting it up for such if the |
park people would supply the help and |
rnaterial.