El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-12
NUR1NG the year 1909 the Eel Psso

OINlINb tne year IyO9 the lIl BhSO
IL public schools recorded the
usual gain In attendance; the
usual increase in the corps OF lnstruc-
tors, and something more than the
usual Increase In the value Of the
school properties by reason OF improve
ments made on the different buildings,
to say nothing OF the completion OF the
splendid Villas school building one of
the best constructed, handsomest and
safest public school buildings in the
west.
Manual Training.
Since manual training has been
added to the courses Of instruction in
the public schools of the city and found
great popularity with the children and
parents alike, much progress has been
made In that department The fittings,
tools, supplies, etc, belonging to the
department Of manual training have
cost In the nelghborhood Of $4,000,
and the universal verdict is that 1t Is
money well spent This department Is
under the supervision Of E. A. Ross,
most competent instructor, and the
exhibits Of work accomplished by the
boys and girls In the few short months
of training brought great praise from
every visitor to the Eel Paso fair in No
vember.
so successful has been this feature of
of the public school work that great
Increase may be expected in the amount
Of money to be expended upon 1t dur
ing 1910
Increasing Property Values.
Aside from the completion of the
splendid Villas school building which is
worth 100000, the year 1909 saw be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000 put into bet
terments for the different school build
ings Of the city, making "a total increase
In the actual value OF the public school
property because OF money expended
OF more than $4,000
These improvements each year are
made imperative by the steadily in
creasng attendance as each year sees
material increase in the number Of
students to be provided for. As will
be seen by the figures showing the at
tendance Of the years the increasing
expenditures for improvements, all
though liberal in the extreme are do
ing no more than keeping even with
The demand for seating capacity
Contemplated improvements.
A new high school building has be-
come necessary, and will be constructed
soon. AS soon as the financial arrange
ments can be made another ward school
VIII be needed, and work on 1t cannot
long be delayed. The splendid results
from the manual training courses have
caused demand for more room and
more instructors for that department,
and this we'll be provided for before the
opening OF another school year
Fire Drills
The 1Il Paso public school buildings
are provided with doors opening out
ward, and in all the new buildings a
patented automatic device is being in
stalled. by which the doors, even when
locked, will fly open from pressure from
the inside.
The children are all carefully drilled.
and at the sound Of the fire alarm In
the buildings know exactly what to do.
There is not a public school building
In the city In which the children have
not been drilled to point where they
can empty the building in less than n
minute. without disorder. This Is a fea-
ture of safety much appreciated by the
parents OF the city, and for no consid-
Grafton would they be without the salts
faction of knowing that every possible
precaution has been taken for the safe
~ of their children.
Increasing Attendance.
Since 1890 the net enrolment Of the
lei Paso public schools has increased
from $50 to 5,242, with the year to end
May, 1910, the present working year,
showing great gains for each month
over the corresponding month Of the
previous school year. In all that time
there was but one year Of falling off,
and that was 1907
The school year OF 19O9-1O is showing
steady gains over the 5,242 Of the school
year OF 190S-9, which ended in May
OF this year, and this is considered n
true indication of the actual growth of
the city. In addition to the increased
attendance at the public schools tho
military school and a number OF paro-
chial and private institutions have in
creased their attendance, the totals be-
ing given elsewhere. ..t
Value of Properties.
School Lots. Buildings Total
High ...>..$ $4,000 s $1,000 10000
Mesa 49,. $4,000 10000 $4,000
Lamar 49,. $4,000 10000 Go, 900
San Jaclnto, 5000 10000 Sc, 900