The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-09-08


out ftinching.
The basement is about three feet
below the surface of the lot grade
and has a height of eight feet. The
ceiling OF the school rooms Is fourteen
feet and fourteen feet are occupied
by roof construction, making the total
height OF the building, exclusive OF
bell tower q little less than forty
feet above the ground line. Each
room has four large windows, making
twenty windows, or both east aud
west sides with two additional win
dows for corner rooms, or four north
and four south, besides the windows
that are part of the entrances. The
same plan is observed for the base.
ment windows.
The rooms are arranged five on q
side, of fine central hall, twelve feet
six inches wide, which extends the
length of the building north and south.
The rooms are each approximately
23x30 feet, with a present seating ca
pacity of forty-fve to fifty pupils.
This number can be increased by the
placing of more seats to possibly IS.
The kindergarten room occupies the
large central room on the east side
of the hall. It's arrangement and its
location, with appointments and equip
ment is ideal. The closets for boys
and girls are admirably located on the
same floor as the school rooms. They
are opposite from the kindergarten
room on the west of the hall and are
of the most sanitary pattern. Labora-
tories are also provided. Accommo-
dations separate and apart from those
for pupils are furnished for the teach.
ing force. The floors of the school
rooms are of No. hard maple, dress
ed and finished. They are laid upon
bedding of cement and ashes placed
upon a primary floor of reinforced
cement. The window frames contain
little wood, but the plastered walls
turn to meet the frame, pleasing eff
feet.
The old drinking cup has been done
away with and drinking founts have
been installed. Likewise the old time
musty cloak rooms" have been rele.
gated and hat and wrap racks are
placed in the hall, just outside each
room.
The heating of the building will be
accomplished by a steam system fur
nished by two large boilers placed in
the basement. The capacity is sutfi-
cient to heat much larger building.
One boiler will do the work in ordi-
nary usage, but duplicate was in
stalled for extreme weather. The
plumbing was big job and none but
the best of material has entered into
the work. Access to the basement is
gained by side doorways at either
side of the entrance steps leading to
the school floor. The basement is
cemented and the greater portion of
the place is intended for a play room
for pupils in inclement and severe
weather. 1t is large and airy and pro-
vides accommodations for all the chill
drsn the school will have. The base.
ment, by reason of the small dis
lance of the floor below the grade
surface of the lot has the appearance
of being the first floor. The lower
sill of the windows is about EIGHT in
ches above the ground. This gives
ample light for any desired purpose.
All basement windows are screened
by a heavy steel netting and the glass
is protected from all accidents of play.
The new building is especially a
home building. 1t was planned, con-
structed and finished by home people
throughout. The plans for the school
were drawn by and originated with
S. B. Sinclair, who worked with the
school board number of weeks be-
fore he could show them the practi-
cal side and the economy of placing
all of the rooms on a single floor OF
such extended dimensions. The con-
struction of the building has shown
the wisdom OF his plans and it may
be of interest to the public to know
that the Oskaloosa plan is now being
taken up by other cities with the
probability of adoption. When the
plans were finally adopted early in the
year 1909, bids were asked and an
Oskaloosa man, John ID. Mickey,
against competition, won the contract
The brick work of the building was
done by Frank Harbour and is a
splendid piece of masonry. George H.
Carbon did the cement and concrete
WORK and laid tho Camant fiOOrQ roof
and walks. The plastering, a big
piece of work and the only thing of
the kind in the city, was contracted
by Frank Allen. Watts & Phelps did
the heating and plumbing work, to-
gether with all metal work on roof
and elsewhere. The finishing and
carpenter work was done by the men
of Joohn ID. Mickey. Other workers and
men have been called onto the job
and to furnish material, but under the
names mentioned. Architect S. b.
Sinclair was engaged as superinten-
dent of construction by the school
board and every detail of plans and
specification has been lived up to
with faithfulness that is above chit,
iclsm. Where the board ordered
changes and additions is the only
variance in the original plans.
Notes.
On an artistic bronze tablet at the