Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-09-29
$4,000 WILL
PROVIDE BUILDINGS
That Amount Will Erect Suit
able School Houses for Staun-
ton, is Estimate
PROF. NEFF OUTLINES
TWO DEFINITE PLANS
In Report to School Board the
Superintendent Points Out Ed
ucational Facilities Needed

ton OF superintendent Neil LOT Cnt
new public school facilities StauntoI
needs so badly. Two plans are out.
lined in his report, submitted at the
request of a member of the schoo
board, the first of which proposes
the sale of the present ill-adapted
structures and the erection of high
school and grammar school build.
ings at an approximate cost of $685..
900 and $4,000 respectively. Fol-
five years the seventh grade could
be housed in the high school building
and the primary school in the gram
mar schol building, when the cree
ton and occupancy of primary
building would give room for the
higher grammar grade to return to
the grammar school building and al
low for increased attendance all
around.
That the school board appreciates
the situation and has been most &C.
tive in it's endeavOr to remedy con-
ditions is evidenced by the fact that
it is working hard to get sufficient
data in shape for presentation to the
city council. Wishing to learn the
sentiment of patrons in regard to
using the Lewis street school for
high school purposes, Superintendent
Neff was instructed to ask for free
expressions of opinion from parents
of the pupils. While sentiment was
divided, the majority was opposed
to this, and believing it would cause
a material falling off in high school
attendance, the board has about
the idea.
The greatest difficulty encounter
ed by the board in it's effort to have
everything planned before presenta.
ton to the council, has been the mat
ter of location. AS many as nine
sites have been considered for the
grammar and primary schools. The
high school will probably be built on
the Old Academy lot, at present &C.
cupied by Beverley Manor school.
When settled as to this and other
points, the council and board will
accept an invitation to visit
and inspect Harrisonburg's admir-
able facilities, which represent an in
vestment of approximately $4,000
in a town having a population OF
1880.
Prof. Neff's recommendation to
the board follows in full:
Captain T. D. Ransom,
City.
Dear Sir:
cat your request am glad to fur.
nish you with the general indication
of our needs with respect to school
buildings.
at is very desirable in a city OF
his size to have three different build
ings-one for the primary children
(from the first to IA grade); one for
the grammar school children (from
the Alb to the 7B grade); and one for
The high school. The separation OF
these classes 10 important from both
The considerations of discipline and
incentive. But I shall not discuss
The advantages of separating the
classes of children as indicated above
here.
High School Building
1--WE should not build for only the
but should consider our
needs for at least ten years hence.
The buildings should have the fol-
lowing accommodations: Seven class
rooms Cat least five and possibly six
viii be required the coming SESSION.,
library, a domestic science room
(kitchen), laboratory, an office,
room for commercial department;
this will certainly be a part of our
regular course within the next few
years Gall the high schools around
us have this department now-Char-
lottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington,
Lynchburg and Roanoke); a manual
training room. l should further
urge that the building be two stories
high besides the basement, which
should be well above ground and
airy. The basement should contain
the heating apparatus, coal bin, two
water closets, and two large rooms
for recreation in bad weather and
which could be fitted up for gymnasia
is desired. I estimate that we could
put such building for $4,000. A
large auditorium could be used to
good advantage. l believe all of
this could be had for $4,000, and
would refer you to the buildings at
Petersburg and Barton Heights
(Richmond) as examples.
The Grammar School Building
IF it is possible to dispose of the
Main Street building, I should rec
ommend that that be done and that
the following building be erected: IA
class rooms, an Office, a teachers
rest room Every desirable), a manual
training room, a domestic science
room, a library, two closets in the
basement, and two large roms for
recreation in bad weather.
"The two above buildings would
accommodate all the children in the
schools for the next five years. The
higher grades would be taught at the
high school building and the lower
grammar grades at this building with
the primary children. In five years
from now,the higher grammar grades
could be withdrawn from high
school building into this building,
and the primary children removed