The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-07
NEED MORE ROOM.
School Board Faces This COndi-
ton at High School.
Plans for RemOdeling Buildings
Under Way.
SAVE IN SUPPLIES.
ReOuiSitiOn system Will Prob
RequisitiOn System Will Prob
ably Be Installed.
Additional Lots to Add to Low
man Play Grounds.


The board of education will imme-
diately begin to plan for an addition
to the high school building or the
Encouragement of the rooms in or
der to provide adequate accommo-
dations for carrying on the work of
the institution. This was decided at
the regular March meeting of the
board held last night.
Copies of the profusely illustrated
annual report of the city schools
prepared by Superintendent L. D.
Whittemore were distributed to the
board members at the meeting, and
the recommendations made by the
superintendent relative to the changes
necessary to attaining to a higher
degree of efficiency in the work at
the high school, made it apparent to
the members of the governing BODY
that immediate steps must be taken
towards improving the facilities at the
disposal of teachers and students.
"It will be necessary to do some re-
modelling" said Superintendent Whit
temore. 81 hope to seen an addition
built on this structure on the west,
with an assembly room nearer the
ground than is the one in use at the
present time. Then we should have
an adequate gymnasium, and the new
commercial department should have
room"
Plans for Changes.
Among the changes at the high
school recommended by Super1nten-
dent Whittemore in his report were
the following: "a gymnasium of prop
err size for the use in the physical IN
struction of boys and girls and suit
able for indoor games; physical IN
IF
athletics; an athletic field and play
ground centrally located and under
the control of the school authorities;
more spacious laboratories for botany
and zoology, with suitable appliances;
q lunch room with capacity for serv-
ing q thousand persons; library
more literally supplied with books of
reference for use in all departments;
more complete illustrative material,
consisting of pictures, maps, lantern
slides, and apparatus; the addition OF
an iron machine shop and foundry
to the manual training equipment;
classes for adults in all branches in
which instruction may be desired;
evening classes in sewing, cooking and
other manual training or academic
branches for the accommodation or
students who are employed in other
occupations in the day time; a larger
number of teachers so that with
smaller classes the teaching may be
more effective; the formation Of
classes for normal training of prospec-
tive teachers; an extension of the
scope of the high school curriculum
and notifications in the methods Of
instruction so that students may have
the best possible opportunities to pre-
pare for success in commercial and
industrial occupations, as well as for
admission to higher educational in
situations"
", Of q G
tenn for the handling of all school
supplies was one of the main topics of
consideration among the board mem
bers, committee composed CT S. r:
the clerk of the board having submit
ted a report on the subject.
While the report was not adopted
due to the fact that more information
is wanted on the subject, it unani-
mously agreed that such system
should be adopted, and that it be put
in operation by the time of the open
ing of the city schools next September
\ Superintendent L. D. Whittemore
and S. R. Kutz were authorized by the
board to make a trip to Kansas City.
Kan, and Kansas City, Mo-, if it seems
wise, in order to thoroughly investi-
gate the requisition system in vogue
in those cities.
In Kansas City, Kan, a building
was erected to serve as a store house
for supplies, and as a place where all
repair work on school fixtures may be
done.
May Hire a Storekeeper.
the report of the committee of
that man be employed as storekeep-
er at a salary of $50 a month, but
there seemed to be some contention
on the part of the members of the
board in regard to just how heavy the
duties of this position would be.
The committee recommended that
the southeast basement room in the
manual training building be used, but
here a difficulty will undoubtedly
arise, as the girls after indulging in
1.-THE time is coming remarked
George H. Smith, land that not far
off, when the city will have a shop
where all repair work will be done
somewhere near a railroad where the
supplies could be easily handled
According to Mr.. Kutz. when the
system is adopted there should be
competitive bidding on school supplies,
the home merchants having the pref
erence. He suggested that this would
| mean economy and good service, and it
was his opinion that the present sys-
tenn in operation leads to extrava-
gance.
A half hour of valuable time was
lost by the board in discussing the
weighty question as to whether the
report of the committee should be
adopted, or held over another month.
although all were agreed that a
requisition system is needed in the
citv schools.
Insurance Rates Excessive.
DR. R. S. Magee reported that in
Kansas City the rates of insurance on
buildings do not exceed so cents per
hundred. while in Topeka the board in
no instance is paying less than so cents
and in some instances the rate is as
high as 80 cents. The committee was
authorized to make a careful investi-
cation to ascertain why such exor-
bitant rates are charged the local
school board.
The board decided that three addi-
tional lots should be purchased to in
crease the playground capacity of the
Lowman Hill school. In order to
finance the proposition. the clerk of
the board, w. J. Stagg was given au-