The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-09-22
DEDICATE THE NEW
SCHOOL BUILDING
At WATER VALLEY
FORMAL OPENING OF MODEL ED
IFIcE THERE ON SEP
TENDER 20.
one OF The BEST IN COUNTY
Equipment and Building viii 3.
Worth $4,000 More Than Halt o.
Which Was Contributed by People
of Community.-Prospects Bright
(By DONALD M. GALLOWAY

III
Those who are interested in the ma.
material improvement of the schools
OF Maury county are very much graft
fed by the work that is being done
A spirit of progress is being noted in
all sections. No school can boast
more phenomenal growth and more
extensive improvements than the one
at Water Valley.
For years the school has been one
among many primary schools scat.
tered throughout the county The at
tendance ranged from twenty-five to
thirty-fve; and, While the lower
grades were usually well represented
few Of the advanced pupils attend
ed. Nor is it any wonder for the time
that the. teacher (only one for all the
grades) could give to each class, was
limited to very few minutes. This
is condition that exists in nearly
all of the primary schools, and which
is partly responsible for the alarm
ingly small number of pupils who
complete the elementary school
course.
In the summer of 1910 the citizens
of Water Valley, aroused to the ne
cessity of making provision for the
more advanced education Of their
children, decided to make an effort
to found a secondary school. Since
that time progress has been sapid
The committee chose Donald NJ Gal
loway to take charge of the scnool
A few days sufficed to show the con
dition of affairs. The result was that
an assistant was requested and grant
ed. Miss Kate Wright was chosen
for this position. And thus a new
era in the life of the school was be-
gun. Soon the enrolment was doub
led. This served to point out the
next step in the progress of the
school. To accommodate these pu.
pills there was only one small, half
lighted, poorly ventilated, scantily
/, furnished room. Desks became ne.
cessity, and several we're added to
the equipment. A new stove and
more blackboards followed. Classes in
music and expression were started.
In the spring library of one hundred
forty-six volumes, enclosed in hand
some book case, and val led at SIS,
was purchased for the sclool.
About this time movement for a
new school house was begun. The
patrons favored the plan, and offered
building site and good sum OF
money for the building. The county
added to the sum raised by the peo-
pie; and plans were approved for
the building. The contract was let
to Mr.. Baker, of Water Valley. The
house will be completed this week.
It is safe to say that for its pur-
pose it Is second to none in the coun-
ty. 1t is well located in the village,
and on the lot which will soon be de-
veloped into a model play ground.
The building is one story frame
structure sixty feet long and forty
eight feet wide. In consists of four
rooms, hall and two porches, and
fronts in two directions-South and
East. In the middle of the South
ern side, facing the play ground, is a
twenty foot porch. From this one
may enter the largest room Gas by
80 feet) which contains a spacious
stage at the northern end. This
room may be used for an assembly
hall, and will be the home of the
primary department. At the eastern
end of the building is a porch from
which one may enter a hall thirty
feet long and ten feet wide. The
western end of this hall opens into
the primary room already described.
Near the western end of the hall, and
on the southern side there Is anoth-
err door which opens into room
GA by 80 feet) occupying the south
east quarter of the house. This
room was designed for the use of the
secondary pupils. Across the hall as
one leaves this room, is a door open
ing into the music room. From this,
a door to the west opens upon the
stage of the auditorium. Another
door to the east opens into a room
which will be used as library, an
expression room and an office. The
best Of lumber was used throughout
Only competent vorkmen were en-
ployed, and consequently the job is.
one Of the neatest ever seen IL a
house OF its kind. Hipped roof, tin
shingles, gabled porehes, solid white
walls Of tongue and groove siding,
and belfry or the south porch are