El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-26

*" HE possibilities in . high
school building as a social
center as a place that stands
for the well rounding of the students
in things that are not taught in books,
are Of big Importance, and may be
of great value to a community If prop
erly utilized" said A H. Hughey, prin-
cipal Of FL PasO's high school When
50 much money must be put into our
school buildings by the people the
buildings ought to be used for the peo-
pie the entire year. Our schools are
months out Of u and then for three
months are locked and stand idle, of
no use to anyone except for storage
for the school equipment
Each Should Be n Social Center.
IN the bigger cities of the east
the people are awakening to the value
of the schools as social centers, with
the school grounds as public play
grounds, and / hope the time will not
be far distant when FL Paso will also
be following this idea As each school
building may be the community CEN
ter of the people in its immediate
neighborhoOd, the High school should
be the social center for the entire city.
For this purpose the most important
feature is an auditorium large enough
to accommodate at least $500 people,
where the people Of the city might hold
meetings for civic improvement mat
tiers, or to listen to some prominent
visiting speaker. It would be a real
meeting place for all the people for
any affair in which they were inter
ested that was not money making
concern nor for political purposes a
hall that would be in the winter what
Carnegie square is in the summer to
the people of FL PasO. Where band
concerts or choruses might be given
during the winter
One Instance Cited.
Take for instance when the Texas
University Extension sent CasWeu FL
q m a or GO init
ton in proper school construction, a
matter Of interest to the entire city
It was an address that the people of
The city would have liked to have heard,
but the board could find no place where
Mr.. Ellis could speak, that was at our
disposal. It was not a money raising
ford to hire the theater- The audi
forum in the High school Is small,
and not attractive and is crowded be-
yond its capacity with the high school
students alone, so we could not invite
the whole city to come and hear him
lecture there. As a result, that valua-
bic lecture was delivered to only the
school board, and a few teachers.
Big Auditorium Is Necessary.
"If we had the right kind Of an au-
citoriun, the Texas University Exten-
sion would seno US frequent lecturers
and their talks would be of interest to
all the people Of the city. Such an
auditorium is really necessary for the
school for the graduation exercises,
and other school affairs.
7 am glad TO say that believe the
school board is planning to incorporate
an auditorium, seating $500, into the
plans of the greatly needed new high
school building.
Should Also Have a Social Hall.
THE high school as a social center
should also provide hall. which can
be used for purely social purposes
This idea can be worked to very great
advantage and will act as lever to
keep a democratic standard of fellow
ship among the pupils and to eliminate
clicks. Man is q social animal, meant
to live and mingle constantly with
other men, and his youthful training
should be in a line that, while Guilt
waiting his individuality, would enable
him to take his place in the social
plan of things, to learn to consider 9TH
ers. and 10 mix with others. In the
social life of our young people it is
of great Importance that it be kept
on a high healthy plane
by offering a place where the stu
dents may have all their social activi-
ties under the chaperonage, supervision
and influence of the school teachers
this can be done. There has been a
time when the social life of our high
school was greatly criticized. It was
said more or less truly, that the stu
dent parties, given in hired halls were