St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-02-12
FOR MANUAL TRAINING
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(COQIlnue0 IFOm page
the Maple street lot on account of its
central location. This, however,
would necessitate the loss of the lit
tie building now at that place and
a corresponding increase in the size
of the new building. We found that
land north of our Maple street prop
erty could be obtained and we have
options on the three lots, on one of
which there is a large house. The
aggregate price of this property is
$4,000. We have obtained estimates
on grading the Maple street lot. The
present building stands on the top
of a hill near the northwest corner
of the lot The land drops off sharply
to the eastward a little over 20 feet
and more gradually to the south. The
lowest estimate for grading to lev
Ell to accommodate an eight room
building with two necessary retain
ing walls was $4,000. This with
the cost of additional land for a
playground make the Maple street
location too expensive. We now turn
ed to Summer street where we have
a fine large playground. We found
that we could obtain a lot immediate
ly adjoining our present playground.
spIendidly adapted for our purpose.
The lot is not only level, but on the
same level with the playground, so
that there would be very great saw
ing in expense for grading. IT the
town votes to build a school house at
this location, this land can be Sc
cured at a reasonable price.
Favor Summer Street
After carefully considering all pos
sible locations in the section where
we are now overcrowded, this lot
proves to be the most desirable Tor
usefulness, convenience, appearance
and economy. 1t is most economical
to build on, and a new school build
ing can also be maintained here at
less expense than at any other point
in this section.
We propose a two story brick
building with four school rooms on
each floor and a high posted, we'll
lighted basement, as in the case Of
the Portland street schoolhouse. On
1y about four additional school
rooms will be needed at first but
when we build we should make pro
vision for the future as well as the
present.
A part of the basement to be de-
voted to a work shop for the boys
where they may learn the use OF
| tools and eventually useful trade
| as a part of their school work. we
are now sending SO of our boys in
the 8th and 9th grades to the man
ual training room at the Academy
one day a week for this work. More
will be said about this later.
One of the upper rooms of the
new building would be fitted fol
| the girls. where they would learn tC
| sew and to cook. Our plan is to beglI
in a small way and develop this
| department gradually, if it proves tt
be a success. These two rooms would
be used by all the 7th, 8th and Stf
grade children in town as far as i
would be possible for them to come
to this building.
Our idea in providing these rooms
for manual training and domestic
science is to make our school Worl
| more useful for our children, II
short, to give them a common sens
education. In Germany this kind o
work has been taught in the pubh
schools for many years, and OF lat
years it is gaining great favor IN thl
country. In New York state DOT
manual training and domestic sci
! GnC6 are COHpulSO1J III al
schools in the state. These tW'
rooms can be provided when tn
building is being erected at no en-
ira expense and can be fitted for US
at less than 500.
We considered a small assembl
hall where graduating exercises
meeting of Parents and Teachers as
ISOLATION, talks to the whole schoo
or to certain grades might be hac
but gave this up on account OF IN
increase in expense. 1t Will De re
membered that such a hall was pre-
: vided in the Portland street schoC
! when it was built but it was late
necessary to cut this hall up int
school rooms. We need a small ha
of this nature but have cut 1T out c
our plans on account OF the expens
, which it involves.
Realizing that our article in las
weeks paper was much too long, W
will avoid a similar error now
reserving until the next Issue OF thl
paper a description of our efforts [
plan a building which should ful
, nish ample and comfortable accom-
modations for ali our schoolchlldre
and which can be built and malI
= tanned at the very smallest expens
to the town.
F C. w. STEELE,
A. J. HIGGINS,
e. r. MACKAY,