Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-03-19
GIVE US SCHOOLS
O. Il. RUGH TELLS OF CITY's
URGENT NEED
Disease Breeding Easements Should
Re Abandoncd-New High
School n Necessity Of
al Today

regarding making provision for ade-
quate school buildings In the city
and would gladly do all ] could to
accomplish this result.
have been in and around Abilene
now for SO years and have seen the
ups and downs of the town and It's
people through good times and
bad, and II seems to me that the
best paying institution we have had
during those years has been our
public school, +.
There is no question about this
proposition and It is not open to
argument. This being true we ought
TO do everything possible for the
good OF this one successful institu-
ton, and push It to the limit OF
success
! have had three children who
have served their time in the base
ment rooms at the Garfield build
ing, and / believe ] am safe In say
ing that the doctor bills have paid
for those children as the direct re-
suit of their being housed In those
unsanitary rooms would have more
than paid my share Of the expense
OF furnishing decent rooms for the
school.
Considering the crowded condi-
ton of all the schools It seems to
me that the only rational solution
of the problem 10 to secure the lots
east Of the present high school
building and build an addition to
the present building. Then move
all Of the seventh and eighth grades
in town into the present high school
building, occupying only so much
thereof as may be found necessary.
This with q good substantial addi-
tion built in the right way will
leave plenty Of room for the accom-
mediation of the high school and
will put the upper grades where
they belong. We all know that the
inclination OF the boy is to quit
school and go to work when he has
finished the grades. That Is the
time pupils drop out Of school to
their everlasting detriment.
II those same pupils we're in the
high school building. associating
with the crowd right there, acquaint-
ed with its teachers, enjoying the
use OF It's gymnasium and manual
training department, the line be-
tween the high school and grades
would be so obliterated that we
would find the graduating classes
Increased fifty per cent at least.
Just that many more men and wo-
men would go out in the world bet
! ter equipped to meet lifes problems
and battles. think this in itself
IS sufficient argument. II any were |
needed, for the proposed change.
"But, look at the expense" That
Is the same old cry that has been
heard ever since King Solomon
proposed building the temple. And
II is no better argument now than
1t was then.
The cheapest thing we are get
ting in the world today is the edu-
cation OF our children. OF course we
have lot OF tight wads' who are
always scared to death about ex-
pense, but the world has to go on
Just the same, and they wouldn't
be happy II they couldn't find some
thing to complain about. They
senjoy miserable health" most of
the time so we should not hesitate
on this account.
But how about the expense? Here
we have a district with an assessed
valuation of about Six Million Dol
lars. And yet three of my children
and hundreds Of other peoples
children have been compelled to sit
for days and months and years down
In those basement rooms with their
fraIl little bodies burning and shiv-
CITING UOChuo0 thC OWAOAO Va SuSOS
millions were afraid of the ex-
pense" Of providing decent rooms
for them. How many Of you peo-
pie keep your children in the cell
lar at home? How long do you sup
pose you would stand it IL your
neighbor kept his children in the
cellar six hours every day9 This
district is one Of the richest in pro-
portion to the number Of pupils in
the state. Then who should be
heard to ask about expensei One
per cent Of this valuation would
raise 10000 and II ten year bonds
were issued the man who pays the
taxes would only be required to pay
one tenth Of this each year which
would amount to the Insignificant