The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-05
FOR A CHANGE
Topeka School system May Be
Revoluti0nixed.
Plans Discussed for ? Junior
High School.
have ONE FOR NORTH Side
Grant School Addition Matter
Deferred.
Penwell and Jones Bring For.
ward the Plan.

The present school system IN To-
peka will undergo more or less OF a
revolution If plans that are In con-
temptation by the board OF education
are put into effect.
Decision was made Monday night at
the regular May meeting of the board
to establish all-day sessions at the
high school in the next school year,
which means that q cafeteria res
taurant will be maintained in the
basement Of the high school building.
hut this is not all. The adoption OF
the junior high school plan that Is In
vogue in many other schools OF the
country will be discussed at a. meet
ing of the board at 1880 o'clock Sat
urday night. A junior high school
would include the present seventh and
eighth grades and the freshman year
In the high school.
High School for North Side.
1t was limited at the board meeting
Monday night that the establishment
Of . junior high school in North To-
peka may be brought about next fall.
The subject of a junior high school
for the North side was brought up
when the question of adopting plans
for an addition to, the. Grant school,
prepared by J. c. Holland, architect,
was presented by L. M. Penweil,
chairman of the building committee
About Grant School.
Dr.. C. B. Van Horn urged that no
action be taken until after final de-
cision has been made relative to the
proposed Junior high school plan. He
even favored the erection Of an entire
1y new building in place OF the present
Grant school provided that the pro-
posed new system should demand 1t.
His contention was that the board
should not act blindly in making it's
plans for improvements at Grant. 1t
would be unwise he maintained. to go
ahead Immediately with a building
use to advantage. DR.. Van Horn init
mated that the present school system
in Topeka is not up to date.
Architect Holland has drawn two
Grant school plans. One calls for a
three room addition and the remOdeling
OF the present building at cost of
about 5000 and the other simply con-
templates the remodeling of the pres
emit structure providing modern toilet
facilities. The citizens of the Grant
school district have taken an active in
terest in the proposed improvements.
and they would be satisfied with moth
ing short of an addition. The junior
high school may be established In the
Quincy building. The seventh and
eighth grade pupils Of Grant schoOl
have found 1t necessary this year 70
attend Quincy school as these grades
~s~$AN ~
facilities.
Jones on the New Plan.
l.. M. Jones, president Of the school
board, in speaking Of the proposed in
novation, said: The junior high
school plan Is thought to be first class
by leading educators. II 1t Is better
than the present plan we ought to try
IT. The idea is not to spend money on
buildings until We see If it Is practical.
It IL a question whether we need more
room at Grant or at Quincy. Quincy
school Is one of the large buildings of
the city and there are now probably
ample accommodations for a Junior
high school next fall.
In some other cities where the junior
plan has been tried there are several
Junior high schools to relieve the con-
Scstion at the central high school
building. In Topeka We might estab-
lish n Junior high school in North To-
peka and then possibly the next year
one at Clay. Parkdale or some other
school. 1t will be necessary to work
into II gradually. The school board will
Mt least remodel the Grant building and
install modern toilet facilities"