The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-07-08
Brooks New Schoolhouse.
The Latest Achievement of That Enterpris-
ing Town,

Iu0 tOWu VI oioohS was also IN part a CeleDfa-
tion of the completion of the new High school
building.of which the Bangor Commercial gives
the following description:
The new schoolhouse, which is on four-a
lot directly in the center of the town, is two
and half stories in height and is SO feet long,
and So feet wide. The corner stone of the
building was laid July 26, 1914. 1t has the most
improved system of ventilation and plumbing
and is heated by one-pipe steam system. The
water supply Is from an artesan we'll in the
basement.
The first floor is occupied by the office, lib
rary, janitor's room, two grade rooms and coat
room. The assembly hall and high school reci-
tation rooms are on the second floor On the
third floor are the physical and chemica lab
oratories, the stock room and room that
can later be finished for kitchen for use in
the domestic science apartment. The base
ment contains lavauories. toilets, furnace and
fuel rooms and play rooms for boys and girls.
On each floor is to be found a sanitary bub-
BILE fountain. The equipment for each de-
partment is thoroughly modern, of excellent
quality and designed to be of practical value.
A Remarkable Advance.
Brooks has enjoyed a remarkable advance
along educational lines in the the past two
years. In the spring of 1913 the high school had
the smallest registration of any in Waldo
county. This year it is second in the county
in point of attendance, Belfast high only ex-
ceedng it.
The students here have done excellent work
and fine school spirit exists An enviable
record has beer made in athletics, The foot
ball team played the strong second teams of
Coburn and the M. G. l., losing to the for
mer by touchdown and playing tie with
the latter. The Belfast team was defeated.
The basket team played games with Water
vile high, Winterport high, Belfast high, Cas-
tine high, Newport high. Foxcroft academy
Monroe high, Jackson A. C. and the Brooks A.
A. 1t closed the season after having won
majority of the games, despite the fact that
most of the teams were heavier and many of
them would be supposed to outclass the Brooks
players.
In baseball the Brooks team has not been de-
feated on the nome grounds for the past two
years. The girls basketball team was one of
the strongest in eastern Maine last season.
winning its first game from the strong Coburn
team of Watervle.
Ii any high school was entitled to the all
Maine honors in school dramatics, the Dra-
matte club of Brooks high school would come
in for consideration. About $500 was earned
by the club for athletics and school equipment
last season. From a dramatic point of view
the work of the members was unusually clever
From June 5 to June 10, the commencement
exercises of the high school were held at the
Congregational church and Union hall. There
was record attendance, and complimentary
remarks were universal for the five young
women and three young men who were gradu-
ated.
The members of the graduating class were,
Marshall Gardner Ellis, Phyllis Emroy Rey-
nolds, Alice Mae Reynolds, Hazel Marie Hall,
Leroy Isaac Staples, all of Brooks, Frances
Mae Eaton of Exeter, Mabel Mae johnson of
Belfast and Clair Harmon Wentworth of Knox
The teachers are, at Brooks High school. Seth
W. Norwood, principal; Ethel K. Rhind and
Marion P. Pratt, assistants; Elmer G. Roberts,
superintendent of schools; W. S. Jones, DR.. A.
E. Kilgore and Charles Ryder, members of
the school committee,
During the winter of 1914 the students of
the High school organized campaign for a
new school building and they conducted very
vigorous campaign up to the time of the an
nual town meeting.
Went to Town Meeting.
DR.. N. R. Cook, one of the foremost men in
terested in education hereabouts, has been
associated with school affairs of the town for
many years as teacher and superintendent OF
schools and was, at the time. chairman of the
school committee. He invited the High school
students to attend town meeting and they
were there with their songs and cheers to
create enthusiasm.
The principal of the school opened the speak
ing in favor of q new school building, followed
by members of the school committee. E. A.
Carpenter, and others. The towI., at this
meeting, appropriated the sum of $500 for a
schoolhouse lot and appointed a committee,
with E. A. Carpenter as chairman, to recon-
mend some method to raise money to construct
building not to exceed 10000. This amount
was increased at a later meeting. After sew
eral meetings the lot was selected and build
ing committee, consisting of DIR. N. R. Cook,
chairman, DR.. A. E. Kilgore and W. S. Jones,
was authorized to go on with the plans for
building.
Because of the towns interest in railroad
bonds the building committee aud finance COM
mittee met with many obstacles. While the
town was in good financial condition, techni-
cally. they could only expend $4,000, and keep
within the debt limit. But the committee
courageous had C. Parker Crowell of Bangor,
draw up the plans and, in due time, the con-
| tract was executed. The balance of the money
was later provided to the amount of 5000 by
the public-spirited citizens of Brooks. And
| now Brooks has fine school building
While those interested in the school, the
school committee, the finance committee and
the tax payers of the town should receive
credit for their effort and advancement, none
will deny but that W.. F. and F. L. Emmons
deserve the greatest amount Of credit for the
present school building, they being the COM
tractors.
Deserves Great Credit,
These men gof1 public lspirit not wishing