Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-31
AN ADVANCED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Cedar Ranids Gazette /


1t is doubtful if the people of Ceda r
Rapids are fully cognizant of the won
derful system of schools which will be
thrown open in this city with the be-
ginning of the fall term Few cities of
this size anywhere in the country can
boast OF a more advanced educa tive
propaganda than is to be found here
With the opening Of the fall term
four of the finest buildings in the city
will be dedicated. Chief among these
OF coure, will be the Grant vocational
high school, one of the most elaborate
~ equipped and best constructed build
ings of its kind to be found. This struc-
ture, equipped, will represent an ex-
penditure OF about $4,000, every cent
Of which has been wisely and efficient
ly handled. The vocational school will
fill need that has long been press
ing the board of education.
1t will relieve the congestion at
Washington high school and it will af-
ford the students an opportunity to
specialize which had not previously
been theirs. Also, it will give the ed
ucators chance to better adapt the
system to suit the individual needs of
the children. Present plans contem-
;; plate, for instance, special line of
work for the child who is behind in the
grades. Every grade has its children
who are older than the average pupil.
They may not take to- the studies as
do the others and the result in most
cases is that the pupil never goes fur
ther than the eighth grade, sometimes
not that far 1t is the purpose of the
board of education to deal individually
with this pupil.
Substitutions OF studies will be made
He will be permitted to take up work
in the shops at the Grant school, that
work to apply on his regular grade
school credits In this way the boy or
girl who quits school early will have at
least some practical knowledge that
! should be Of benefit. To catch the lag
CARDS before they drop out and give
them something Of value is the idea
The manual training departments at
Monroe and Taylor schools will be con-
tinued, and new one established at
i Polk and the one west side school. In
these shops elementary work will be
done.
The sanitary equipment in all but
three or four Of the older schools is
far above the average in Cedar Rapids.
There are twenty school units in the
Guy, TWO OF WHICH are SLnAll, the bue
chanan and Pierce schools. johnson
and Lincoln schools are practically
new and thoroughly modern. With the
addition Of Grant Hayes, Arthur and
Garfield schools to the system this fall
about one-third OF the building viii be
new. This gives the city group of
schools and an equipment that is ex-
ceptional.
| Before long Washington high school
will have to be enlarged. or another
high school arranged for. Last year
about 100 students were enrolled.
there, too many for the building. The
Grant school will take care of large
number, beginning this year, but the
annual increase in enrolment is such
as TO indicate that high school facilities
will have to be added before many
Years have passed. =
The successful erection of four of the
finest school buildings in Iowa. those
which will be opened here in the mex,
two or three weeks, largely is due tt
the work OF the building committee OF
the board II education, OF which E. E
!! Richard. is chairman. Mr.. Richard