The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-03-02
A NEW BUILDING
IS RECOMMENDED
tContinued from page IL

| NSOhlinutu tTOlu rage l.
building shows II to be three story
building of ordinary joist construc,
ton with single wooden stairway
placed in such manner as to be.
come very hazardous means OF
egress in case of fire. The bearing
walls are generally thirteen inches
thick, all of ordinary brick masonry
with the non-bearing walls of studding
and lath.
Construction of this character does
not obtain in modern school buildings
and offers no advantages whatever
for serious cutting and alteration, In
fact If fire prOofing is attempted for
corridors and stairways as il should
be in buildings over two stories in
height, they must be reinforced and
strengthened to carry the additional
load
The majority of the class rooms
are either too small or too large for
normal classes and a great number
OF them are inadequately lighted; In
fact, one class room is placed in the
third floor corridor without any di.
rect outside light at all, and one class
room in the second floor corridor
blocks one of the exits to the large
study. room, and several of the class
rooms have no exit to corridor eX.
cept through other class rooms or the
study hall. Conditions OF this
character should not be tolerated in
any High School as they are detri-
mental to the health as well as the
progress of the pupil; in fact the use
OF rooms so inadequately lighted in
most states would be prohibited by
law where the requirements demand
a window surface to the class room
equal to at least 25 per cent of the
floor area and in some cases 30 per
cent.
RemodeIing Not Satisfactory.
It, will be impossible to provide ad.
equate light to the class rooms with.
out cutting additional openings, and
this will necessitate the strengthen.
ing OF such walls which will be diff
ficult and costly operation. Corri-
doris and stairways must be altered
both as means of greater safety,
circulation and ease OF access. to the
new rooms TO be erected, and this
cannot be done without the loss OF
space and adequate interior lighting
favorable to its enlargement and al
teration in accordance with good
school planning and while this may
be done the result will be unsatisfac.
tory and in no way commensurate
with. the expenditure and / must
necessarily advise the Board against
carrying out such q program. It
would be q serious mistake and Diet.
rjmpnipl N ;,,4A
of Oskaloosa .... ,..A
In view of the oVercrowded condi-
ton OF your High school, the handi.
cap which this and the lack of prop.
er equipment is placing on both pu-
pills and teachers, the inability to adu
relief in the shape of modern, wen
adapted rooms and equipment to the
present building in an economical
school workable manner in my opin.
ion places the Board face to face with
a new High school building program.
Work Should Start at Once.
The building of a new building in
wolves temporary quarters for the
school and at least one years hard
work on the part of the Board before
any relief can be had, so the work
should be taken in hand at once.
Your High school site, 256x136. is
both adequate and commanding and
VIII permit of the erection of a new
building to adequately house your
present school with room for expan.
sion to care for the High school
needs for the next twenty-five years
Your new building should be ar.
ranged to meet maximum educational
as well as community uses, and by
uses | mean that IL should
have an auditorium seating at least
one thousand people with stage of
ample size for large choruses and
orchestra as we'll as lee.
-ure and play uses. A gymnasium of
adequate size with locker and shower
rooms arranged so that it NAV be
lsed day and evening throughout the
year not only by the pupils of the
school but the people as well. An
agricultural laboratory arranged
With lecture room and capable of use
Is Farmers Institute, adequate and
well arranged library and social
'oons Tor community uses, well ar
'anged and lighted study and class
'ooms, Science laboratories, CONNER
clal' manual training and domestic
lrts departments; in fact a plant that
VIII encourage the use of all of the
educational opportunities of the city,
I'll OF the time, by all of the people,
ina In a way which will reveal to
'oung and old that what they are do.
ng is worth while. .
Respectfully submitted,
VIM. B. ITTNER,
haS Architect.