The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-22

Two new Junior High schools,
which will accommodate 1000 pupils
each, will be built in Richmond it
was made known in a statement made
by the Richmond board Of education
as Garfield at Twelfth and South A
streets, will be utilized for other pur-
poses.
The board has secured options on
two pieces of ground, one in the east
part and one in the west part of the
city, upon which the buildings will be
erected. There will be enough ground
bought and the buildings will be erect
ed in such manner that they may be
enlarged to suit the needs of the grow
ing community.
Members Of the board of education
would not discuss the proposal other
than to issue the following formal
statement:
Two years ago the board of educa-
ton decided to build a new Junior
High school on the ground adjoining
the present Garfield school and had
some tentative plans prepared for this
purpose. 1t was proposed to buy all
the property adjoining the presen.
building up to the alley on the north,
clear the same and cover it with a
new modern building that would be
joined to the present building. The
new part together with the old build
ing, was to accommodate the seventh
and eighth grades which are now hous-
ed in the Garfield building, and also
the ninth grade which is, at present.
a part of the Senior High school. This
would give building accommodating
a total Of about 1,100 pupils. The
board had actually purchased some
property and had torn down three
houses adjoining the Garfield school
and was proceeding with the building
plans when they were ordered to dis
continue by the State Council of De-
fense. Since the war has closed, in.
terest has revived in the community
in the new school project and the
board of education has been at work
on 1t for the last few months.
Some objections have appeared In
the two years since the plan was first
adopted that make the desirability of
carving it out as then planned very
questionable.
Some Objections.
First. There is not enough ground
at Twelfth and A streets, even II the
board carried out the original plan of
buying all the property up to the
alley on the north side Of the present
property. There could be no play
ground, the plans of the building
would have to conform to the limita-
tions of the lot and the building itself
would lack a dignified setting.
"The war has brought out the fact
that we need in our schools more
adequate physical education than We
have yet had and no program OF
physical education in the future will
be satisfactory that does not provide
outdoor gymnastic facilities. The play
ground at Twenty-second and A is the
only playground for both junior and
senior high school pupils that is own
ed by the board Of education.
"The defects that existed in the ten
tative plans the board had had drawn
two years ago for this site were due
chiefly to the attempt to set large
building into an inadequate lot. The
same problem confronted the architect
that planned the present senior high
school and many criticisms of 1t are
directed at features made necessary
by the limitations of the site on which
it was built
Furthermore, it does not seem
proper for the city of Richmond to
spend a quarter of million of dol
lars or more for building that will
simply be an annex to an oder build
ing and that will not have the proper
setting that such building should
have.
Second A large junior high school
located at Twelfth and A will not