The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-06-22
"OUR new HIGH SCHOOL
Paper Written By Mrs. Russell p.
Smith On The Occasion OF The
Alumni Banquet Of The Cambridge
High School.

Mr.. Toastmaster, Fellow Gradu-
ateS, Friends:
Not your school; not my school,
but our school,
My school of ten years ago was in
adequate; your school of recent
years has not been only made
quate but very congested; our school
must be constructed according to
the five watchwords of progress -
Education, Economy, Safety, Health
and Happiness.
Ten years ago there was compare
lively little concern about the safety
of school buildings. Today the at
titude of school officials has changed
from Indifference to active interest.
The safety of our school children is
public trust. 1t is your duty and
mine to see that we get building
that is absolutely freproof.
The health of the boys and girls
should be provided for in sanitary
washstands, shower baths, drinking
fountains, proper heating and venti-
lation. The classrooms should be
lighted from one side only the win
dows being arranged to avoid eye
strain. Chairs and desks should be
made adjustable to the size of the
children who use them. Open air
classes and a rest room would make
our school both interesting and help
full.
From the modern playground it is
a far cry to the times when the
board of Education directed teach
ers to discourage marble playing
and fought bitterly against singing
in the schools. We want our school
to provide the proper kind of recrea-
ton. Should the appropriation be
sufficient, let us ask that the build
ing be placed on a lot of about two
acres. This would be ample space
for a playground, ball park and ten
mis- courts When we consider the
large number of men who were I'M
fit for war service we see the need
of physical training. This makes
gymnasium almost a necessity.
AS we plan for generations TO
come let us not forget the genera
tons of the past. Some of our boys
who received their education in our
High School are now numbered with
the heroes. They gave all they had
for their country. When we study
the lives of Washington and Lee we
learn that mems deeds live after
them. 1t is therefore very fitting
that we erect a memorial hall to
perpetuate the names of those VINO
died that we might live.
But the question is when Will
our new school become a reality"
and there seems to be no definite
answer to the question. The ad-
vance in the price of building ma
! terials is the main objection to erect
ing a building at this time. But
aside from the fact that everything
is very expensive at this time, there
/ is much opposition to Cambridge
getting a new school.
The Alumni Association is the
proper channel through which this
| opposition should be fought. Before
we can get a new high school we
must mould public sentiment. That
is problem for all of us. No sin
| gle person can do all the work. 1t
/ is a lob we must handle individually
and as an organization.
We should convince our parents
and taxpayers that even If Educa-
ton, Safety, Happiness are expen-
sive under modern conditions, real
! citizens consider them valuable as
well as expensive. If an organized
effort on the part of the outlying
j districts can defeat the issue for a
new school, an organized effort on
the part of the Alumni Association
can do much to make the proposed
new school a reality.