The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1920-05-05
New Building
Proposed
School Facilities in Big Stone
Gap Inadequate.

must lace the problem OF secur
ing more space for the children
entitled 10 educational udvant.
ages III our public schools. Our
present enrolment including
the l.. * n. and Southern depot
communities is more than 700
10 accommodate these 700 pu
pills actually enrolled, we have
10 classrooms here in the main
building. The maximum seat.
ing capac!ty Of these Is class.
rooms is $50 We have no
buildings IA; the l.. ~ n. aud
southern communities. AT
present we are using the Meth
odist church building ut Cadet,
but this bnilding is entirely I'M.
ut for school purposes, aud
there should be no thought Of
continuing 10 Use it indefinitely
The local school board togeth-
er with County Superintendent
j. }. Kelly, Jr, have gone over
the situation carefully, and it
has been decided that the best
solution of the problem is To
erect II new building ON The
school grounds near the present
one. This new building il To
he lnrgc enough to urcommo
date the high school depart.
ment and probably the seventh
grade, also, If the crowded con
dltion should make it necessary.
This new building il to contain
at least four clnssrooms, large
study hall, laboratories for
Chemistry, Physics, Household
Arts, Manual Training and Az
riculture We now have AN
enrolment of 81 in the high
school department, Next year
the enrolment will run over
100. BY taking the high school
pupils out OF the present build
ing, we can provide four addi.
tional rooms for the grades
This would give sufficient space
for all children in the Big Stone
Gap District, and arrangements
will be made to transport the
small children from Cadet and
the Southern depot. This ar
rangcinen; would guarantee
every child in the Big Stone
Gap district an equal opportun.
ity to obtain an education.
There can be no question as to
the advantages OF consolidation
here, for ii would mean better
instruction and supervision at
the same cost. Besides, sepur
atink the high school from the
grades will give it that disti &c
ton and emphasis which we
believe VIII prove Il strong in.
centive for the average boy and
girl to complete the high school.
1t has been estimated that
the sum of $50 900 will be need
ed To erect the proposed build
ing and make other improve
ments. and the election for n
bond Issue has been ordered
The election is to be held on
the 18th of this month (Mayl,
and on that date you will DO
given an opportunity TO vote
for more and better school facil
itias.
The towns Of Norton aud
Appolachla are both preparing
TO enlarge their school plants.
Our school facilities, consider
ing the whole district, are just
AS inadequate AS theirs. There
are splendid possibilities for
our school here. But we must
have the courage To 90 forward
if we would realize these posi-
bilities.
hope that the action of the
School Board will meet with
the unanimous approval of the
patrons of the school aud that
this bond issue will carry by II
large majority. The first thing
that impressed itself on me on
taking charge OF the schoo!
here was the want of space and
adequate facilities for teaching
the high school, and | have
urged this action on the part of
the board; and not only endorse
it, but | deem it absolutely nee
cssary to the success and con-
duct of our school. We must
either progress or go backward.
h. 4