Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-05-04
FULFILLS GREAT
NEED, SAYS SUPT

The greatest forward step ever TAX
en- in the Willmar Schools was the |
erection of the present Junior, High |
School. Work on this building was
begun in May 1919 and completed alb
out Christmas time in 1920. The ex-
ira Accommodations thus provided were |
badly needed as no school rooms had
been added to the system since 1906. |
An Industrial Building was put up in
1909 to care for the vocational work, |
but this did not provide for an in
creased enrolment. aSinGe: 1906 the |
population Of our city has increased
over 500 and the school has grown ,
proportionately. AS result we were
forced last year to crowd children in
to rooms >that were entirely unfit for
their use. Grade teachers during this
year averaged over 40 pupils each
with certain ones caring for SO or
more.
In the basement ~of~the public lib
rary we housed IS fifth grade children
in single room where the lighting
and ventilation were entirely made
quate. Every room in the Central
Grade Building wasfover-crowded. Up
stairs we had a double room which
was occupied by the high school in
of 80 pupils but we enrolled 1923. We
even taught a class of Teacher Train
ing students in the attic of this build
ing. In the Industrial Building we
had four grades, two of them being
in the basement, and in the High
| School proper we cared for over 40
first graders. The Lincoln School in
East Willmar was filled to overflow
ing and we were obliged to run half
day sessions during part of the school
year.
The above were the conditions
which faced the teaching force of the
Willmar Schools last year. No one
who did not actually work under these
difficulties can realize what the school
people had to endure. With the COM
ing of the new building practically all
of the congestion has been eliminated.
In addition to providing more COM
modious quarters for housing the pu-
pills the new building furnished ade-
quate heating, lighting and ventilating
facilities. Every student of health
knows what this means to the grow
ing child. We often hear someone say
that people are not SO strong and
healthy as they used to be in the good
old days. Statistics, however, do not
bear out this statement In our
school we find conditions much better
this year than formerly.
The new building also provided an
exceptionally fine gymnasium equip
ped with apparatus, lockers and show
ers. No room that we have has been
! more popular than this, both with stu
dents and with the general public.
: Many an old fellow has loosened up
his stiffened muscles therein this win
, ter and many boy has left of his
cigarette smoking and 1Oafing about
town to spend profitable hour With
in it's walls II the new building had
provided no other room than this it
, would have been more than worth
r while The gymnasium has stage
at one end which has been equipped
with good scenery and now all school
plays as well as other entertainments
can be held there. Formerly we We're
forced to give our plays down town at
: great expense and much waste OF
time X j. = ess<sss-s .Eae<s 81. &:
Two years ago we had three heating
plants in operation at the Central
i School group. one 4Paer ths Old High,
I one under the Grade School and one
back of the Industrial Building: THIS
d greatly increased the fire hazard,
:. made unnecessary work for the JAM