The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1921-11-15

Superintendent Dupre is a speech at the Ro
tary Club meeting last Friday night gave those
present an insight to the great needs OF this city
in the way of additional school buildings. and ac
cording to his statement. there is immediate need
for additional school ROOM and will have 20 be
arranged before the close of the year-before the
first Of January The schools crowded now
not an available desk left, and he estimates that
with the closing OF the cotton picking season and
the crops are gathered that five hundred more pu-
pills will knock at the door OF the schools OF the
Lubbock Independent School District for admit
lance. and where are going to put them says
Mr. Dupre Commenting the cost OF maintain
ing the school at Lubbock Mr. Dupre stated that
they have employed in the Lubbock Independent
School District. including one Mexican and one
colored school, fifty teachers. and then they do
not have enough for the best work to be accom-
plished He gave us as support of this statement
these figures: Thirty eight is the lowest number
of pupils in any room in the school, and runs as
aigh as fifty-two for some OF the teachers which
you will agree is entirely too many pupils Tor one
teacher TO do the best work with. There has also
been some complaint that the cost OF running the
Lubbock school was too high Mr.. Dupre gave as
rebutta of that statement the figures of the Unit
ed States government on the cost OF educating
pupils in the high schools: The average in the
United States being SIS SO per year. while in Lub
book the average is S44Io, SIOoO below the
average in the United States Yet at this small
average our school has the highest credits of any
school in any town city OF like size, and many
much larger from Fort Worth to FL Paso with
three exceptions. Amarillo with 10000 popula-
ton Abilene with about the same, and Cisco with
double the population OF Lubbock has the same
number of credits as Lubbock viz Is IL, all
other schools within that territory is below that
figure.
Few people realize the great amount OF equip
ment that the Lubbock school has been able to
procure through the efforts of MIR. Dupre, but he
stated in his talk before the Rotary Club Friday
that the entire manual training equipment which
is valued at $1,000 has been installed without a
penny Of cost to the taxpayers of the Lubbock
Independent School District, and likewise the
equipment in the Domestic Science valued at SZ3OO
had been donated to the school by the State and
had not cost us a penny, still these two depart
ments places Lubbock far in the lead OF many other
schools who do not have these departments at
all Then too Lubbock has the Animal Illus
bandry and Agricultural departments, which no
other school in the West has this department IS
added with only very slight cost, and while the
work is done by one of the best equipped men IN
the State and recognized as such by the State
Department OF Education, Lubbock only has to
bear one-fourth of the cost Of maintaining this
department the balance being paid by the Fed
era government and the State Department Mr.
Dtpre Is enthusiastic over the future welfare OF
the school and hopes to the people begin at
once on a campaign for a new high school build
ing and to better equip the buildings we already
have Our schools are growing. and they are
growing rapidly. 1t is hard indeed to figure out
nine months in advance what will be required IN
the Lubbock Schools to take of the demands
in school matters. Mr. Dupre says We make
our figures to take care Of a certain number and
before the school begins there will probably be
more than five hundred new pupils come to the
city and seek admission to the schools. While IN
the East where some of the people came from who
are always complaining about the increased cost OF
schools the board figures a certain number and
at the opening of the school very likely has less
than that number which accounts for the differ
ence" This is a great growing country. People
are coming here every month"; and locating. hey
will continue to come. and we might as well get
busy and make arrangements for bigger schools.
Vote bonds and build enough modern
high school building With the increase OF poo
pie coming here and the development OF the coun-
Try the matter Of taxes viii shift tor thousands
OF shoulders where hundreds have TO carry it now.
and hey VIII be willing to take part OF your load
in order to give their offspring advantages OF line
school facilities
The people Ct Lubbock face to face
with the need Of a new building and their ac-
ton within a few months will count much as to
the future Of the city. You will either place Lub-
book on the top rounds of the ladder OF education
or else you will tie her hands and prevent fur
Their development Which will you dop
Some of the Grand Old States are already
tired OF the Republican menu. and taking an
other Democratic diet Republica nism was not