The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-05-18
DON'T. WANT VOTE
RESC|NOED
School Board Think
Building Inadequate
+. =. Patterson, Bangor Architect,
Has Been Engaged by the Special
Committee With View to Max.
ing Plans for the Proposed
Addition


Addition
The matter of resembling the vote
at the special town meeting Saturday
relative to building the proposed ad-
dition to the High School Building
has occasoned considerable interest In
Skowhegan both by those who favor
he action and those who do not. The
committee appointed to engage an
architect have attended to their duty
md VIM Folsom Merrill the chair
man of that committee stated Mon
lay that F. S. Patterson of Bangor
had been the architect selected to
make plans for the proposed addition
The Skowhegan school board men,
}ership is universal in the feeling
hat the present building is far from
adequate for the needs of the school
member of the board stated to the
Reporter that the need of recreation
quarters could not be considered as
l luxury, since they were a necessity
made so by the State Authorities 1t
has also been explained that there is
10 place large enough to assemble
Ill the pupils in the building at one
ime together even with the present
assembly room and this is one of the
imperative needs of the school, so the
voters think who believe that the
addition should be built Another ar
gument advanced in favor of the new
addition is that the Domestic Science
'ooms are in the basement. a very un-
desirable location for such quarters.
member of the school board has also
explained the seating accommodations
as being insufficient, on account of a
art of the seats. especially in the
recitation rooms, being only chairs
without desks sufficient desk room
)aing lacking for the entire school.
SUPERINTENDENT WOODBURY..
MAKES STATEMENT
,ditor of Independent Reporter:
May | submit through your paper
| few facts for the consideration of
hose interested in our schools?
This years school report shows the
Park School grade Is to have 27 pu-
)ils; the Garfield grade six Al pupils ;
total of 6S for next falls seventh
las Il pupils for next years eighth
grade. Hence two divisions for each
grade will be necessary and the four
downstairs rooms in the addition OF
he high school building must be used
lext year for the seventh and eighth
grades
The high school registration this
fear is 245. double what 1t was ten
years ago. The growth has been o
teady one. averaging 4 ten per cent
gain each year, If we'haVe the el'samt!
addition next year the ''reeisttatibn
will be 269. D.,t,. Il II z i
The High School has on the third
loor very fairly adequate space for
he present day requirements for
eaching science. which, in our case.
means chemistry physics. general
science, physiology, and botany. Just
low we do not have a biology course
On the second floor there are four
rooms equipped with study desks, a
typewriting room, very small Ii
)rary and two recitation rooms
'rowding in the desks beyond the
nit allowed for approval by the state
avs, we have in the whole building
l total of 1919 desks; also 81 chairs fol-
,eneral recitation purposes.
Each pupil must have home desk
omewhere We have 1879, plus 40 in
he grade room now used by the high
chool, "A total of 24S for a registration
# PAS. This includes q desks in the
bookkeeping room which. of course,
IL ho homo /
The main problem, however. Is not
me of desks so much as one of room
he immediate question is where to
lut the high school pupils who must
)e moved from the grade room they
low occupy
The only possibility In the present
)ulding would he to use the physics
laboratory or the so-called assembly
oom. The science requirements will
aot allow study desks in the labora-
ory
The argument rests, therefore, on
what use shall be made of the pres
9nt assembly room.
This room, with movable seats,
permits both those general exercises
which require empty floor space and,
1t other times. the seating of an au-
liCnce. 1t is the only place we have
or music, both the two orchestras
and chorus. No other room in the
building will accommodate the piano
and seat those taking vocal music, a
class well over a hundred in number.
The large tables for drawing are In
this room This is an inconvenience
but much better than no drawing at
all This is the place for the Principal
or outside speakers. to address the
classes This is the only possible
aoor free from desks for the physical
training required by law. This Is
the room we use for school exhibits,
FOR socials for the meetings of the
French Club and for debating. 1t Is
the place for dramatics and for public
peaking. 1t is inadequate, we need
larger room but until we have a
better one 1t Is almost as valuable to
our school work as Is his last crust TO
a starving man.
cannot believe that Skowhegan.
understanding the real situation. will
be willing In shut d, Act rLly all
hope for future Improvement Du even
the possibility OF malntaiung Jul pres