, 1923-08-12
MARVELLOUS GROWTH OF
CITY AGGRAVATES THE
SCHOOL PROBLEM HERE

Can Casper and Natrona county
build schools fast enough to keep
pace with the swelling population of
those of school age?
This question is paramount with
the school administration here. For
the past three years tho annual In
crease over the yea preceding has
been thirty-three and one-third per
cent. In order to have provided ade-
quate educational facilities for these
additional numbers of children 1t
would have been necessary to expand
buildings and equipment one third
more for each of the last three years.
School population has been more than
doubled since 1920.
The capacity of the Natrona county
high school is 400. In June, last
year. 437 students were being edu-
Gated within its halls. In June, 1923,
the number was 5e5, an increase OF
1853 over the preceding yea or prac-
tically 200 more than the facilities
were provided for. In view of this
past condition 1t is probably safe to
predict that June. 1924, will find 500
students being taught in a high
school which was built to accom-
modate half that number.
Plans for the new Natrona county
high school are now being completed
by Garbutt. widner & Sweeney, local
architects. The cost of this structure
will approximate $500. 900 and will,
with the present building. care for
about 1000 students. 1t is expected
that during September a call for bids
on the addition will be announced
and that sometime this fall the actua,
work Of construction will be begun.
Even with the building OF this new
high school the big question again
arises. VIII the entire high school.
when fully capable OF taking in 1000
students. be large enough to provide
for all those seeking admittance? In
all probability 1t will not. Indica-
lions from other and reliable sources
point toward the influx OF the great
est numbers Of permanent residents
that this city and county have ever
experienced.
Naturally this same situation holds
with the grammar schools. For this
coming fall term a seven-room addI-
ton has been attached to the Elk
street school and a new six.room
building is being completed in the
Burlington addition. West Casper
has been taxing its school to the
limit.
Getting outside of the city II is
found that Lavoye. which had no
school last year. is now asking for a
school TO care for $50 pupils. Al the
Ohio camp there were probably seven
or eight pupils in attendance last
year. This yea It is estimated there
will be about seventy. The growth of
Salt Creek school population has
been tremendous.
Several methods will have to be
resorted to this coming school year
in order to give every student and
pupil the required work. The half.
day plan will probably be used
again in the grammar schools while
tho larger problem at tho high school
may ind its solution In having all
studying done at home with recita-
tons and laboratory work alone be.
ing carried on in tho crowded halls.
Tho lack of sufficiently largo
schools will not DO reflected in the
staff of teachers employed at each
building. Tho policy IN tho past has
been to add TO the force of instruo-
tors during tho year as tho number
OF pupils Increased and II Ia likely
this Same policy will fbs continued.