The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-11-07
Proposed Grade and Junior High School Building

During the first week in Februar,
last year the grade building of Red
wood Falls was condemned by Jane
M. Mcconnell, Commissioner of Edu
cation, State of Minnesota. Quotin.
from letter of February Z, 1923 t,
Mr.. Hubbard, then Secretary of tn
Board of Education, he says:
"Mr. Challman, Inspector of
Buildings and Sanitation for the
Department of Education, has
submitted to me a report on the
physical condition of your Grade
Building, following an inspection
made by him of this building on
the 5th inst.
"In view of the serious condi-
tions which he reports, l have
concluded that the best interests
OF the children in this building as
well as of the school board and of
the parents require that this re-
port be given to you in full and
that you be advised to proceed i'm
mediately to take such action as
will avert any possible disaster.
"The gravity of the situation is
to my mind sufficient to justify
the recommendation made in the
report as to condemnation of this
building. In view, therefore, of
the authority conferred by Sec
tion 1874 General Statutes of
1918, this building is hereby con-
denlned as unfit and unsafe for
use as school building"
Very truly yours,
James NJ. Mcconnell,
Commissioner of Education.
Mass Meeting Held.
Following this report the Board O
Education decided that something
must be done at once. A mass meet
ing was held at the high school build
ing and this meeting decided that
committee be appointed to represen
the citizens of Redwood Falls to in
spect the grade building and repor
at future meeting what, to ther
seemed best to do. Such a committe
was appointed and reported through
its chairman, l.. P. Larson, a fey
weeks later. The committee, afte
a thorough inspection Of the old build
ing were opposed to spending an
money on remodeling or repairing tn
same.
Building Is Poor.
The old part of the building wa
erected 40 years ago. In spite O
good attention, the building is worl
out as are most structures of tha
age used for public purposes. Tn
system of ventilation, although wit
equipment, is inadequate fo
the number of pupils in each of tn
rooms and is poorly designed for eff
ficient service. The sanitary condi
tions are far from satisfactory, ow
ing to outworn equipment and the poo
location of toilet rooms. Odors from
the basement toilet rooms frequentl,
spread through the halls. The light
ing is very poor. The stairways ar
unsafe. If a fire should break ou
there would be every chance for dis
aster and very little chance to avoi,
one.
1t goes without saying that th
building contains none OF the Specia
rooms or departments considers
necessary in modern grade school
There is not even an office or book
room worth. mentioning. There is n
room for the nurse, no restroom, n
no lunch-room, nothing ex
cept dingy school-rooms and narrow
sometimes foul-smelling, halls.
With the building condemned, tn
report of the committee against re
modelling the old building, and wit
public sentiment in favor of a ne,
building, the Board of Education call
ed a special meeting to confer wit
different school architects and select
ed George Pass and Son of Mankat
to prepare preliminary plans for .
combined Grade and Junior Hig
School Building, to take care of tn
present situation and provide for res
sonable growth. After careful plar
ming, considering the growth of tn
city in the last ten years, it was DE-
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