The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-02-28
Bv GUY c. LOOMS

and are entitled to be studied, known
and supported, stands the public school
system, not only because of the magni-
tude of the work it is undertaking,
but because of the expenditures in
volved and the universally of it's ap-
peal
No hut is so small, no mansion so
large but feels the urge of he public
school in the demand for tax support
and the grasp of the child for compul-
sorry education while with it's 200 teach
ers and some $40 total employees the
public school entails an annual ex-
penditure for operation, aside from
building program of three-quarters of
a million dollars.
The people of Kenosha should know
their schools and give their intelligent
support 1t is the purpose of the pres
emit administration to put forth every
effort to familarize the people with
the schools, their methods, their aims
and ideals and their needs and to this
end visitation and inquiry are always
welcome.
Enrolment Now 8,059.
From Septer der, 1913, to September,
1928, the schools have grown from a
total enrolment of 4,058 and an aver
age daily attendance of 2,S19 to an
enrolment of 8,059 and IN attendance
of 6,266.
The total enrolment for the first
semester of the current year to Jan.
was 7,931.5 with an average daily
attendance of 6,887.
This means the addition of ten -
room building yearly to keep pace with
tho steady growth with no gain on the
present shortage.
Gained 322 in Year.
At the end of December, 1928, the
number of children actually enrolled
was 7,56O--a gain of 1922 over one year
distributed as follows:
Senior high school. ...........,. 663
Junior high school. ........,.... 1854
Elementary school. .............. 4,317
Kindergartens S85
Special schools ....-.4........ Ill
The per cent of attendance for De-
cember was 92.3 as against 900 one
year ago and SO per cent ten years ago.
With the opening of the new SEM
ester, February /, the senior high
school has Increased from the 663
shown above to 754 and the limit of
increase in the present building has
been stretched to the absolute limit.
KenOshas Present School Plant.
The school plant at present COM
prises II school building, 80 portables,
IL rented rooms and Is basement or
adopted rooms never intended for class
room use, not including the IA manual
training and domestic science rooms
usually located in easements.
During the first semester of the cur
rent year groups have been on half
time.
From the above showing it is evil
dent that one of the biggest problems
of the schools today is the housing
of the children.
New Program Well Started.
To meet the need the five-year build
ing program recommended by the Citi-
zens' Survey committee involving an
expenditure of over two million dol
lars is being pushed with all speed
The new Grant school will be occu-
pied on the 18th, the jefferson will
be ready by the 10th of March, while
final plans for the new senior high
school will be in the hands of the
board of education the time this article
appears or within very few days
thereafter and work will be begun
with the opening of spring and pushed
with utmost speed.
The new Lincoln junior high school,
which by vacating the present Lin
celn school which was built for a
Ward school, will furnish relief for
elementary children in the whole south
ern section of the city, will follow
next in order with a series of ward
schools following thereafter.
Portables to Fill Gap.
Pending the completion of this build
ing q portable group will be organized
at the south end of Lincoln park to
relieve temporarily this most pressing
situation. Had it not been for the
unavo' dable delay in securing title to
the site, with the consequent putting
ahead of the senior high plans, this
building would have been we'll under
way.
sites have been purchased for ele-
mentary buildings near the Mckinley
school and on Salem avenue while the
purchase of two additional sites south
of the city is being consummated at
the present time.
To those who are intensely and per-
sonally interested the progress seems
slow, but building takes time and
every effort is being made to push
construction as fast as possible. City
finances make it impossible to con
struct any other building at the time
the senior high school is being erect
ed as that will require all available
funds. The other buildings will come
in turn.
More Than Three RS.
The program of modern school in
wolves many elements once considered
far beyond the limits of its scope but
the changes have come as definite de-
mands from a complex society with
increasing needs which no other agen-
cy seems qualified to meet.
Some feel that the "good old days"
when instruction was confined to
"Three RS" were the real days but
such school could no more meet the
needs today than we could simplify
our complex society to the days of the
tallow dr. and the old-fashioned stage