Evening star., 1926-03-28
PLANS COMPLETED
FOR M'K|NLEY HIGH
Bids to Be Sought April IS
for Manual Training School
to Cost Two Million.

With plans for new Mckinley Tech
pica1 High School nearly comnlet
Municipal Architect Albert l., Harris
announced yesterday that prepara-
lions would now be made to advertise
for bids on the project about April
10. Only few minor details have to
be worked out before the building
plans are ready to be turned over 10
the successful contractor.
The new Tech" will rise on a %
acre site at Second and T streets
northeast, where 1t viii have a com
manding view of the city of Washing
ton in all directions. Its cost, eX-
elusive of equipment, a proposed enor-
nous stadium and athletic field, grad
ing and other esthetic treatment which
will be given the grounds, is esti-
mated to approximate $2,225. 900, of
which $1,200,0O0 will be available
when construction actually begins.
Designed as a monument TO modern
schooihouse construction, the new
school also will stand as ID me mortal
20 the unprecedented tive-year school
building program. It's completion will
mark the close of the first installment
of the gigantic school construction
program which DIR. Frank w. Ballou
conceived and sponsored soon after
becoming superintendent of the Dis
trict public schools in 1920.
School to lie Distinctive.
In new Mckinley Mr. Harris has
planned a high school that will be
utterly distinctive in every detail
its general arrangement, lis architec-
ture and its artistic appeal. Mr.. Har-
tiS claims there is no other high
school comparable to it in design in
me East.
The exterior construction will bes0f
brick with stone trimmings. The de
sign will he Georgian. which will
ladiate an impressionabl$ educational
atmosphere.
Three stories high. the building will
contain d large auditorium seating
J 500 and about 80 commodious class
rooms, in addition to numerous r2aa-
ual training shops and Laboratories.
The auditorium will be in the center
Of the building. 7anked by a wing on
either side. One wing will contain
the academic section: the other all Of
the shops and laboratories. A large
one-story independent structure, con
nected to the main building by a cor
rldor, will house a double gymnasium.
The power plant will be located in
separate building just beyond the
gymnasium.
Plan Large Athletic Field
The school will face an interior
court overlooking the stadium and
athletic field from an elevation rang
ing from TO 80 feec above the street
Parking space for automobiles will
be provided in this interior court. The
stadium will be designed to accommo-
les -
while the athletic field will be con
siderably larger than the one in the
Central High School stadium, having
a quarter Of mile rack with a 100
yard dash straightaway in front OF
the grandstand.
The cafeteria will be placed directly
under the auditorium in the main
building. making it accessible TO two
"nen courts. Its kitchen will be cut
on entirely from the dining room,
and afler lunch periods the cafeteria
Wi! be uSe3 as study hall.
One OF tho outstanding features Of
the school wsli he its gymnasium. It's
distance from the academic section of
the main building will prevent noises
from interrupting studies. While the
gymnasium is designed TO be double.
it will be possible to partition it off
easily when used simultaneously by
boys and girls. When converted into
one large gymnasium, it will provide
ample seating space for the average
crowd that attend an interhigh school
athletic contest. The floor space will
he 1S0 by 80. Showers will be provided
for both boys and girls. Sixteen
showers will be placed in the girls
section and 50 arranged that the
water may be controlled by the in
structor. Each shower will be in a
booth.
Many Activities to Be Provided.
A library with elliptical bookcases
which will hold 5000 volumes, a large
bowl-shaped lecture room with seats
for 300 and an automobile mechanics
shop will be some of the chief fea.
lures of the new building which the
present Tech High School does not
boast. The lecture room will be use(
for musicals, debates and other ac
tivities which do not require the use
of the large auditorium.
The new school also will have an
adequate armory for its cadets, a
large rifle range, while its auditorium
Will be equipped with a booth and
moving picture machine. The stage
IN the auditorium, Mr. Harris pointed
out, will be considerably larger than
the one in the new Eastern High
School.
Mr.. Harris emphasized that the
building VIII be strictly fireproof
throughout. The stairways viii be
designed as fire towers. All the
equipment that goes into the building
ne said. will be the most modern on
the market. The lockers will be re-
cessed in the corridor walls. thereby
conserving floor space.
Mr.. Harris explained that MANY of
The fine features for the new school
were copied from school buildings in
Baltimore, Philadelphia. Rochester
6unalo, Cleveland and Detroit-cities
VISITED last Spring by the committee
or school planners in quest of new
IDEAS in schOolhouse architecture.
While bids viii be asked on the new
school about April Is, Mr.. Harris does
not believe that actual construction
VIII be started earlier than July
The school should be completed and
ready for occupancy. he said. at the
beginning of the school term in
September, 1928
EX-CZAR FERDINAND