The Washington times., 1936-05-30
Farley Starts
A Prairie
Fire

By James T. Williams, T.
They crossed the prairie
As Of old the Pilgrims crossed
the sea;
To make the West, as they the
East,
The homestead of the free.
John Greenleaf Whittier.
Speaking as the spoils monger.
in-chief Of the spoils-ridden Ad-
ministration Of which he is tbs
JobmaSter General, Mr.. Farley in
suited the patriotic people of the
whole prairie region the other day
when he attempted to smear Gov.
ernor Landon out of serious con.
sideration for the exalted office Of
the presidency by sneering allu-
SIGN to him as being only the
governor OF a typical prairie
State.
Nowhere in the whole prairie
region will Mr.. Farley's fatuous
insolence be more deeply resented
than among the good people Of
Topeka, who are proud Of the fact
that they are the typical sons and
daughters Of a typical prairie
| State.
CITY OF HOMES
In the heart of that beautiful
city Of homes, the streets of which
are shaded by elm trees that we're
old long before many of the school
boys and girls of Topeka were
born, stands one of the most beauti-
full buildings to be found within
or beyond the prairie region Of
the United States.
This is the new Topeka high
school building which was dedi.
Gated to the training of future
American citizens five years ago
next September. 1t is as fine an
example Of Tudor Gothic archi-
lecture as any public institution
of learning under the flag posses
ses for a home today. The Gothic
tower rises lis feet above the elm
lined avenues of Topeka. From
this tower at 15-minute intervals
throughout the day carlton
chimes the march Of time to young
and old alike.
In the construction Of the build
ing handmade English face brick,
with Silverdale stone as trimming,
was used. 1t is completely equipped
for school purposes, and will &C.
commodate a student body OF ap-
proximately 5000. There are go
clasSrooms which are comfortably
seated and well lighted. The reel.
tation rooms provide for the usual
academic work of a high school.
There are seven shops which are
well equipped and in which is Of
fered the best of training in va
riouS skilled activities.
Among the special accommoda-
tions of this Tudor Gothic high
school building are beautiful Old
English room, with large fire
place, in which can be seated ap-
proximately 800 students for whom
it serves as a cafeteria.
The high school library is the
gem of the building and the pride
of its teachers and students alike.
It contains 10000 volumes, espe-
cially selected to facilitate the
academic work of the students.
Another room in the building is
the art gallery, where the exhibits
of the best art to be found in the
country are changed about every
three or four weeks during the
school year.
This art gallery is visited every
year by thousands from Kansas
and her neighbors in the prairie
region.
Topeka HIGH SCHOOL
Other features of the Topeka
high school building are special
English and classical rooms, each
provided with a stage for the
dramatization of class work; a
model apartment which is the
joy of every home economics
teacher as we'll as the students in
these classes; a gymnasium which
will seat approximately $500
people with playing floor 80 feet
by so feet, equal in size to most
college courts; and last, but not
least, an auditorium with a seat
ing capacity of $500, beautiful in
it's every appointment and in its
acoustics we'll nigh perfect.
A spoils monger of the Farley
type would doubtless regard such
an expenditure Of money upon a
public high school as wasted be.
cause it was not put into a marble
post office building which could
serve Mr.. Farley'S local SpoilS
monger as a pie counter for the
dispensing of SpoilS to his heelerS
and henchmen.
In front of the Topeka High
School building stands flagstaff
made from one of the timberS
from the U. S. Frigate Constitu'
ton. On every Memorial Day the
students lower to half mast on this
historic flagpole the Flag Of their
country to honor the memory Of
the sons of the prairie region who
gladly gave their lives in war
that their country might live and
be forever the home of Liberty and
of Justice, "the breath Of Liberty'S
being"
This is Topeka. This is Kansas.