The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-05-12

Architects
Visit Schools
WhitehOuse Presents Two
Alternatives; Against
Alteration.
LIBBY is FOURTH ON
PREFERRED LIST

H. c. Whitehouse and r. S. Nc
Coy of the firm of Whitehouse &
Price, Spokane, were in Libby Fri
day and Saturday in the role of con-
sulting architects. The board of
trustees of the Libby school district
invited these men to come here SO
plans and ideas could be worked out
concerning the cost and proper man.
ner in which to enlarge the school
system.
The trustees and architects made
a complete inspection of the high
school building Friday afternoon
and that evening general meeting
was held in the high school audi
forum Mr.. Whitehouse acted as
principal speaker and offered sew
eral alternatives which were dis
cussed by the group.
Whitehouse told those present it
was very evident that the schools.
were over crowded The main part
of the high school, built in 1917 by
his firm, was proportional for Is
students per room. Today these
same rooms serve from rs to 30
youngsters each.
The alternatives brought up for
consideration were. build new
unit south of the present grade
school, Make it separate build
ing connected only by passage
ways for students to go from one
building to another without going
outside In the future the old grade
school could be torn down and new
unit added to the one already built.
The second suggestion was to build
a new high school building and turn
the present high school over to the
grade school. Whitehouse said,
This is a dollars and cents propo-
sition and every minute item must
be considered with the greatest of
care. The safest idea is to plan for
the future when other buildings will
be built" He illustrated his talk,
showing the audience ON black
board exactly the positions where
the new buildings would be most
advantageous.
The speaker strongly advised
against altering old buildings He
explained that this manner of en-
largefnent would run into great
deal of money and proper benefit
would not be derived. He said that
by putting the expenditure into
something brand new it will last into
the future and be cheaper to MAIN
tain His inspection of the grade
school, he said, proved that the
building, now approximately 80
years old, is still in good shape and
would PROBABLY, serve well for 10
years more at which time the de-
probation would be SO great that
maintenance would be out of the
question
Whitehouse suggested a commun-
ity hall, built on the west side of
the high sehool"at some future date.
He said that other towns had pro-
vided for such building and had
derived much benefit from it. With
then building of this addition il
would make allowances for more
classrooms on the second floor OF
the high school.
AS an off-hand estimate Mr.
Whitehouse said that the cost of {
building containing classrooms
and a small auditorium would
amount to about $4,000 while L
classroom building would come tc
100000. A 20 room building woulc
cost approximately $4,000. He ex
planned that these figures were no
actual but were merely estimates
without definite background.
During a brief intermission Su
perintendent A. A. Wood gave
short explanation on the division 0
the high schools into three district
as suggested by Troy officials at
special meeting Friday.
At the present time Libby i
fourth out of IL on the PWA pre-
ferred list. Forty-five per cent {
the money would be provided b
PWA and the remainder would prof.
ably be raised by bonds.
In further discussion of the hig
school Whitehouse said that til
gymnasium was absolutely mad,
quate. He explained that exper
on education now believe that phys
cal training is as necessary to
youngster as mental training. Bot
must be kept on a par If the chi
is to advance properly.
The board of trustees consistir
of Glen Nolop, Glen Leckrone, Mr.
Edwin Kemp, Joe KujaWa and No
ris Adams decided to let matte
stand as they are for the presen
However, the problem of new hou
ing facilities for the youngsters
this city is one of the outstandi1
matters confronting the communi
today and should not be take
lightly.