The Wilmington morning star., 1940-05-12
1917 Writer nuisioned
High School of 1910

In a historical and statistical re-
port published in 1917 about the
public schools of N e Hanover
county, is a section called 1.-THE
High School as a City and County
Institution"
1t is a valuable document and
should find its way into all his
tories of Jul high school. But what
should strike the present day read
er forcefully is the writer of this
document visualized, with uncanny
accuracy, the New Hanover High
school as we know it today.
Writing his report in 1916, the
writer, perhaps some member of
the board of education, not only
predicted the kind of building we
have, but its departments of study,
right down to visual education
and that was years before visual
education had more than scratched
the surface; moreover, the writer
called his shots when he S a i d
there is no reason why this
square should not be made the
and become an object of pride and
garden sport Of the community
center of interest in the entire
county"
Here is the report is full:
1t should be the earnest desire
of every patron of the school and
friend of education if New Han
over county to provide for this
county a high school which will
stand as a model of its class in
every respect.
First: the building itself should
be a model of harmonious and
pleasing architecture. AS this is
the last building of a public ma
ture which the community C a n
build for some time, its architec-
tural features should be carefully
worked out.
Second: It is the intention ow the
board of education to secure for
the site the entire city block be-
tween Market and Princess along
Eleventh street; if additional land
could be secured, however it would
be a distinct advantage. The school
yard should serve as a model of
landscape gardening for the entire
county.
Third: whenever an opportunity
is given to add to the beauty of
Wilmington, it should be taken adj
vantage of. The location of this
site, between Market and Princess
Streets, the two main thorough
fares of the city, lends itself to
artistic treatment in an unusual
degree. Thousands of summer visi-
tors pass by on the suburban line
and there is no reason why this
square should not be made the
garden spot of the community and
become an object of pride and
center of interest in the entire
county.
Fourth: 1t has been the inten-
ton of the school authorities to
make provision for instruction in
horticulture and some of the fun
damental principles and science of
agriculture, of plants, the raising
of certain crops for demonstra-
ton, such as forage, tomatoes, on
ions, lettuce, cabbage, etc; also
the care of fruit trees, and the
raising of stock from cuttings.
Fifth: The department of domes-
tic science will be in charge, as
it has been for a number of years,
of the best trained teacher which
can be procured from the best
training school in the country. The
kitchen, while inexpensively fur
nished, is to be a model of its
kind and supplied with the proper
utensils and appliances to meet
every reasonable need. 1t should
be borne in mind constantly that
children are to be taught to cook
the products which are found in
the local marker; that they study
economy in the providing of mat
erial for meals and understand the
nutritive value of food and what
constitutes a well balanced. nut.
ritious meal.
Sixth: Every child who takes the
course should be able to sew, darn,
measure and cut out and make
plain garments.
Seventh: A chemical laboratory,
with a small lecture room attach.
ed. should be provided for use in
the study of the chemistry Of
goods; the analyzing and c o m.
pounding of fertilizers which are
required for the soil in this local.
ity, as well as an aid to the study