The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1948-09-16
Schools Have
Growing Need
For Room

Information given the public at
the time the bond election was held
in 1916 needs to be changed very
little IN presenting the case today
concerning the gymnasium audi
torium
This community needs and should
have an auditorium large enough 10
provide for meetings of any size
Jour annual stunt night presented
by the Grange and our school plays
have demonstrated that present ia
cillties are not large enough to pro-
vide for those who wish TO attend.
Last spring II was necessary to pre-
sent the senior play the third even
ing to give everyone an opportunity
to see il.
The present gymnasium is entire
| ly inadequate to seat crowds desir-
ing to attend indoor athletic events.
II also fails to provide enough room
for the physical education program
now demanded by the State Depart
ment of Public Instruction. When
it became necessary to provide ply
steal education for the girls in high
school this year it was found neces-
sary to curtail the boys physical
education program because the
present gymnasium did not provide
enough room to allow the same a
mount of time as had been allowed
previously Plans for the present
provides for a folding partition that
| will allow two groups 10 use the
main floor at one time without any
conflict
This proposed gymnasium audi
torium will also, with some remodel
+ ing expense in the present build
ing. provide for more rooms for
high school and junior high class
use That this will be necessary
soon can be made clear by analy
zing junior high enrolment figures.
Last year the junior high school
had approximately 100 students
This year the enrolment is lis and
if the present sixth grade class of
/ IS moves to junior high next year
the enrolment will be approximate
" 100 by Sept l949 This increase
Will of course also cause an increase
! in high school enrolment by the
| following year, and many rooms
now being used for high school pur-
poses are so small and over crowd
ed with the present enrolment that
teaching efficiency cannot be at its
highest This increase in space will
allow for additional space in the
shop, a large kitchen for the hot
lunch program. and additional stor-
age space Plans still call for the
use of the present gymnasium as a
dining room for the hot lunch dur
ing the entire school year and as
a place to hold large community
banquets.
It can thus be seen that present
plans are much the same as two
years ago except that additional
money is needed to provide build
ing of the type desired Modifica-
tons have been made in exterior
design of the building to bring it
within the price estimated
Libby grade schools have out
grown present facilities to house
them. At present the auditorium
of the New Central building is be
ing used as a classroom This use
will of course eliminate or make
it much more difficult to carry on
the functions for which this room
was previously used The Central
building is also being used to house
more children than it should. The
old lunch room and library in the
Central building is and has been
used for a number of years as a
This throws an extra load
on the hall way and the sanitary
facilities of this building Present
enrolment would also justify an
additional second grade room this
year if space was available Thus
three rooms of the proposed eight
room addition will be utilized by
the fall of l949: other rooms will
be needed each succeeding fall after
1850 with the possibility that two
additional rooms may be needed at
that time if present population in
creaseS continue Il IS certain that
by the fall OF 1852 four rooms will
be needed TO take care of the in
coming first grade unless improb
able population decreases occur in
the meantime II can therefore be
seen that while all eight rooms will
not be needed Immediately that they
viii provide for growth only for a
period of from five to ten years.
Next week an attempt Will be
made 10 answer through this source
as many questions concerning the
bond issue as IS possible. Should
you have any questions that you
eel a number of people are in
crested in please contact Supt. Gil
espie or members of the School
Board If YOU have questions of an
Individual nature answers viii be
given TO those privately.