2764 Report of Committee on Proposed New High School Building, September 21, 1901

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i • i a step backward towards the system discarded ten years ago. We disapprove of formance of their duties with the idea that the High School had the second plan as needlessly expensive at the present time, although otherwise best be kept wholly by itself, and that a separate building should the most desirable. We approve of the third plan, as under all the present be erected to relieve the Hancock School; but their investi- circumstances meeting the urgent needs with the least expense, and in no way gations led them to agree heartily in the conclusion above referred interfering with that part of the second plan, suggesting the enlargement of the Hancock School, or the erection of a separate primary building when the further to. Indeed, all have come to doubt whether a building exclusively growth of the town demands it. We therefor recommend that the Town immedi- for the High School and a new building for some of the lower ately provide for the erection of a new school building on the site of the present grades is, leaving entirely aside the question of extra expense, High School building,or on some more desirable one, if such can be found; said intrinsically the more desirable scheme. All agree that to gg back building to comprise not less than eight(8) rooms, to accommodate the High School and such grades from the Hancock School and Adams School as the to the district school system, and provide Separate Schools, each School Committee may determine, and as the cost of brick construction is only caring for all of the nine grades below the High Schools, Should about one-third more than that of wood, while its depreciation is, of course, not be thought of. scarcely anything as compared with wood, we recommend that the building be There are certain minimum requirements in a modern High erected of,brick. We urge that its construction be begun as early as possible, in School building which make the cost of one having seating and order to relieve the present congested condition above referred to without further. recitation room accommodations for a school like ours, numbering, unnecessary detriment to the school system of the town." say, too, proportionally much higher than the cost of one The votes of the town under which the present committee, designed to be occupied by a substantially larger number. These now presenting its report,has supplemented the investigations con- requirements are, first, a room or hall where all the members of ducted by the preceding committee., expressed a desire for more the school may, at least occasionally, if not daily, be seated detailed and definite information,both as regards the cost of a new together, either to receive instructions from the principal, or for building, and as concerns the expediency of providing one adapted other purposes. Secondly, separate rooms for physical and to accommodate the High School alone, the urgent and 'increasing chemical laboratories must be provided, if sufficient facilities are. needs of the Hancock School to be met in such case. by erecting to he had for the teaching of the sciences, which properly play so a separate building or buildings for that purpose. important a part in a High, School course. It is found that in February i8th, this committee was instructed 14 to present to fulfilling these conditions, —necessary conditions, unless Lex- the town, with as little delay as possible, definite plans and esti- ington's pupils are to content themselves with makeshift facilities mates for the erection of one or more school buildings, to acom- inferior to those enjoyed by neighboring towns, —a building modate the High School, and to relieve the present crowded condi- assumes a size which easily furnishes class-rooms capable of tion of the Hancock School. For this purpose the town appro- seating more than the number embraced in the High School alone. priates the sum of $250, or so much thereof as ' may be found In other words, the problem of getting a proper High School necessary, to be expended by said committee in securing plans and building means much more than the mere providing of space for estimates." seating the school in appropriate class-rooms ; and a building After conferences with the School Committee and''Superinten- which provides, in the important particulars referred to, adequate dent of Schools, a study of Lexington's school statistics, an exami- accommodations naturally adapts itself to the furnishing of space nation of the school houses lately erected and in process of erection for class-rooms beyond the seating requirements of the four classes. elsewhere, and inquiry among the State officers of education and It will readily be seen, therefore, that to bring into the same other authorities' on the subject, the members of your committee building with the High School, some of the grammar school have unanimously reached substantially the same conclusion that grades, is an economical plan. was reached by their 'predecessors, namely, that reasons of The facts presented by Superintendent Buck showed that to economy, at least, require that the new.school house should be take care of the present overflow at the Hancock School House, adapted to accommodate both the High School and two upper such numbers must be removed as will empty three rooms. If classes of the Hancock-School. these pupils should be taken wholly from the lower grades, and Several members of the present committee came to the per- the building proposed to be built upon the present site of the High 4 5