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

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School should be adapted to the needs of that school alone, a new primary school building would have to be erected; and no one would think of constructing a school house for primary purposes having less than four rooms. The committee considered the ques- tion of erecting a separate wooden building of that size, but soon found that, apart from the difficulty of deciding upon the most suitable and convenient site, the expense of the undertaking (it was agreed that such a site would mean an expenditure for the purchase of land) added to the cost of a High School building having accommodations for that school alone, would far exceed the amount necessary to erect a suitable single building furnishing room for two-fold uses. A brief survey of the recent growth in school population, and of the conditions with which we'have to deal, will be in place here. For nearly five years now, the Hancock School House has been taxed beyond its capacity. A school house with only eight class rooms, it was not adapted to seat more than about 350 pupils. The two rooms on the third floor were intended for use, not as regular class rooms, but for special work or exercises. The normal capacity of the building seating the nine regular grades failing to be sufficient to care for the steadily increasing numbers from year to year, it became necessary, in the absence of accommodations else- where, not only to re-open the Tidd School,but to press into service these two upper rooms. For the school year ending in i89i, the total average membership of the Hancock School was 291. This number rose to 323 in 1893, increased year by year thereafter, and for the year lately closed it was about 42 5. The over crowding at the beginning of the present* school year is such that the pupils in one grade are permitted to come to school for only one session a day. To give proper present relief to this school, provision should be made at once for at least three grades elsewhere. In the not distant future, we believe that Lexington must establish neighborhood schools for the lower grades. This means not a return to district schools, for all pupils beyond the primary stage should be brought, as heretofore, to the central grammar schools,—at the centre and at East Lexington,—where they may enjoy the advantages afforded by schools that are well graded and that have a large membership drawn from many sections of the town. But the plan which seems to be the one for our com- munity to aim at means local schools for the very young, while they are receiving only primary instruction, and are of an age *The Superintendent reports 490 now in attendance. 6 l