HomeMy WebLinkAbout2795 Report of the Building Committee of the New Primary School Building [the Munroe School], no date but presumed 1904Report of Building Committee of
New Primary School Building
To the Citizens of Lexington:
The evolution of the school building in the last
forty years is a notable indication of general progress.
The modern schoolhouse is more than a cellar, four walls, a room,
a few benches, a blackboard and a big stove. It is much more elabo-
orate and costly. A community may not, as in old times, follow its
own notions of construction but must comply with state laws concern-
ing ventilation, heating, sanitary conveniences, fire stops, etc..
Even the kind of laths for the ceiling and of flues for heating
and ventilation is prescribed by the State Building Inspectors
Department. They are wise regulations of course but compliance
adds to cost. Again,modern artistic taste demands some degree of
architectural beauty and harmony of interior finish. This also
requires skill that must be paid for.
Your building Committee agreed in the determination to pro-
vide the best building possible for the appropriation, to employ
Lexington labor, to buy material of Lexington dealers whenever
possible and to limit the cost to $27,000.
The second article of the specification reads: "Preference
will be given by the Committee to Lexington sub-contractors and
labor and no subcontracts are to be awarded without the approval
of the Committee.
In all our discussions as to expenditure the limit of the ap-
propriation was remembered, nevertheless , in carrying out our desire
for a first class building, and favorable location, we were compelled
to expend a little more money. The committee were beseiged at
first by people here and elsewhere who had labor or material to
sell. We could get every thing needed "From turret to foundation
stone." but no one offered the one thing necessary at first, a suit-
able building lot. Those who owned eligible property, within the
prescribe territory, would not sell or only at a prohibitive price.
The questions "Where are you going to locate the new building?"
"Have you secured a lot yet?" began to be embarrassing. We hoped
that some public spirited citizen would donate the land or sell
at a nominal price. We were also discouraged, as time was getting
short, and were ready to call a special meeting to get authority to
take land by legal process when Mr. Henry W. Lewis, of the committee,
brought the grateful news that he had induced Mr. and Mr. R.J. Harris
to favor the town by selling a desirable lot. "if you do not at
first succeed, try, try again". was evidently the motto followed by
Mr. Lewis. He succeeded in buying where others had failed.
Mr. Willard D. Brown, Architect, of Lexington, was among those who
had submitted designs and Mr. Browns plans, after some modifications,
were accepted. He tried to please the town in his careful and con-
tinuous supervision of the work and his efforts were satisfactory
to all concerned. The wisdom of appointing Mr. Francis W. Dean a
member of the building committee was obvious at this time as his
knowledge of contractors, the building trade and material was of
advantage to the town.
Mr. E. W. Pitman, of Lawrence, Mass. was the lowest bidder and, as
investigation proved his responsibility and this ability to do
the work in the short time allowed, your committee signed a con-
tract with him June 2, 1904, for $17,290.
2.
The subcontractors were, as we intended, Lexington men.
Mr. Bartlett F. Harrington, of Lexington, did the excavating and
stone work: Mr. P. F. Dacey, of Lexington, did the brick and con-
crete work and plastering: Mr.Edward S. Greeley, of Lexington, was
the painter: Forest Hooper & Co., of Lexington, did the plumbing:
The Lexington Hardware Co. furnished the material needed in
their line: The Lexington Gas & Electric Co., did the wiring and
funished material: From the Lexington Lumber Co. Mr. Pitman
bought the lumber: Mr. P. J. Dailey, of Lexington, did the filling
and grading and all the workmen excepting three employed by
Mr. Pitman were residents of the locality. Mr. George W. Samp-
son, of Lexington, furnished contractor's bond and the Insurance
Policies and Mr. A. P. Milne, of Lexington, was our surveyor.
The new building is of Lexington handiwork and design. This is
proper as Lexington children are to enjoy its comforts, the
people of the town are to take pride in its neat appearance and
Lexington taxpayers are to pay the bills. We have provided
everything needed in furniture of the best quality. As we were
not discharged to date, we have recently bought some things that
experience shows to be desirable or needful during the time
that the schoolhouse has been occupied. We know that at the
present time, you have a building complete in every particular.
There is no schoolhouse anywhere that is better in practical
adaptibility to its needs. Ventilation, sanitation, lighting
and heating are all excellent. The building is warmed very
economically. This is due no less to the conscientious care
of the janitor, Mr. Denis Collins, than to the very effective
and satisfactory heating plant installed by the Fuller and
Warren Co. of Boston. The state says that, for each pupil, there
must be available thirty cubic feet of fresh air every minute.
The indirect radiation and gravity system is applied in heat-
ing the schoolrooms. Fresh air is continually going up from
outside to the rooms, being heated on its way by contact with
the warm furnaces. Air thus heating enters the room about eight
feet above the floor and diffuses gradually. As it become
cooler, gravity causes it to descend and, as it become vitiated
by respiration, it continues to the floor when it escapes
through a flue in which there is a little steam coil to rarify
it and send it up and out. Ingeniously arranged valves regu-
late the rapidity of this air current and the teachers and
janitor have it with easy controll. The corridors, teachers
room, emergency room and basement play rooms are heated by steam
through steam pipes and ordinary radiators. The price paid to
Mrs. Ann J. Harris for 30,000 feet of land was $3000
E. W. Pitman's bill in full was 18283.65
Of this amount $993.65. was for extra work
done by the contractor and subcontractors.
Mr. Pitman paid Mr. Dacey, $3402.38.
" " " " Mr. Harrington, 2650.
" " Mr. Greeley 737.01
Committee paid Mr. Greeley for extra work, 45.75.
Paid P. J. Dailey, for grading 1200
[total] 22529.40
3.
Amount brought forward, $22529.40.
Paid George W. Sampson, Premiums 250.
" Forest Hooper & Co., 952.
" Lexington Hardware Co., 345.80.
" George W. Reed. Legal services, 11.65.
" A. P. Milne, Surveying, 23.
" Fuller & Warren Co., Heating Plant, 1862.
" Lexington Gas & Electric Co., 12.75.
" J. R. Craig, Electric Fixture, 65.
" Various Persons, Furniture, 639.60.
" Nighingale [Nightingale] & Childs, Asbestos & Applying same 97.96
" Willard D. Brown, Architect, 1143.72.
" Placing Wire Fence, 6.
" Legal Advice, 10.
[total] $28068.88
Total cost of Land, Building and Furnishing, $28068.88.
The extra amount is more than offset by items not in the basis
of the original appropriation. These are increased cost of
grading, two rear doors not included in first plans, increased cost
of land $300., the use of ash in place of hard pine in inside
finish,$225., the cost of copper gutters of galvanized iron
$100., the wrapping of steam pipes in asbestos, $97.96, an item
which will pay for itself in a very few years in saved fuel.
We have gained one additional room for sickness or emergency.
Some other extra costs were due to the hurry necessary by lim-
ited time for building. The entire work was done in seventy-
four working days. The citizens will consider also that the
insurance premiums on four policies of $5000.each has been
paid for most of the year 1905. The building is slate roofed.
We have inserted Chamberlin metal weather strips making extra
windows unnecessary. The under floors are lined with two layers
of tarred paper. The upper floors are of maple 7/8 by 2 1/2.
Good heavy rosin sized sheathing paper is used under the clap-
boards and the walls are backplastered.
While regretting the extra expenditure, we are convinced that
in no possible way could the town get so good a building for
less money. We have expended much time, held many meetings for-
mal and informal as well as numerous conferences by telephone.
We have done our work with only one object: the best interests
of the town whose servants we were and we respectfully submit
this report, ask your acceptance of the building and request
that the committee be discharged.
J.H.Kane, Chairman,
Henry N. Lewis }
Francis W. Dean }
J.H. Kane }
Committee
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