Plans of the New Omaha High School Furnished
by John Latenser, Architect
About thirty mechanics and laborers nro
now nt work laying concroto foundations
for tho now wing of tho Omaha High
School, Hcforo snow falls, It Is expected
tho building will bo reared to tho top of
tho flrflt story. ContructH hnvo been lot
for tho brickwork and tho cut stotio work,
and a contract Is to bo lot In tho near
future for tho Hteol work of tho first Htory
and thu voters will bo given u chance next
November to determine an to whether stool
or wood will bo used for the cont ruction
of tho upper (loom and roof. One of the
porHpectlvcH preBcnted hIiowh tho wing
which It Ih proponed to erect nt nnco, In
order to relievo tho preHHlng need for inoro
room and provide a snfo building for tho
rapidly growing High School. Tho view
Hhowlng a monumental tower given an In
telligent Idea of the appearance of tho en
tire building when It Hhall have been com
pleted, probably Hovoral yearn hence.
Tho matter of providing additional High
Hchool facllttloH ban been before thin com
munity for tho paHl twelve years. Every
Hoard of Education during that period ban
tukeu Homo action Iti this direction and
up to tho time of the prcHeut hoard all
theHo effortH have come to naught. The
llmt efforts were directed towards extend
ing tho old building to the Houth, anil a
bond proposition was Hiibmltted to the
people about ten yenrn ago for tho pur
pose of providing funds to enrry out this
Idea, hut tho people of Omaha registered
an emphatic objection, even nt thai early
day, to perpetuating tho old building In
this manner, the bond proposition being
defeated. Shortly after this the board
essayed to erect separate buildings on tho
High school grounds for the accommoda
tion of the pupils of tho graded schools.
This movement was defeated by a perma
nent Injunction based on tho claim that
tho grounds had been dedlented for High
Hchool purposes only. In 1891 bonds were
voted for tho erection of the present
Central Hchool building to relieve the
pressure upon tho overflowing High school.
Within five years the High Hchool building
was again overcrowded, and In 18U8 bonds
were voted to provide additional High
school facilities.
The bono of contention hats always been
tho double question of preserving tho prea-
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'lilt- . ZSr-uuM. FrrjsS ' T" , .7 fVYZ
OMMIA 1 1 1 (J 1 1 SCHOOL, WHEN COMl'LETED.
John I.atenser, Architect.
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1'UATE TWO
IIUILDINU COMl'LETl
out building and of avoiding making any
radical change In tho topography of tho
grounds.
Tho topography of tho High School
grounds will ho maintained, except nt the
rear, as only tho ground within the quad
rangle made by tho completed building will
necessitate grading to accommodate tho
tower building and tho connecting arch
ways. I'lnu No. 1, which appears on this
page, gives tho reader some Idea of what
It is proposed to do In the way of building
at once. Directly to tho east of tho present
High school building will be erected a
three-story stone structure connected with
the old building by covered hallways on
each lloor. When tho crowded conditions
make it necessary to provide additional
room, a south wing to the new building
may bo constructed without removing tho
present old building. When it becomes
necessary to remove the old building, then
tho entire new building may bo finished,
as shown In plan No, 2,
Tho proposed now wing will bo 250x75
feet and threo stories high. Tho com
pleted building will measure 250x225 feet,
three stories high and If the peoplo de
sire It, lire-proof throughout, llullt of
stone and highly ornamented, with an
imposing tower rising from tho center, on
one of tho most picturesque and highest
points nlong tho Missouri river, It cannot
holp but bo tho pride of every Omaha
PLATE ONE.
WINO OK NEW UUILD1NC, AND OLD
HK1II SCHOOL CONNECTED.
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WINO NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
John Latenser, Architect.
citizen and enlist favorable comment from
thousands of tourists who pnss through
this metropolis every year.
Thoro will bo sixteen rocltatlon rooms
In tho proposed new wing, each ono accom
modating thirty pupllB. In addition to
these, two study rooms will bo provided,
accommodating 250 pupils each. Biologi
cal, chomlcal and physlologlcnl libraries
and accessories, also a library and read
ing room oro arranged for, A gymnasium
is provided for In tho central extension,
with soparato dressing rooms, showor-baths
and lockers for hoys and girls,
Tho Imposing tower rising 250 feet nbovo
tho foundation may he considered an Inde
pendent building; It Is purely ornamental,
but must strlko tho reader as necessary In
order to completo tho architectural effect.
Architect I.atensor defends this featuro of
tho plonB solely on tho ground that Capi
tol hill Is tho only placo for a towor In
tho city. On general principles ho Is op
posed to towers on school buildings, but
considers this an essential In this particu
lar, to comhlno tho Idea of n school build
ing nnd a fitting monument to Nobraskn.
Seventy per cent of tho children In Oma
ha are today attending school In school
buildings made from plans provided by
Architect Latenser. Tho buildings hereto
fore erected undor his supervision havo
recolved very flattering commendation
from educational and engineering Journals
allko. The history of tho past warrants
tho assumption that tho plnns of tho now
High school building, If carried out as
Mr. I.atensor would wish them, will pro
vldo Omaha with an edlflco second to nonu
In tho cities of tho United States.