The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1903

Drawings for New Parochial School

Plans Show a School Building Complete in Every Particular for Purpose for Which It is Intended

Plans and drawings for the new parochial school to be erected this spring by the people of Sacred Heart parish, in this city, have been completed by Architect J.H. Albright, and show a building, which in convenience and adaptability for school uses will be exceeded by no school building in the city.

The plans by Architect Albright show a structure of pressed brick with slate roof, and base of cut stone extending five feet above ground. The building will be 76 by 67 feet in dimensions, and will include two stories and a basement, all of which will be utilized for school purposes.

In the basement will be separate play rooms for the boys and girls, toilet rooms and heating rooms.

The second and third floors will each contain three large school rooms, 23 by 32 feet in dimensions, thus giving the scholars adequate accommodations for from 250 to 300 pupils. A teacher’s room will be at the landing of each of the two stair cases.

The building will be heated by the fan system of ventilation, which has already proved so satisfactory in the Arey school in this city.

The building will be located on the present site of the school, and there will be two entrances, one west, on Thirteenth street, and one on Third avenue south. The floors of both main entrances will be tiled, adn both will open into spacious vestibules, from which stairways will lead, one to the first floor of the building.

A corridor will run thru the center of the two main floors, upon which the school rooms will open, thus giving ready communication from one to the other. Each school room will have its own cloak room.

Everything about the building will be modern. The floors will be of maple wood and the school rooms will be equipped with slate black boards. The plumbing will be modern thruout.

Viewed from the exterior, the building will also be pleasing. It will be equipped with a bell tower and will present an imposing frontge. Specifications are to be made out at once, and the contract will be let as soon as possible.

Tags: 1903, Sacred Heart School