New School For First Ward

NEW SCHOOL FOR FIRST WARD

The W. S. Perry school, here shown, will have a total frontage of 110 feet, and an average depth of about 80 feet, and the material used will be brick and stone. It is intended to be the best of the public school buildings Ann Arbor, both in point of convenience and in artistic effect.

The arrangements of rooms is based upon the very latest accepted ideas in school planning, and the general ideas of the board have been most carefully worked out and and elaborated by the architect, W. A. Otis, of Chicago, who has designed some of the most satisfactory schools in Illinois.

Provision is made for 12 rooms of about 40 pupils each, with a possibility of later utilizing basement space for three more, at south and west, should it be necessary, the sloping grade of lot rendering this feasible, the three rooms being entirely above grade.

The lighting of school rooms will as far as feasible be from one side only, thus making that side of room nearly all glass and so obviating to a great extent cross and front lights, which science has conclusively proved to be so severe a strain upon both pupils' and teachers' eyes.

The different stories are reached by broad, splendidly lighted staircases, and all attention has been given to getting the very best sanitary arrangements in heating, ventilation, and plumbing, that are possible with the money at command.

The exterior is a natural outgrowth of the floor plan arrangement, and while treated with great simplicity of outline, yet from the very simplicity with carefully studied proportions, gives a thoroughly artistic result, without any attempt at striking effects.  The wide projecting eaves, and tile roof, give a rather Italian feeling to the design.  It is the intention to use boulder stone for the basement and Dearborn brick above, laid in red mortar, but should prices permit, entire first story may also be of this same stone.

The interior finish is to be Georgia pine, with maple floors and oak stairs.  There will be adamant wainscoting in all corridors, and slate blackboards are called for in all rooms.

It is expected to commence work as soon as weather permits so that building may be ready for use in the fall.