Page 2 - South Hamilton School Building Dedication

New Community School Dedication and Open House, Page 2

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Area of site - 30 acres
Area of Building - 94,000 sq. ft
Other costs - $259,857.81

Statistical Information
Type of school - Jr-Sr High School
Cost of Construction - $1,354,052.72

Capacity - 750 students
Building cost per sq. ft. - $14.40
Project Costs - $1,613,910.53

The Cafeteria - Study Hall - Lobby area is used in all three capacities. Approximately 650 students eat lunch in this area from 11:20 to 12:30 daily. The area serves equally as effectively for study halls, and the lobby and lounge area when activities are being held in the gymnasium
The Senior High School Physics and Chemistry Laboratory includes laboratory space for a maximum of twenty-four students per section. The high school biology lab is located adjacent to this room. Between the rooms is common storage and office space. Storage cabinetry is ample to contain the modern equipment necessary to assist in the instruction of BSCS biology, SHEM study chemistry and PSCS physics included in offerings.

The Vocal and Instrumental Music classrooms are the permanent built-in riser type room, both fully carpeted. Each room is complete with offices, practice rooms, music libraries and storage area. The instrumental music room will accomodate a band of 100 students, while the vocal room can handle chorus groups of 120.
The vocal room can also make use of the stage area by operating an electrically operated folding partition between. The auditorium is easily accessible to both departments, all being located in Building "A", the Arts building. This building also houses the vocational agriculture and industrial arts departments, and the art classroom.
The Industrial Arts departent includes the shop, two classrooms, and an office for the junior and senior high school instruction. A program of woods, metals, general shop and electronics, beginning with exploratory subjects at the junior high school level, are available to South Hamilton students. A common welding area opens into the vocational agriculture area adjacent to the Industrial Arts shop.
The large, open Art classroom provides for all of the projects and activities featured in the art program, grades seven through twelve. A special ceramics area is the area. Facilities are available for a large variety of art experiences applicable to the junior or senior high school level.

The gymnasium is divided to provide space for two P. E. classes or two athletic groups to practice simultaneously. Four locker room areas are available for junior and senior high school boys and girls, plus storage areas. Facilities for equipment, a training room, athletic offices, and a laundry room complete this department. Seating in the gymnasium will accommodate 2,300. Bleachers on the balconies and the main floor fold against the walls providing space in the balconies for physical education programs. A wrestling room is located adjacent to the gymnasium off the hallway as an additional space for the athletic and physical education programs.
A new football stadium was occupied for the first time this past fall. Future plans call for the development of a softball and baseball field, plus tennis courts, track, and eventually a practice golf green. A parking area adjacent to the athletic facilities will accommodate 200 cars with future plans for another area to handle from 100 to 150 automobiles.

The 610 seat auditorium will become one of the most functional areas of the new building. Its availablity for all school musicals, plays, assemblies, and group meetings take pressure off other areas thus allowing the regurlar school program to continue without being interrupted. Two hundred of the seats in the center section have retractable tablet arms making the area practical for study halls, large group instruction and testing during the school day.
An orchestra pit is located immediately in front of the stage providing space for accompaniment at various musical productions. The large curved stage has adjustable concert and cyclorama curtains making it possible to adapt the space to the nature of the activity being produced.
Stage lighting includes six large elipsoidal spots, nine fresnel spots, 24 scoops, plus two large dimmers and all the accessory equipment necessary to control the lighting to fit the situation. The auditorium may be used by community groups for a variety of purposes and should become the center of community functions in the South Hamilton area.

The Educational Program - The educational program for which the building was designed includes the basic disciplines of math, science, language arts, foreign language, social sciences, practical arts, including home economics, industrial arts, and vocational agriculture; fine arts, including vocal and instrumental music, and art, plus physical education. Students are bused to the school from a 205 square mile area which included three incoporated towns in addition to Jewell, the site of the school. It was the philosophy of the board of education that to provide breadth of program at efficient expenditure levels, classes of at leat 100 students per grade were desirable. This meant a central facility, and because of transporation and auxiliary expenditures it seemed feasible to plan for a combination junior-senior high school to accommodate all students at these levels. The feature of maintaining separate schools within the complex, (7-9 and 10-12), while sharing common space for practical arts, fine arts, and P. E., creates an interesting challenge. Separate schedules are maintained for the junior and senior high schools with no audible signaling for class changes. The most promising innovation in the facility is the resource center, which is the hub of the academic building. This spacious, carpeted area provides lounge, table and chair, and carrel seating. 12,000 volumes of printed material and a large inventory of audio and visual supplies accessible to students for use in the carrels throughout the eletronically wired resource center. Classrooms on the first floor open into the center with classes from the second floor feeding into the area from a balcony overlooking the room.
Independent study and flexible scheduling are potential features of this program. Currently the junior high school is phasing into a program whereby students in all academic areas may, by request, develope independent study contracts with the resource center playing a major role in the implementation of the program.
In order to carry out the demands of the patrons for the provision of a broad program to the youth of the community, adequate space was developed for vocal and instrumental music. Apporximately 50% of the student body participate in these programs, which function in conjunction with speech and dramatics. The 610 seat auditorium with complete theater lighting and sound facilities provides the public space to enjoy the sophisticated productions presented regularly by these departments. In addition to a growing program in industrial arts, vocational agriculture, art and home economics, the large gymnasium with a separte wrestling and corrective room serves very effectively the comprehensive P. E. and athletic programs.
Since the school distrit was established in 1959, as a result of reorganization, student success in interscholastic competition at all levels and in all areas has been approximately 700. This indicates a tremendous drive and incentive on the part of staff and students to which the facility just described must contribute. Its flexibility, spaciousness, and the realistic arrangement of space as it relates to desired accomplishments by the student body, makes the facility unique and singular in its own right.

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South Hamilton School