Mercer
High School
The
Need for a New High School Building
A project which has engaged the attention of the people of Mercer, during the past year is the contemplated construction of a New High School Building. At the present time, there is an imperative need for the construction of such a building owing to the inadequacy of the present building. The increased number of pupils during the past few years had necessitated a division of the classes into tow sections, thus causing them to occupy double the former space. To provide for this extra space, the Laboratory was moved to the basement, and the Music Room used as a Class Room. These changes made necessary the moving of the classes from one room to another between periods, thus placing an added handicap upon the teachers and the pupils as well. In addition to these inadequacies, the present building contains neither an auditorium nor a gymnasium. The lack of an auditorium necessitates the use of the Assembly Room at the Court House for all literary, musical or student activities of the school, and this is indeed a great handicap as the acoustic conditions as well as many other things make it quite an unsatisfactory place for holding entertainments. The lack of a gymnasium is another great handicap to the well being and physical training of the students. Through the united efforts of the students and patrons of the school, a room is rented for the training of the Basket Ball Team, but in this way, only a select few derive any benefit, and on account of the lack of a proper gymnasium, in which to practice, we have not had a champion team in the past five years.
The benefits to be derived from a New High School Building are many. We could then provide enough rooms for the ever increasing amount of pupils from Mercer and surrounding communities. It would give the pupils in the High School an added incentive in their Literary and Athletic Contests, and possibly new departments could be added to the school, and also, it would give to the community a building to be proud of.
We feel that a New High School Building is a necessity and the present plan for securing the same should have the united cooperation of the entire community. We wish to commend the far seeing men who are supporting this plan and to offer our help in any way that might be useful. We appreciate the fact that the people of Mercer have our best interests at heart, and we with to say that, although we are graduating this year from Mercer High School, we pledge our support to the erection of a new building, and we trust it will have the support of every one in this community and will be attained in the very near future.
-William Vance, editor
1926 Hi-Times, Mercer High Yearbook
