Plan New School Building with $80,000 Grant - 1938

1938 - Aug 24 Plan New School Building with $80,000 Grant

Present Building Found Unsafe and Inadequate; Circulating Petitions

Plans for anew $177,000 school building for Union township were formulated Thursday night when several citizens gathered in the high school building on call of Lester A. Rockhlll, president of the Parent-Teacher Association.

It was explained that the meeting, was the outgrowth of a commit tee meeting held a few weeks ago by officers of the association.

It was pointed out at the meeting that the present grade building was built in 1906 and is now quit inadequate and in many respects unsafe. The toilet facilities are out-of-date, have no ventilation, are limited in number, offer little privacy and the fixtures are worn out.

Room ventilation is not sufficient, a situation that is not conducive to good health. The floors are oil-soaked, forming a distinct fire hazard, and are worn so thin that they must be replaced by next year at the latest.

All of the plastering is in bad shape, the desks and other equipment are obsolete and worn, there are only two slate blackboards in the entire building, there is inade quate space for storage of clothng, there is no room for storage of lunch boxes, and light fixtures are inadequate, as are the drinking fountains.

The rooms are overcrowded, the teaching load being from 43 to 48 to a room, while the state law sets a limit of 32. he rooms are cluttered with pipes, part of them being vents from the toilets. The wooden stairs also form a fire hazard of the first degree.

Tbe walls, of the building are spreading, a crack appearing in one room is wide enough so that a person could stick a finger into the crevice. Joints in the attic are also separating, part of them merely resting on the bricks. rom this it appears that a strong wind would blow off the roof.

The basement is also a fire trap, with ventilation and light too poor for use as classrooms.

A petition is being circulated among property owners in the township requesting the township trustee and advisory board to build a new building. One of the petitions is at the State Exchange Bank.

It is proposed to apply for a PWA grant, which would be for 45 per cent of the total, of $80,000. This would leave a balance of $97,000 to be furnished by a bond issue.

It is pointed out that the rate of interest is now the lowest it has been in years and that by 1943 the high school and gymnasium would be paid for, which would not make the tax load any more than it is now.

The figure of $177,000 is considered higher than the actual bid will be, but the total has been placed at a maximum so that the taxpayers will not be confronted with a later increase. The figure slso includes the complete furnishing of the building and all equipment, so that there will not be this expense later and the federal grant will cover 45 per cent of this cost.

The proposed building, which would be located on the site of the piesent grade structure, would be of fireproof construction with 16 classrooms and an auditorium, the latter required by law if the necessary amount is to be covered by a bond issue. As it has been stated that the state will undoubtedly condemn the present ancient building at its inspection this year, it is felt that the taxpayers will be saving considerable sum of money by building now when the federal government will furnish $80,000 a sum that cannot be passed up without due consideration.

Today is



Original Started as paper version Sept. 1990

web version started 2004



| All Rights Reserved