PWA Grant for School Cancelled - 1939

1939 - Sep 13 - PWA Grant for School Cancelled

Officials Must Still Construct

The grant of $8-,100 by the Public Works Administration for the construction of a new grade school building here has been officially cancelled, according to an announcement issued Friday by the regional director at Chicago. Accompanying the returned application was a letter from Colonel E. W. Clark, Acting Commissioner of the Public Works Administration, which said:


"Inasmuch as the Congress has now adjourned without taking any action which would authorize the Public Work Administration to make further allotments, there is nothing we can do at this time regarding the application and, therefore, we are returning it to you and closing our files on the case.

"The PWA appreciate your cooperation in submitting this application for its consideration in connection with the program heretofore authorized by the Congress, and it is regretted that an allotment could not have been made for the project."


It will be remembered that this allotment had been granted and was Union township's for the taking, but two members of last year's advisory board abruptly refused to accept the out-and-out gift. In spite of this action hope lingered that some way would open itself whereby the much-needed money could again be allocated, but the action of the PWA closes the door with a convincing bang. The only hope now could be a new action by Congress in its next session. But this does not terminate the move for a new school building as officials have the edict of the s tate fire marshal facing them, which means that a new building must be constructed to house the pupils before the state positively forbids further use of the present structure. Limited bonding power of the school township means that additional funds must be secured, which can be secured from the civil township providing a public room is part of the building. This was why an auditorium was proposed in the original plans last year. But even these combined sources of revenue are insufficient to provide a building that will meet the existing needs here. It seems that the only way out for school officials is to build what they can with this money and then keep adding to the building from year to year until an adequate plant is completed. It is recognized that this will be more expensive than building a schoolhouse all at one time, but there seems to be no other choice. Then the equipping of the new building will also be a problem as a11 tne funds availabe should be used in actual construction. The allotment of PWA would have allowed a complete structure with all equipment at far less than a skeleton structure will cost now. It appears that the taxpayers will be paying heavily for many yeara tc come for the advisory board's petulant action in, refusing th $80,100 donation.