Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-04-10
Vt q 3
Our New School House.


Having acted somewhat conspicuous part in the
late effort to increase our school buildings feel con
strained to furnish the public with brief history of
that action, and the present unfayorab!e condition of
the enterprise.
That our city requires more school ROOM no enc
one viii pretend to deny Convinced of this fact the
friends of education wisely determined to incudethe
oisrictto commence the work liberal scale by the
erection of a good and permanent building adequate
to our wants for We years come Such plan wise
" carried out out, would be an honor to our town,
and great stimulant to the cause of education here
and elsewhere. 1t was nevertheless well understood
that such building could not be erected for a less
sum than fifteen to twenty thousand dollars
An adjourned meeting of the district, held on the
18th OF October last resolved to build school house
not exceeding fifty by eighty feet on the ground-
That tax of $4,000 be levied, and loan of 81 GOO
be authorized, constituting fund of SIS, 900, with
which to prosecute the work In pursuance of this
action by the district tie school Board appointed
Building Committee, Of which myself was a Inembe
and resolved that should go east lat my own ex-
pcusel and procure the best possible plan for the
contemplated building. In due time the plan was
obtained and submitted to the board who after due
delberaon, adopted II, and resolved to build in
formity to il.
sincerity Of the school board those doubts were all
pat rest when occurred to that the 50 tax
had been collected and mostly expended by them in
the purchase of brick and lumber. IlisWill account
for the assurance have felt and manifested in the
success of the enterprise
But why does the work linger? The estimates
are in the scrip ready tossue-materias bought and
bargained for, &c. &c. 1t is for luck of nerve in
certa,' members of the board, 10 meet and disarm
lame and feeble opposition, more notorious for it's
much speaking than from well grounded arguments
against the measure? No, no, they intend the wish
es of the district shall be carried OUTPUT when
that is the question. The only argument that weighs
feather against the enterprise is our poverty Well
il is hard to be poor but II is harder TO be ignorant
We can invest three hundred thousand dollars in
Railroad, and FIVE to ten thousand dollars annually,
in harbor improvements To increase worldly pos
sessions, but when few thousand dollars requir
ed 10 advance the cause of education, and enube us
to discharge our bounden duty to the rising genera
ton who cannot speak for themselves but who have
a natural right to thorough education, as well IA
natural right to their share OF the earth and its pro
ducts and into whose hands the whole must soon be
consigned we told there is no money for such
purposes. Out upon such doctrine! 1t is false in
fact and fraudulent Withholding from our children
what to would be mere trfle, bat to them of in
finite value
If the pecunary question must be discussed in this
connection, think it would be hard to determine
which of the three projects, the Railroad the lar
Dor, the School House, would be of greatest ben
eft to the City Ii the relative expense of each is ia
ken as basis the school house would have decided
y the advantage, costing much less, while in the
opinion of many, II would add to our population
muCn Us elthtT Dut tDS pea ul poverty comes 100
late, and It is sheer boys play TO allow the work to
faer at obstacles just as apparent before step was
taken they now. As for opposition, il was ex
pected-no good rk was ever attempted without
With what zeal and sincerity have aided in urg
ing tha matter forward to its present stage those
sociatod with me can best answer ! would gladly
continue my aid and efforts, but from predispos
ton ol my time, and hackwurdness of the work
should be obliged to abandon il at a point when il
might most need my attention. 0ther members of
the building commit cc and also of the school board
having more time than myself to devote to this
object, leads me to the conclusion that the building
of our long hoped for school house. will be deferred
tor the present, Abandoned altogether A most de
plorable result for noble undertaking. and over
which those who now laugh will some day moan
To such of our mechanics as have been called in
for counsel, and who have spent their valuable time
in estimating on the building, | would say that so
far as have troubled yOu, has been in good faith
still think you have been rted with and tina; you
have ust claim the school fund, for every day
q hour yon have devoted to this uckless enterprise
Were my arrangements compatible with such an
effort woodwork and work ever, till the prcyent
s equivalent should be fully carried out not only
regards the building, but until model school
shoull be thoroughly organized, and in successful
operation Tnder present circumstances, am obliged
"a abandon the field to others with the hope that all
is not yet lost. 1. NEWELL