The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-07-12
An Address to the Citizens of Wichita.

An Address to the Citizens of Wicnits.
AT meeting of the Board of Education,
held June IS, 1877, the persons whose names
are subscribed hereto were appointed COM
miaee TO prepare for publication an address,
which should recite the reasons for asking
the people TO vote bonds for school purposes
at this time, and which should also explain
the inability OF the board to provide means
for increasing or improving the school ac-
commodations unless the people vote the nee
essary aid. The people of Wichita need no
telling that our school accommodations are
insufficient, uncomfortable and without cred
it to the city, for these things are by-word
and reproach not only upon our streets, but
the echoes thereof reyerberate from distant
localities.
According to the school census OF 1876 there
were in the district 200 children of scosl age.
The board, for want of room, excluded all
under seven years. and sui the enrolment
in the public school alone was 6l5 during the
year past And, as our city is growing rap
inly, we may safely estimate that by the time
our schools will open in September next.
there will be in the district between $50 and
$50 children entitled to the privileges Of the
public school,
Now, as to our accommodations The
board owns and holds in trust for the people
the main school building, on Emporia avenue,
containing four rooms besides the small roo m
Used as Il recitation room situated near the
main building. The four rooms, allowing
sixty-foGr pupils to each room, and this is the
maximum number allowed by men eminent
in school economy, will accommodate 256 pn-
pills, which is not more than one-third of the
number actually demanding to be prouided
for. II will be remembered that the room
used as the principals room does not belong
to the board at all, but for the rent of which.
since its construction in 1873, the board has
paid three iimess its original cost The room
on Douglas avenue, used two years ago. and
the one on Main street, used last year, were,
both OF them. unfit for he gathering together
of children, as all viii readily agree; yet the
board, IN each instance, could do no better.
To rent these unsuitable buildings in such
unsuitable localities, and At rentals which
very soon exceed the value of the buildings
themselves, is unquestionaby bad economy.
And to crowd 200 or 500 children into rooms
in which it is doubtful if 256 should be al
lowed Is not only foolish and cruel, but even
murderous. "Why does not the board of ed
ucation remedy these things?' may be asked;
and that is just the question we shall now at
tempt to answer.
The board OF education can provide Tor the
current expenses Of the school by levying a
tax, not exceeding eight mills on the dollar,
on the taxable property Of the district.
School laws, Art. ., See. Il They may pro-
vide by an additional levy for the payment Of
any bonded Indebtedness and for the interest
or the same. (Art. 2, See. go And for no
other purpose has the board any power to
raise money by taxation. The issuing of
bonds, then, is the only means for obtaining
the necessary funds for making repairs or
imprOvement,or for the erection Of new build
ings, and bonds can be issued only when au-
thorized by vote Of the people. The men,
bers OF the board of education, having been
elected by the people OF the city 10 manage
the r school affairs, have unanimously agreed
in asking the people to authorize them to ne
gotiate a loan OF $4,000, to be used in improv-
ing the condition of the school accommoda-
tons. The amount asked for is based on a
careful estimate made by the committee on
buildings and grounds. which estimate is as
follows:
Repairing old building ... .... $3.50
Grading grounds 80
Purchasing Noble building NEW and cost
SoVVl 49,. ::....'-....... foy
Six lots adjacent to building j. .,.. 500
New building 2ix60 feet II foot story front
entrance SKIP feet 900
Lots for first ward building ..... 400
Prlvics, coal house and walks ........ 100
Fencing and setting trees 300
Fixtures and apparatus...... ........... 200
tOtci. Vo.VVV
In submitting this proposition the members
of the board are well aware that neither this
nor any other proposition in their ability to
shape will meet the approval of every indi-
vidual voter, and especially that voter no
invariably discovers something just a little
different, and just \ little better adapted to
the wants OF the people. Yet in the main
they believe that it will meet the approval of
a very large majority, and they also feel as
sured that in submitting this prop e,tion they
are making reasonable request Ii the plan
OF providing ward schools fer ,Ae primary
grades is preferred by msi0sn. the peo-
pie, good beginning viii be Ill, r.. while, on
the other band, il the people .. ,r young
and enierprisng city shall concI - that it is
best to concentrate all their schop into one
central building, the outlay in the proposed
first ward building will not be so great as to
be any loss to the taxpayers, as three years
use will more than pay for both building and
grounds in the saving OF rents.
As to the repairs and improvements pro-
posed 10 be made about the present building,
humanity, decency, and a proper regard for
the opinions OF right-thinking men and wo-
men imperatvely demand that they should be
made. The board Will undertake to make
the best possible use Of all the means at their
command, but the members are all convinced
that the practice OF renting mere excuses OF
buildings, in unsuitable localities, is an in
justice to the chi ldren and a useless waste Of
money. BY voting for the bonds you will be
putting into the handd of the board a small
means for improving the school accomme-
dations.
81 8: 4 :. s S siss:as' Committee