Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-07-31
That $1,000 shanty School House

Thae $1,000 Shanty School House.
Great dissatisfaction exists, and riehttullv
SO, at the action of the school board in er-
dering the erection ct $1,000 school house
on what is known as the Prentiss block. in
the lst ward. The plan was projected. en-
erneered and carried through at tue in
stance of few persens in the lst ward
who, under existing arrangements, are
compelled to send their children to school
a greater distance than they desire. 10 &C
commodate these individuals, the board
proposes to discommede many times that
number, by abandoning the 7th ward
school, and requiring the scholars in that
ward to attend the one to be established in
the lst ward. The sense and prepriety of
this arrangement may be appare MT to mem.
bers of the school board, but we venture to
say will be acknowledged by no one else.
The new edifce Will doubtless BE found a
convenience in some instances, hat the dis
advantages to people living n the 9th ward,
who will have to send their children this
great distance, cunning the gauEslet of the
railroad with al the dangers Sncident to
| the movement CT engines and trains of cars
will more thao balance any of the benefits
accruing TO residents Of the lst ward
| But this is not all. We propose to show
that there is nc necessity for the erection
of any additional school buildings at pres
ent, and to prove it, we quote from the re-
port of the last supernte ndent, William
Bieber dated APRIL Sd, 1878 Ee says:
'Since the question of the crowded con :.
dition of the puElic schools and ,Ae necessi-
ty Of providing for another school house
has been discu ssed considerably of late |
deem it expedient to lay before your hon.
ora BILE Body a statement showing the capa-
city for accommodating pupils of the school
houses, and the highest number in attend
ance last terra, which number was the
| largest attained for quite namber Of
years.
Union School Ne. l, capacity SIT, high
est number of Pc pills last term GIG, surplus
seats Al.
Frame house belonging to tke sam
school; capacity lG0 highest 1rmber of
pupils ITO.
Union School No. 2 capacity, 394, highest
| number of pupils, l6, surplus seats 49,
Union School No. 3; capacity of the three
rooms now in use, l66, highest nura Der of
pupils 1875. surplas seats 81. besides one
room not used now, which affords SO seats.
Seventh ward scheol; capacity sc seats,
highest number ofpupiIs, 38, surplus seats
l8.
Thus is will be seen that there are 2l8
unoccupied seats now ia the various schools,
which might be made available if the board
chose to make them so.
| Another objection to he scheme is that
the beauty of he lot On which it is propos-
ed TO build. is to be marred by an insight
ly structure which will be disgrace to the
city as school house. 1t will have more
the appearance of second class bowling
alley or shooting gallery, than any thing
else, and would be better adapted to those
purposes than the one intended. The pre-
teHce that it is for temporary use only is
ing, once erected, will stand for years An
eye sore to the people ofthe city who Justly
| regard the outlay as SO much money
thrown away, and who greatly incen-
sed at the undetermined manner in which
the whole business las been transacted.
There is some hidden mystery about it that
| cannot be at present explained. 1t was
rushed through in hurry without notice
to the public, and the contract let within
As hours after the advertisement appeared
calling for proposals. This may be tech
nical compliance with the law, but it is
suggestive of ..rottenness and corruption
somewhere which woald not bear the light;
and is entirely in keeping with the action
OF the board in refusing to consider the
remonstrance so numerously signed by lst
ward residents against what they consider
n greviOus mistake, if not an outrage, will
fully perpetrated in utter disregard of the
| best interests of the city. Weshall recur to
this subject next week.