Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-24
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
! SPECIAL MEETING LAST NIGHT

was held last evening to reconsider the
question of selling the lot of ground on
North Mulberry street on which stands
the old school houses, now unused.
The following named members were
present:
Messrs. Breueman, Byrne, Cochran,
Eberman, Erisman, Evans, Hartman,
Jackson. Johnston, Levergood, Marshall,
McComsey, McConomy, Offender, Rhoads,
Ringwalt, Richards, Samson, Slaymaker,
Smeych, A. J. Snyder, E. G. Snyder,
Spurrier, Warfel, Westhaeffer, Wilson,
Christian Zecher. Baker, president.
After the call for the meeting had been
read, Mr.. Warfel, for the purpose of
bringing the motion before the board,
moved that the action taken a: the last
meeting authorizing the committee on
grounds to sell the North Mulberry street
lot be reconsidered.
DR.. Levergood moved to lay Mr.. War
fel's motion on the table. Rejccted-yeas
8, nays 10.
The motion to reconsider was then car
ried-yeas IS, nays ..
Mr.. Warfel said he had no feeling in
in the mater, but in his judgment it
would be bad policy to sell the ground.
1t aIjoins the high school grounds, and
may some day be needed. The girls high
school is rapidly filling up, and it may be
necessary at 10 distant day to give them
the space in the high school building now
occupied 10y the boys. The Mulberry
street lot would then DO the most suitable
and convenient site for a boys high school.
Mr.. Hartman said he would like to know
what business was before the board.
The chair answered that the resolution
offered by Mr.. Hartman at the last meet
ing was now before the board, the action
adopting said resolution having been just
ROW TecOnsidered.
Mr.. Hartman said the question Of SELL
ing the Mulberry street lot had been care
fully considered by the committee on
buildings and grounds, and was deemed
proper to dispose of it. 1t Is true the
%;,lrls' high school is rapidly filing up and
it may soon be necessary to erect another
high school building for the boys; but
certainly the new building should not be
put upon the Mulberry street lot, which is
not suited for such a building. Besides it
has been the feeling of many members of
the board that the boys and girls should
be separated, and if a new school is to be
established it should be placed in some
other section of the city. We have al
ready the high school building and the
Chestnut street schools within half 4
square Ofthis lot and the South Mulberry
street schools only two. blocks away. 1t
is not fair to other sections of the city to
crowd SO many schools into the same
neighborhood. The lot which it is pro
posed to sell has 4 front of 104 feet by a
depth of "a feet. On it might he built
four OF five good dwelling houses
instead of the u~nsightly sheds
now standing upon it. The only
reasons he has heard given for the
retention of the lot, is that it may be need
ed fri a high school. or that the old build
iIgs may he utilized for school purposes
while a new building is being erected on
the Chestnut street lot. Neither of these
reasons should have any weight. The old
buildings have been dismantled of their
furniture and windows and are in a tum.
ble-down condition, utterly unfit for school
purposes, and he had already stated his
objections to erecting another high school
building on this lot. The objection that
the property will not bring at public sale
rs much as it worth, is answered by stat
ing that the committee need not sell it il
they deem the price offered insufficient.
DIR. Levergood agreed exactly with al
NJ Hartman had said. There are already
too many school houses in the neighbor
hood. If the lot is not sold and the ole
structures retained, the board will be hin.
dering other improvements in that section
of the city.
President Baker suggested that the
grounds might be retained and the old
bindings removed.
Mr.. Slaymaker agreed with Mcssrs.
Hartman INT Levergood that the 10;
should be sold. When the old school
houses were occupied, it was found that
the pupils attending them We're a great
annoyance to pupils and teachers of the
high schools.
Mr.. McComsey believed there were
some good reasons for opposing the sale,
even if He board never built upon it but
he believed the time would come when
there will be 4 necessity for building upon
this very sight. If the lot is sold it will
bring but a poor price, as it is not vel
adapted for dwellings, but for school pur
poses it is invaluable-a better site than
amount OF money it would bring at public
sale. Ii it should be sold and a row of
dwellings placed upon it, there will be /:
row of u~nsightIy and offensive outhOuses
close along the high school grounds.
The board cannot control the purchaser
If the lot be sold. Perhaps a shop may III
built upon it with L steam engines and
buZz saw in it; and while he did not OBJ
ject to steam engines and buzz saws il
proper places, they would prove 4 grea,
%nnoyanc to the schools. For these ani
other reasons he would keep the lot it il
paid for, did not cost much would not
depreciate in value the board is not il
need Of money, and the ground may he
needed at no distant day.
Mr.. Hartman replied that the purchase,
would not be allowed to put a buzz saw
or anything else upon the ground thai
would be Objectionable or annoying tC
the schools. He reiterated his statement
that the lot was not fit to build a schoo
house on.
Mr.. EriSman opposed the sale of the
property. We want all the light and
ventilation We can get for the schools, and
this lot is in this respect we'll situated
On the west of it is Mulberry street, OF
the east the high school grounds and OF
the north Shreiner'S cemetery. He die
not him another high school would soOr
he needed, but a feeder for the high
schools will be needed, and this lot is q
proper place TO locate it, as it is centra
and convenient for pupils from all parts Of
the city.
Mr.. Spurrier and Mr.. Cochran argued
briefly against the sale and Mr., Byrne in
favor of it, after which the yeas and nav.
were called on Mr.. Hartman's resolution
authorizing the committee to sell, and Il
was defeated by the following vote:
YeaS-Messrs. Byrne, Eberman. Evans
Hartman, LevergoOd, McConomy, Rhoads
Samoan S1avmaknr Smovol, o,,l.