Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-15
WHAT THEFIOODD DID
A Complete History of JohnstOwn's
Stricken Schools.
MR.. COLLINS GRAPHIC REPORT.
The Jr. O. Q. A. N. Have Raised Oyer 81 800
For Education.
THE EXACT CONDITION OF THE DISTRICT

THE EXACT CONDITION OF THE DISTRICT
About one month ago the State Council
of Pennsylvania, Jr. o. q. A. NJ, issued
an appeal to the subordinate councils fol
contributions to a fund to aid the public
schools in the Conemaugh Valley. Up to
the present time 16S councils have responded
and there is in the hands of Stephen Collins
of this city, who is the State Vice Councillor
of the order, about 81, 500. Yesterday Mr.
Collins returned from Johnstown, where be
had a conference with the representatives Of
the various school districts, and he give:
the following as the result of his inquire,
and observations
In the hrst place you must understand
that what is known as Johnstowu is really
several different borOughs, viz: Wood vale
Miilville, COnemaugh borough, Cambria
and Lower Yoder. Conemaugh station, Oh
the Pennsylvania Railroad, is in East Cone.
maugh borough. Mineral Point is in q
township.
In August or September an appeal was
sent out by the School Board OF Johnstown,
asking aid for their public schools. Seven
hue buildings had been used for schools be-
fore the flood, all but one of which had been
flooded more or less, two were washed away,
two were burned up alter the flood, and two
were badly damaged. Before the food their
property was very valuable, and their debt
OF 81, 900 was comparatively small. But
after the destruction OF their property it was
considerably in excess OF the maximum al
lowed by Law, and they could issue no
bonds nor borrow money in any way. Their
State appropriation could not be increased
until next year, and their assesSable prop
ertv had decreased from about 81, 800, 600 TO
about $500, 900. and the owners of these va
cant lots
WERE But POORLY PREPARED
to paw taxes. Their appeal to the friends
OF free education resulted in but few contri-
buttons Immediately following the circu-
lar issued by the Johnstown board came a
like appeal signed by the boards of the
other boroughs in the flooded district ask
ing for their share of aid. Since then it has
been learned that only three other boroughs
really need the assistance of the charitably
disposed, viz: the boroughs of Woodvale,
Conemaugh and Cambria, and TO a less ex-
tent, Lower Yoder. While the last named
suffered very little loss, they have been
saddled with about $50 pupils from the
other school districts, and their funds are
inadequate to the demands. In JOhnstown
they have succeeded in repairing some of
their school buildings, and now they have
"a rooms IN operation under
charge of % teachers. With all
the money they have been able to scrape
together, including the insurance received
for the burned buildings they will be able
to run these "a school rooms for a
term OF about five months, and TO prolong it
to eight months, as desired, will cost s., 600,
and ], 800 scholars are now in attendance at
these schools.
In Woodvale their elegant brick build
ing, valued at $4,000, was completely
washed away, with all their furniture and
books. In all these boroughs the text books
are furnished to the children BY the school
boards free of cost The Woodvale district
had debt of S., 600. They will need 500
additional to run the two rooms which they
are fitting up in a wooden building for a
six months term. They can run the schools
when fitted up for S115 per month.
Conemaugh borough needs s., 200 more to
take care OF the 600 children enrolled. They
have spent S3, 500 in arranging temporary
quarters. Last year they had 4S0 pupils.
and the parochial school had 420. Now
they sll-or what is left of them-want to
attend the public schools. Two hundred
and fifty dollars per month will meet run
ming expenses.
In Cambria borough they need S4OO addi-
Iional to meet a six months term.
REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS.
County Superintendent j. w. Leech, OF
Ebensburg, is custodian of The fund sub
scribed by the public and the various
school districts in the State, but he has re-
ceived only 81, 100, which he divided among
the districts named above, outside of Johns
town borough. d. J. Jones, Auditor of the
Cambria Iron Works, is custodian of the
fund contributed to the Johnstown borough
schools. He has received less than s., 600.
These amounts are spent, and Sc 600 more is
needed. 1t was hoped that the fund from
the Jr. o. q. A. NJ. would reach at least
$1,000, as that sum would educate about
9, 800 children for two months.
The Jr. o. q. A. NJ. did grand work for
the sufferers Immediately after the food and
subscribed a large sum of money-nearly
SS,OO0-besides two carloads of provisions,
and were the first to establish headquarters
10 the town, but they are pledged to support
and maintain the public school system.
As only about half of the councils have
responded, many of the richest having taken
no action as yet, the fund may be greatly in
creased. Contributions should be made
promptly and literally, and where councils
have money they should remember that the
Johnstown schools need it badly. That is
what their money is for-and they should
remember the fifth object of the order All
funds should be remitted to Stephen Collins,
Superintendent of Mails, Pittsburg, Pa.