The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-03-13
HIGH SCH DOL BUILDING.
The Board Of Education dangling
Over q Matter that was Sup
posed ito be Settled.


posed to be Settled.
Last June the Board of Education decid-
ed to build $4,000 High School building
and asked that $17 900 be included i'll the
tax levy of thi year, and $4,000 next
year The Finance Committee of the City
Council made its estimates on that basis
and recomne ended 81 per cent tax to
cover all expenses of the city and furnish
half the money to erect school building.
! The Board OF Education was composed of
the same men last June that compose it
now, and they were apparently unanimous
and harmonious in their ideas of the
amount to be expended on the building but
lately some of the members of the Board
have undergone change in their ideas.
Apparently some influence has been at
work to cause them to think that the chill
dren of this city could put up with make
shift of High School building for several
years longer. They seem to have lowered
their ideals in regard to what is fit and
proper for this city and the influence of
large taxpayers in some instances seems to
have been assisting in the operation Now
the problem resolves itself plainly into
this. The present High School buildings
arc totally unfit for their purpose They
are too small, they are not ventilated at all,
they are not hea ted properly one of them
is unsafe by reas on of cracked walls, and rot
ten timbers, many cases of disease and death
among the children have been traced to the
foul air and changeable temperature Of the
school rooms and the buildings are dis
grace and an eyesore to the community.
These statements are true without doubt.
Again: This city expended last year
$4,000 on a sw inging bridge that swings
once in five years or whereabouts. 1t raises
ST., 500 annually from the saloons of this
city. This year it raised $4,000,
alt gether of which $4,000 goes to
pay the principal of the city debt,
$4,000 for int crest on the city debt,
$4,000 toward the new school building,
and $4,000 to pay time orders given in
payment for bridge and breakwater con-
struction. There are $4,000 raised for
purposes other than actual running ex-
penses Of the city. The city is paying
$4,000 on past improvements and $4,000
on future Improvements this year, besides
$4,000 on its debt account, and this on 81
per cent. tax. IL this tax is left at 81 one
year longer it will furnish $4,000 next
year to be applied to the school building,
besides leaving several thousand dollars in
the incidental fund for unforeseen needs
$4,000 this year and $4,000 next year
will nearly build such a school building as
the board contemplated originally. A
twelve room building would be large
enough to accommodate the pupils for
many years ar d both the old buildings
should be torn down and the new one
erected IN the center of the lot Then
there would be something substantial and
satisfactory to show for the money. The
material in the old buildings could be used
in the new one and the expense thereby
reduced The School Board at It's last
meeting last Wednesday evening voted to
leave the north building standing and put
up new eight room building on the site of
the other one. But the archirect after
careful Measurements and estimates, stated
that it would cost $4,000 to put the old
building in good condition and make it as
healthful safe and comfortable as the new
one would be. That money added to the
cost Of the eight room building would erect
new, complete twelve room building and
the expense in running and heating the
twelve room bui lding would be much less
than to run one four room building and one
eight room building If the old building is
not put in as good shape as the new one,
whose children are going to be sent to the
old building. The poor children Far
from it, they are the ones who need and
ought to have the best advantages the city
can give them. 1t would never be salts
factory to have those two buildings there
for the cost in the long run would exceed
the cost of I'd omy, well ventilated and
heated building which would look well, be
credit to the CITY and impress new COM
ers with the idea that we pay some atten-
ton to the education of the children. The
last meeting Of the Board of Education was
rather stormy and under some excitement
and Misrepresentation the Board decided on
an eight room school building and to leave
the north building stand. 1t is to behoped
that the members of the Board will get
back to their old harmony, rise to the needs
of the city and give us a creditable High
School building But they cannot do it
with an eight 70 ON building. Waukegan,
with 5000 inhabitants, has three buildings
as large as the one the Board first decided
upon, viz: the 12-room building Don't
let Kenosha. be ashamed of herself in thi
matter any longer.