The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-08

items for extras In the high school building.
The first of these il for the foundation.
made, it was discovered that the estimated
depth Of the foundation was not sufficient
to give the necessary strenRth ana. soltulty
to a building Of the magnitude which was
to be erected. 1t therefore became neces-
sary to ~excavate, for the entire foundation,
about six feet. The expense OF handling
this dirt, purchasing the stone and laying
it in the wall, with other notifications
which this change made necessary, amount-
cd in round numbers to the sum famed.
The plans II speoiicatlons wnicn tne
trustees accepted from the architect called
for a single roof supported by posts. stand
ing OH the partition walls, and u corhlce OF
galvanized iron.
When, however, the plans were submitted
to the city council for the purpose OF getting
4 building permit, they refused 70 perm.
the trustees to cover the building with a
single roof. 1t was therefore necessary 70
modify the plans and make Il roof tnat
should be fire proof. The plan OF the ROOF
was accordingly changed and made to call
for a truss roof, covered with slate anu mn
ished with a copper cornlce.
1t will therefore be seen that the extras
for the two buildings amounting to about
$780, GOO were such rs a wise and conscieh-
tious management would dictate.
As we awe already seen the amount at
the disposal of the board was $lm,aD. wnlle
the amount necessary to complete the I'M
provements now under wav. not
tho completion OF the Seventh Ward school,
is $125. 9lS.6 6. leaving a deficiency Of nearly
$26, 900.
But this is not all. When the High school
and Rodney street buildings are hnlsned tne
district will own buildings containing thirty
ak rooms besides the High school DEPART
ment, while on the other Il there are TO-
day thirty-ive schools besides the High
school.
With the present population every room
in the city will be occupied III the coming
September, with no provisions whatever FOR
any increase IN our school populasaon. - ,ho
city's population during the years OF our
immediate future is very evident. 1t there
fore becomes the duty of the city to pro-
vide for this increase, and that without ue-
lay. After Il careful examination OF the
matter. we are convinced that to meet the
only for a modest increase in oar popula-
ton. it will be advisable to make prepara-
tions for the following improvements:
1. To complete an eight room building IN
the Seventh ward of the city OF Helena,
$4,000.
First ward Of the city of Helena, $4,000. sa
3. To enlarge the west side building in
the Fifth ward of the city Of Helena by
adding two rooms, making it an eight-room
building, $4,000.
4. To purchase. ground and erect four
roomso of an eight-room building, near the
cemetery, in the Fifth ward Of the city of
Helena, 100000.
5. 10 purchase ground and erect a SINH
lar building 6on north side near the North
ern Pacific depot in the Sixth ward of the
city of Helena. 10000 GA petition for a
school in this section is already before the
6. To put in a heating plant and system
of closets in the Central school house in
the Fourth ward, of the city of Helena,
$4,000.
4. 10 meet the present deficiency, $685.
600, making a grand total of S1O4,OOO.
To some this may seem like asking for an
unnecessarily large sum also that the I'M
provements contemplated (twenty-two
rooms) are far beyond the needs of the city:
but not SO, for since May, 1859. thirteen
have been added, and during these
two years the growth of the city has GER
tainly been very moderate.
Again. it is not an economical policy to
keep schools in rented rooms as the trustees
are at present forced to do. Since Septem-
Der the district has been renting twelve
rooms beside an office for the use of the SUI
perintendent and board of trustees for
which there has been paid nearly $3.50 per
month.
Another important fact to be considered
is this: The constitution provides that
school districts shall not nave outstanding at
any one time more than two series of bonds.
Itfollows. therefore. that should the district
vote another set of bonds this year it could
years, or till the bonds of last year have
matured and been taken up. This fact
makes the necessity of providing ample
facilities for a term of years readily ap-
parent.
It would be worse than folly to temporize
with this matter. Helena is a western city
with a magnificent future before it. With
the growth that every citizen expects to
see, our present school facilities must be
multiplied many times. Small buildings
will not meet the demands. cheap buildings
are in no sense of the word economical.
These are facts the people should realize,
and realizing them, rise to a wise and
sensible solution OF the problems they sug-
gest.
If the plan outlined above ia carried into
effect, namely that of planning for eight
room buildings and, at present, erecting
only half of each, it will have the district
in shape, whenever circumstances demand
it, to double the capacity of said buildings
at comparatively little expense. Such a
plan can be carried into effect without mar
ring the harmony of the fnal structure or
interfering with the progress of the schools
that may be in session at the time,
1t is believed that the plan here outlined
is entirely practicable, that it is economi-
cal, suited to the needs of our thriving city
and that it or some similar solution of the
school problem now before US, is absolutely
necessary.
For the satisfaction of those who may be
interested in a detailed statement of the
receipts and expenditures of the district,
one has been prepared from the books of
the clerk of the board and will appear in
The INDEPENDENT tomorrow.
II. II. HowEY.
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