The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-05-23
A Burning Issue.

lie schoOlhouse question IN SkOWhc-
gan appears to be one that needs large
amount Of Municipal action this year.
First the town, after protracted discus
-ien al the Annual March meeting. voted
to build a 50. 900 brick school house Of
10 rooms on the lot now occupied BY a
1 room school house on Ieaeitt street.
tut when the people come 10 think il
over and realized il involved tearing
down or selling for -maf amount a
very good room building that cost So
600 or more, a petition for another meet
ing was filed with the srlectmen. the
meeting held March 10Th and vote pass.
ed to build another ! room school build.
ing on Ieayitt street lot at an expense OF
$4,000 and committee was appointed
by the selectmen to have charge Of The
construction.
At this iuncture it became matter Of
common report that the Catholic church
had decided to establish parochial
school and upon inquiry of Father Ia
GroiX, il was learned that such wa. the
intention and he informed the committee
and others that he proposed TO have
school running by Christmas aud expect
ed to take from POO to $50 pupils out
of the several primary aud inferno
diate schools but did not expect to inter
fere with the pupils in the Grammar aud
| High school grades. This led many Of
our people TO believe that if this parochi-
al school is established the need of furth-
er school rooms on this side of the river
is greatly modified if not entirely obviat-
ed. With this change in the situation
the building committee hesitated to 90
ahead with the proposed school build
| ing until the matter had been further
considered in town meeting and meet
ing was called and held Thursday after
noon, the 10th instant. After some lit
tie discussion the article in the warrant
relative to the school house matter was
''passed over leaving the action Of the
special meeting held March 10th intact.
The people of Skowhegan are not
averse to providing ample accommodate
tons for every pupil in the town but of
course there is difference of opinion,
naturally enough. \ large fraction of
our citizens are aVerse TO the plan of
putting two school buildings on one lot
that is not too large for one. and the
more it is considered the greater is the
opposition developed to it. This feeling
assumed tangible from Friday last in a
petition to the seleetmcn signed by
eleven prominent professional and bust
ness men for town meeting to consider
er the following propositions:
TO see if the town will vote to change
the location of the schoolhouse which
the town voted to build on I.eayitt street
at town meeting held March 10th.
last, the present season, and if So to pass
all votes necessary to change said loca-
| ton and To provide for such change.
| To see if the town will raise money to
buy lot upon which To locate said
sehoolhouse and pass all votes necessary
for the same
There are two lots available for such a
school building and they are we'll siluat-
ed and available, We are informed, at a
fair price.
One is the vacant tract of land situat-
ed between North and Bush streets. ill.,
Guiding a small lot formerly occupied by
the town as school property and contig-
nous land upon North street would make
IA very superior lot for school building