The herald., 1895-05-02
VOTE FOR THE BONDS

important election days for Los Angeles
city, and yet 1t is doubtful if more than a
small centage of citizens have given
the fact passing thought. In the two
days $576. 900 worth of bonds are to be
voted for or against. OF this amount
$3O6, 900 is intended for the purchase of
school sites and the construction and
equipment of buildings. The remaining
$27O. 900 is to be disposed of, if author
lied by the people, as follows;
For the enlargement and improvement
OF Westlake park. $25, 900.
For doing the same with East Side park,
$25, 600.
For extension and improvement of
Elysan park, $10O, 900.
For the acquisition of land for head
works for water system, $50, 1000.
For purchasing a site and constructing
police station thereon, $40, 900.
For the erection of public library and
museum building. $4,000.
All of these objects seem meritorious,
but the one of overwhelming impor tance
is the first the increase of school facil-
tiles. If ever a city needed additional
school buildings Los Angeles is the city.
For the last few years several thousand
children of this city have had only a shy
at educational privileges. In nearly all
the primary grades the children have
been getting only half day at school be-
cause of the necessity of dividing up the
time so that as many as possible might
secure chance, the school buildings
being miserably inadequate for the at
tendance. Notwithstanding the strenuous
efforts OF the department to accommodate
the stream of applicants, hundreds of
children have been obliged to dispense
entirely with schooling. This neglect of
one of the most important public duties
has lasted too long. If we are going to
undertake the maintenance of a public
educational system let it be one commen-
surate with the needs of the community
and betitting the character of the peop pie.
The growth of Los Angeles has been very
rapid in the last decade, and the peoples
understanding of school requirements has
failed to keep pace with the increase of
population. We believe, though. that lat
terly the citizens have been aroused to
the pressing need of improvement, and
the" should give expression to their in
terest in and comprehension of the situa.
lions necessitates by casting a big vote
today for the school bonds.
AS to the other bonds there NAV more
reasonably be differences of opinion. We
think, however, that the greater propor-
ion of our citizens are in favor of all the
propositions for which the sum repre-
sented by these bonds is needed. The
parks have aptly been designated as the
breathing places of the city. They are
the recreation grounds of the people. The
thousands of people that in every city are
coo ed up nearly all their lives in flats,
top story rooms, or jammed togeth er
dwellings, may go to these public spots
'Suio"'SN w icoe anu Iulet ItCTedblOll, ana
I'LL their lungs with pure air, while they
feast their eyes upon the foliage of
trees and the bloom of dowers. In
these oases of green in the desert of
brick, lumber and mortar. the people who
do not live in the midst of spacious
grounds, but can touch walls without
moving very far from side to side, can
commune with nature and be better for
it. Parks. if properly laid out and liber-
ally and tastefully maintained. besides
being attractive in themselves, thus en-
bellishing the city as whole, have far