Arizona republican., 1895-03-28
WANT IT ALONE.
Mass Meeting in the Mat
ter of the High>SChOol
Favors aDistinct District
for Phoenix.
Arguments for and Against a
Union High School.
Opponents Fear That a Union Dis
trict Would Be UnWjeldy and
Unmanageable.

The EXPIRE ssion of opinion by the mass
meeting at the Central school building
last night was against union high
school district and in favor of high
school for the Phoenix district alone.
The attendance IVES small but if it had
been greater it would have settled moth
ing since the matter is still left under
the law in the hands of the trustees
and the voters.
The meeting was organized by the
election of Gen. Sampson chairman and
q. A. Mintz secretary. Mr.. I. w. Hine
offered resolution favoring the forma-
tion of district made Up of Phoenix
district and the adjoining districts,
thus forming district with radius of
about five miles. Mr.. Logan offered
substitute differing only slightly from
the original resolution. The subject
was discussed at considerable length.
Objections to the resolution of Mr..
Hine were that union district would
be in the first place an unwieldy dis
trict and provocative of friction between
the city and country divisions of it j;
that it would necessltate the building
of new school house for the accommo.
dation OF pupils from the country !;
that it would constitute dual and
awkward public school system. These
objections were met by Superintendent
Wollam who said that whether the high
school should be established solely
for Phoenix. whether it should be
union school, Nwh ether no
high school at all should be established,
the erection of new building for the
next year would be necessity. The
schools with an attendance greater by
200 than last year hade inadequate
room. He believed that there would
be an equal increase next year. Ter
ritorial perintendent Netherton, the
author of the law, explained it's pro-
visions.
Mr.. Hine, in support Of his resolu.
ton. said that with no other idea in
view than economy, to say nothing of
the argument in favor of residents of
outlying Districts union high school
should be established. Its support in
stead of becoming burden to taxpay'
ers Of Phoenix district alone, would be
distributed throughout an area OF 12O
square miles. The assessable value OF
property within this area at say the
low rate of $40 an acre would reach
nearly million dollars, from which an
adequate revenue for the maintenance
of the school would be derived. The
expense of union school would only
slightly exceed the expense of an ex-
elusive local high school.
j. Y. 7. Smith opposed the union
district on economic grounds. Disre-
garding the statement OF Superintend-
ent Wollam that new school house
would have to be built in any event, he
believed that a proposition to vote
bonds for new building for union
school purposes would be voted down.
Several other gentlemen presented
views on the subject, after which the
matter of adopting Mr.. Logan's su bsti
tute for Mr.. Hines resolution was
placed before the meeting. Mr.. Smith
offered an amendment favoring high
school district in Phoenix district alone
The amendment was adopted by vote
of 26 to 7.
After the adjournment OF the meet
ing County Superintendent Grouse
caused to be posted legal notices OF the
election to be held on April 20 for the
determination of the matter OF high
school.