Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-04
PICKED UP BY THE WAY.
THINGS SEEN AND HEARD IN THE
TOWN AND VICINITY.
The New School Building Question Is
Treated Upon In an Intelligent Manner
by the Saunterer-Some Facts and Fig
ures Which Require Consideration.

ures Which Require Consideration.
The agitation for the new school
building is now fairly under way, and
it is to be hoped that the discussion will
be continued until the question becomes
threadbare. 1t is of great Importance
to have the people fully understand
what is required of them, in order that
they may cast their votes intelligently.
Nothing has been done by the directors
to enlighten the public, except to ask
to be allowed to increase the debt.
True, design of $22,O 900 eight-room
building has been exhibited, but if they
know anything more about the subject
they seem TO be carefully keeping the
information to themselves, and the col
umns which have been written in de-
Tense of a new school are entirely over
looking the vital parts of the PROPOSE
tion and do not in any way justify the
erection of an eight-room building, such
as has been adopted by the board. Ad-
ditional school facilities must be had,
but is it not better to have the right
kind when they do come than to erect
costly edifice which will not serve the
purposes intended?
Nothing, by the way of a thorough
explanation, has been given on this sub
ject, and as the people were left to draw
their own conclusions from actions of
the directors, which were not at all
creditable, who can blame them for op-
posing the proposition? Can the direc-
building will accommodate all the
school-going children of Freeland?
Have they made a census of the school
going children of the town, and if so
what are the figures? 1t would be un-
fair Tor rather premature) to accuse the
directors of willfully 'doing" the tax
payers an injustice, but figures from re-
liable sources Indicate that this is what
they are doing, or else their judgment is
of a quality which marks them as in
competent and unfit to arrange for a
matter of this kind. The board may
mean well, and in all probability the
members will insist they are right, but
until they refute the facts and figures
given below an eight-room building
should not be sanctioned by the tax
payers.
The new school building would have
accommodations for 400 pupils-5O to
each room. This number is consider
ed sufficient by experienced teachers in
graded, and too many in mixed schools.
The report of the principal of the bor
ough schools gave the attendance as 2S6
for January. From this report the new
building would have room for ia pupils.
Independent of the borough principals
report the school at Birvanton has SO
pupils enrolled. The Woodside school
has II pupils enrolled in the grammar
room and l12 in the primary room. 1t
must be remembered that these are all
borough children, with the exception of
II few allowed for the Coke addition
which would not materially change the
result. Thus we have on the rolls of
our public schools about $50 pupils, and
the board of directors want to eXpend
$22, 900 for building which will accom-
modate only 400 What is going to be
done with the other $50 pupils? That
is a question which requires an answer
and the directors owe it to the tax
payers of Freeland to furnish one be-
fore election day.
But this Is not all. There are at least
$50 borough children attending st.
AIMS parochial schools. These child
rem must be taken into consideration
also. They have an unquestioned right
to apply for admission to the public
schools any time they SO desire. The
school law says: 1.-The directors shall
establish Il sufficient number of common
schools for the education of every indl-
vidual above the age of six and under
twenty-one years, in their respective dis
tricts, who may apply for admission. :"
Then again, the town is growing so
rapidly that the school-going population
is increasing largely every year, and
that has not been allowed for. This is
nothing but question of justice to the
staxpayers and children, and unless "our
excellent school board" is going to use
the trolley car system in our public
schools-''push up there" and 'hold on
to the straps"-they ought to withdraw
the proposition and have it remodeled
so as to provide ample accommodation
for all the children.
In enumerating the ups and downs of
life in the mining towns, as told by men
who stroll into Freeland to while away
the idle days which are now so plentiful,
the evils of former years, which the
miners have so repeatedly made war up
on, seem to flourish without being ques-
toned, and with all the vigor and energy
possessed by demon. The gossip, as
it comes, is not idle On the contrary
1t is only too true. In some of the towns
the people are well enough situated, but
in others the hand of charity would be u
welcome visitor at the door of many