The Portland daily press., 1896-05-08
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
viii Ask for $4,000 For New
Sch00lhOuse.

The High School Graduation Exhibit
ton Changed to juno rs.
Yesterday afternoon a special meeting
of the school committee was held, Mayor
Baxter presiding. Messrs. Brownson and
Bradley were absent.
After the board had assembled, Mr..
Hall said there WAS need of more school
accommodations on Munjoy hill, and
he then offered this order:
This board desires to again call the at
tention of the city government to the i'm
perative demand for more and better
school accommodations in the eastern part
of the CITY, and respectfully ask that the
sum of $40, 600 be appropriated for the
purpose of remodelling the Monument
street school house, and for purchasing a
suitable lot of land, and the erection of
an eight room building for primary
school p imposes.
Mr.. MCGOWAN desired to know what
was proposed to be done in the way of
remodelling the Monument street school
house.
Mr.. Hall explained that the school
building has eight rooms, two of which
are in the ell. It was proposed to put
the water closets into these two rooms,
taking them from the cellar where they
are now located and make the building
from sanitary point Of view, satisfac-
tory.
Mr.. Talbot wanted to know what this
remodelling ould COST.
Mr.. Hall said from $4,000 to s5o0o
Mr.. Allan thought if the estimates
were $4,000 for the remodelling it would
be safe to conclude the actual costswould
amount to $1,000.
Superintendent Lord said the building
would be re-foored and the ventilation
made perfect as possible. There is no
ventilation in the building now. The
water closets would be distinct from the
remainder of the building.
Mr.. Talbot thought that the estimate
for the new building, the purchase of
the land, and the remodelling of the old
school house was placed at too low a
figure.
The Mayor thought, and so did Mr.
Lord, that $50, 900 I would cover the ex-
pense. Mr.. Lord compared the cost. of
the new building with that of several of
the new grammar school buildings which
were much larger, and though with Mr..
Hall that about $50, 600 ought to cover it.
There is an excellent lot with about 49,
600 feet of land in desirable locality
that the mayor thought could be secured
for the building.
Talking Of the expense Of new shool
house on the hill, which all admitted to
be necessary, led the committee into a
desultory conversation on the demands of
tie city for the year. The Mayor said
that about $50, 900 must be raised in
addition to the usual appropriation and
the great difficulty was to ascertain where
to get it. From $780, 900 to S11o, 600 must
new Prides' bridge, s23, 0O0 for the new
sewer On the back side of the city, ard
the money for the new school house.
Mr.. Talbot wanted to know why it
was necessary to build the whole of
Tukey's bridge; why it would not be
sufficient to rebuild the draw to satisfy
the United States government.
The Mayor said that could not be done.
The drawer would be much higher, than
the ole bridge part, whose timbers ara
not in proper condition and which would
have to be widened anyway for the cleo
trio road.
Mr.. Talbot wanted to know why the
electric road shouldn't pay the cost of the
widening.
The May or said the company had made
very fair offer. They would pay at
least third of the cost that the widen
ing would call for. He further said that
it was suggested as ono way to meet the
unusual expenses of the coming year
that the city sell its securities in the
sinking fund; the railroad bonds of the
Ogdensbury for which 50 can be obtained,
and the gas stock which is at about 100
premium. This would give the city
some $50, COCO. Another way would be
to make the tax rate 2.5O for the COM
ing year.
The committee then returned to the
business on hand. They passed the or
der unanimously and appointed Mr.. Hall
and Superintendent Lord committee to
appear before the committee on estimates
with it and explain it's necessities.
The date of the graduation exercises of
the High School was changed this year
from Thursday, June t25the to Tuesday,
June 30, owing to prior engagement of
CITY hall and other reasons