The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-14

Washington. 15,O00 New water closets , Greenwich avenue, 200 West street, a,oGo Ferry street, 3,o00 Oak street. 2,500 Finishing top floor of strong schoOl oo and furnishing, 5,000 Equipment Boardman, 0,OoU To reduce number of children to 42
 in room will require F rooms
 additional which can be obtained
 by additions to present building at probable cost of 45,OOO building, 35,OO0 n new tih Building. '' 35,O0o The average annual increase in
 the enumeration of school children
 for the last ten years has been
 393.6; about two-thirds of this mum
 mer are enrolled in the public
 If the rate of increase for the
 next ten years is the same as for
 the last ten years. we will have to
 provide seats for 2,624 pupils III the
 The rate of increase probably will
 be greater, and it is undoubtedly
 conservative estimate to place the
 probable demand at 5000.
 This will require the building of
 six school houses of twelve rooms
 each 6x12 equals 72; 72x42 equals
 When a new high school is built
 the present high school can be used
 for q grammar SCnOOl. so Ilal prDD-
 ably only five new buildings will be
 needed.
 These buildings with necessary
 land will cost about S75.00O each,
 and will probably be located as fol-
 lows: -oo, Winchester district, 75000 I ovelI district T5 900 Day district, L2OO0 WooIsey- Strong 15,000 Cedar Street school 7J GOO Reseating and changing, old high ooo school for grammar school, o,uoo Tota, S59O,000
 It is proposed that application be made to the legislature for authority to issue s500,0OO of bonds for these purposes: to pay the floating debt and to pay for work already in hand, and at a later date to erect new high school building. It is estimated that about $292, ,0O0 will be needed for the purposes first mentioned, leaving $20S,- 900 for the high school. It should be observed that the proposed issue does not create any new debt; it merely funds a floating debt already contract ed by authority of the school district for new buildings, etc, and leaves in the treasury upwards of 100000 of bonds for a new high school building,
 
 erected. It is not, proposed that the new high school should be built at present, and it cannot be built until voted by the district. With the whole amount of bonds issued, the debt Of the school district will be s1,0OO000, and it is proposed that that be the limit It has been the policy of the district for the last ten years to meet the cost of new buildings by borrow ing, and the debt of the district has consequently grown very rapidly. While it might be proper to incur small debt for this purpose, it is now evident that this policy cannot be pur- sued indefinitely. If that were done, We should in ten years have bonded debt of $16O0OoO, with an annual in terest charge of s84000, a burden that is not to be thought of.
 It is proposed, therefore that $1,000,- 900 be the limit of the debt, and that all extraordinary expenses for new buildings, remodeling, etc., which have been met by borrowing, be provided for by a special building tax. The schedule printed above shows that the probable needs of ten years will be dDOuL 9OUU,UUu. llilo ploNiuN9 Ao' IiiS remodeling of several buildings, which is imperative, apart from general con- ditions, on account of necessary i'm provements in light, heating, plumb ing and ventilation. It provides also for new buildings within a short time near the Lloyd street school and the Woodward school. The former of these must be built this year.
 It is desirable also that additional space be provided so that the number of children in a room shall not exceed 42. There are as many as 50 in some rooms at present, which is a larger number than one teacher can properly be responsible for. Our contract with the state requires that in the model schools not more than 40 shall be re- ceived in a. room. The new buildings about to be added will give much re- lief in this direction, but In order to keep within the limit in all schools, it will be necessary to add about twelve rooms. It is estimated that $45,000 will make liberal provision for this It must be remarked, however, that this is not an immediate need. It may not be called for for some years. but 1t is a very desirable improvement, and the estimate is put in as one of the future requirements.
 Opinions may differ as to the proba- ble growth of the district in the next ten years. A careful study leads us to the conclusion that in this time there will be 5000 children to be provided with school accommodations. This will call for six buildings of twelve rcoms each. When the new high scl ool is built the present building can be used as grammar school, at a cost of S5.0O0 for necessary changes, leaving five new buildings to be pro- vfded at an estimated cost of $I5.O0O each. including land and equipment, or S3750C0 in all. The total of estimated needs for ten years is S590000
 We estimate that while a onemill tax will not bring in quite one-tenth