Omaha daily bee., 1897-10-21
OPPOSE HIGH SCHOOL BONDS
Board Of Education Decides Not to Submit
tho Proposition.
FRIENDS OF The BONDS LACK TWO VOTES
They Could Muster hut Eight Members,
While the Boards Attorney Held
that II would Require
Ten.

No bond proposition, either for 5000 900 for
the erection of new high school building, or
100000 for the construction OF one wing Of a
new building as an addition to the present
structure, Will be submitted to the vote OF the
people at the coming election, This is pret;y
definitely settled now. AT a special meeting
of the Board of Education, last night. called
for the purpose of settling the matter both
propositions were downed
There were twelve members present, the
obsentees being President Lunt and Mem
bers johnson and G alton. Eight of those
present voted In favor of Offering one or the
other OF the propositions, but this was not
sufficient According to the opinion Of the at
toiney a two-thirds majority of the whole
board. or ten votes, was required to authorize
the issuance of PROCLAMATION. This action
has settled the matter, as a proclamation
announcing that a bond proposition Is to be
offered must be published ten days before
election. This fact debars the board from
doing anything at next Mondays regular
meeting as that occurs less than ten days
before election day.
The matter came up in the shape of a re-
port from the judiciary committee which
recommended that bond proposition asking
TO 100000 for the construction OF an entire
new building De presented, lEe committee
was instructed at the last meeting of the
beard to bring in such report. The report
brought but two members to their feet, as
the matter had been thoroughly discussed at
last Monday nights meeting.
TOO MANY BONDS NOW.
Anderson advocated bond proposition that
asked for only 500 900, which was to be used
in the construction OF one wing of ultimately
a new building. in which the overflow ON
the present building could be accommodated
He believed that the city could get along all
right for the next five or ten years with such
a building. He was confident that a 5000 900
lean proposition would never carry. since
there is a deficit now in the school fund,
since the transmississippi bond proposition
and another to pay the county poor farm
Gains are coming TO, and since the people
feel themselves already too much burdened
with taxes.
Winter scoke in favor of the proposition.
He said the matter Of a deficit need not be
considered, since the board was not limited
He was favorable especially in the interest
of the health Of the girl students. He said
that every physician had one OF more cases
Of impairment Of health which directly
attributed to the fact that the girls were
fo'ced to climb up and down the stairs in
the building. He admitted that the city
might be able to get along without a new
building but he insisted that 1t was at the
price OF life and health. H was Of the opin-
ion that the proposition would carry if the
members took the stump until election, as the
returning prosperity and the beginning OF
new enterprises had prepared the people to
go ahead still further
All the other members seemed to have
made up their minds on the matte- for none
of them said anything. The report was put
to vote which resulted os follows:
Yeas-Bandhauer, Dennis, Hess, Trey,
Sears, VanGilder, Welshans, Winter, s;
Nays-Anderson Jordan, Moore, Penfold, 4;
The report was declared not adopted, as
Beard Attorney Covell gave the opinion that
a two-thirds majority of the entire board
was necessary in order to submit a bond
proposition Under this opinion ten votes
would be required to submit the proposition.
Dr. Moore, who presented the report eX
pllined his negative vote by saying that
although he was in favor Of a new building
he did not think a $500, 600 proposition would
curry since there are already two to come up. |
He wanted to see a proposition asking for
100000 presented to the people.
AMENDMENTS OUT OF ORDER.
1t developed that since the report had
been downed no amendment could be offered |
Later in the evening, however, Member |
Anderson introduced a resolution that the |
finance committees report be amended so
that the board proposition ask for only $780, |
coo for the erection OF new wing.
Without remarks the resolution was put
to a vote and met the same fate as its pred |
ecessor and by the same vote. The ayes
and nays were:
Ayes-Anderson, Bandhauer, Trey, Jordan,
Moore, Penfold, Welshans, Winter, s;
Nays-Dennis, Sears, VanGilder Hess, 4.
attorney Covell gave an opinion that the |
school district must pay all special taxes
lawfully levied against it's school sites for |
repairs of sidewalks, Improvement of streets |
and other Improvements which benefit school |
property. The onsituion eXempts school |
property from assessment OF general taxes, |
only, according to supreme court decisions |
The opinion was requested in view of the |
fact that the board has received notice 10
pay an assessment for the repairing of a !
sidewalk in front of one of the schools.
number of parents were present to pro-
test against the transfer of about fifteen |
children in the seventh and eighth grades |
from the Park to the Windsor school The |
same children were transferred from the |
Windsor to the Park school early in the |
term over the objection of the parents and |
have been ordered back. The parents assert |
that the children will lose al least two |
weeks schooling before they can get into |
shape under new teacher. and will there |
fore be unprepared to pass the examination |
to the High School at the end of the term. |
The matter was referred to the committee on |
teachers. |
new piano was ordered placed in the |
High School and the one now there is to be |
put in tho Cass school.
Secretary Gillian was authorized to- have |
the school board ballot boxes in the election |
booths on election morning.