The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-03-16
ANENT THE SCHOOL ELECTION

| Board oil directors undecided as to what
t. do. The vote WAS IL for the building
q new school house aud IL against. II
two of the eleven had voted with the
twelve there would have been the neces-
sary three-ffths to authorize the board to
proceed. Or, il five that did not vote ut
all had voted with the twelve the result
would have been the same. II this
shows nothing else. it indicates very lit
tie interest in 30 important a matter.
The directors would not feel like acting
further even if there had been the nee
essarv two or five votes to make the nee
esssry three fifths majority. There were
81 who had registered. Only % of these
voted.
Now, should the district build another
school house? II not, what shall they
do? II go, where and how much of
school house shall they build? The
board themselves have no special inter
est in the matter more than any patron,
except that they have become responsible
for provi ling rooms and teachers for the
fast increasing number of pupils The
school population has increased one hun
dred each year for the past two years.
The present activity in building indicates
that there will be even greater increase in
the next few years. There are two rooms
in the basement Of the Columbia build.
ing, both undesirable, and the room in
the Syndicate block is very undesirable,
both a. to heating and ventilation and
also as to toilet room facilities. More
over, about fifty applications have been
made since the beginning of the school
year for entrance to the first primary de-
partments. These were all rejected for
want Of room and teaching force. The
primary OF the Central school has an en-
rollment of eighty three-enough for two
full rooms-but here we have only one
teacher and an assistant, both of whom
have TO work in the one room at the
same time. The Columbia first grade
has an enrolment of forty.six.
Now, If the two rooms in the basement
of the Columbia school should still be
continued. still there are about one hun.
dred pupils in town, including the fifty
not received into the primary depart
ments and the fourth grade now in the
Syndicate block, that are not properly
provided for.
With an increase the next year equal
to the past year there will be at least four
roomfuls for whom there are no rooms.
Now what shall be done with these four
roomfus of pupils? Will those who
voted mo" in the last school election
please rise and suggest or explain and
they will find us ready and interested
listeners. Moreover it is stated that St. |
Joseph's Academy has larger attend
ance than ever before. Something must !
be done.
But some, and among these are those
who have no children, object because it
increases taxes. Surely it costs to have
schools, but if any one has suggestions to
provide school facilities for the increase
in the number of pupils without an in.
crease in the cost, we are ready for in
struction. Besides. there are worse
things than high taxes even if building
the school house would increase the rate.
Decrease the extent and character of
school facilities and this truth will soon
become very apparent very much to our
disadvantage. Moreover, an increase in
BODYBUILDING and school population
means corresponding increase in the
ability to provide for schools thus keep.
ing the rate the same. 1t must be so or
house rents would increase until there is
an equilibrium. An investment in real
estate in this school district must take
into consideration the taxes for schools
Those not public spirited to that extent
should not have low taxes and poor
school facilities held out as an induce
ment. They do consider it. They ex-
pect to assume school facilities.
Some have objected to the plan of
building n new school house on block %,
and offer a counter suggestion that an
addition be made to the Columbia build
Ing. The number of pupils enrolled in
the six departments of the Columbia last
month WAS 2S2. The same month there
were 43i in the Central school. The dis
trict for the Columbia includes fourteen
blocks east of the railroad track and there
is no end to the protests that are made to |
crossing the track to 90 to school. Four
more rooms built on the Columbia would |
mean that about 100 to 200 more pupils