The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-07-13
ANNUAL SCHOOL MEETING.
One ofthe Most Harmonious in History of
Union School District. Trustees Hume
and Knapp Enthusiastically Reelected.

Union School District. Trustees Hume
and Knapp Enthusiastically Reelected.
Appropriations Asked For Granted.
The voters of the Union school district
have not turned out for years, II indeed
they eyer did, In larger numbers than they
did to attend the annual meeting of the
district In the armory Monday evening of
this week. In fact they kept coming In
and the rows of chairs kept reaching back
nearer and nearer the door as more chairs
were brought In or handed down from the
galleries until II looked as tho the last cOmers
might have to stand up in the doorway.
At last, however, the crowd was all in,
had secured seats, and become quiet, and
the regular order of business was taken
up. The reports of the officers for the year
were given In the usual order, ali being
approved as fast as read without any cri-
ticsm whatever. The reports of the secre-
tary for the last annual meeting and for the
special meeting at which the bond sale for
the building of the new Central School was
voted upon, were read and approved The
secretary's report and the treasurer's report
for the school year 1s99-19O0 as well as the
superintendents report for the same period
were also read and accepted.
The reports being out of the way, the
matter of making the appropriations for the
coming years expenses was taken up and
the estimates were read. The report on
estimates was then accepted, the amount
asked for was appropriated, and this amount,
less the amount which 1t was estimated
would come to the district from primary
school money and other sources, was voted
with but five dissenting votes out of a total
of ninety-two and they were probably voted
thru mistake.
Before they were voted on, statements
were made of the condition of the building
fund and the estimated cost of the building.
The lowest bid had been for $51, $40 and
the board had accepted that, then had gone
carefully over the estimates and speclfica-
tiOns and had eliminated various features
which the members considered unnecessary
at the present time, until the sum had been
trimmed down nearly two thousand dollars,
making the cost of the building alone $40
749. The heating system adopted was the
fan blast system which appealed to every
member of the board as being the best and
safest as well as the most economical in the
long run. In looking over the specifications
for this part of the buildings equipment
however, the board found where it could
reduce the estimate, or the figures of the
successful bidder, by about twelve hundred
dollars making the cost of the heating plant
SO, 1875. That made the cost of the building
$5S,70 The plumbing, seating and fur
nishing will of co urse further increase the
cost. In this connection, as Pres. Hume
remarked, they were up against pretty
good sized trust and found that school seats
which year before could have been pur-
chased for 81. 65 were now selling at about
$3.50, or nearly dollar more than before.
They however still hoped to be able to sec
ure the seats without making any such con-
tributiOn to trusts. In what had been done
we'll pleased and the voters of the district
seemed to appre ciate that fact In the items
for instance which had been cut down in
the specifications for the building were $4OO
for special kind of blackboard, $500 for
oiling the brick, $512 for kalsomining, $405
for floors In the basement, and S274 for
plastering in the basement.
After the appropriations had been made,
the matter of electing successors to trus-
tees, Drs. B. s. Knapp and A. M. Hume
was next In order and the choice of trus-
tee to succeed DIR. Knapp was taken up
first. Tellers were appointed and the bal
lot was taken. The result was something
of surprise when 1t was announced, for
there were 297 votes cast and the whole
crowd applauded when 1t was announced
that DIR. Knapp received 291 Of those, the
remainder being scattered. A number had
wished to make the election by acclamation
but that method had been overruled by the
chair. When however the matter of elect
ing successor to DR.. A. M. Hume came
up 1t was moved and carried with shout
THAT the secretary be instructed to instruct
he tellers to cast 297 votes for DR.. A. M.
to succeed himself. The tellers cast the
vote as instruced and announced 2S7 votes
for A. M. Hume who was thereupon de-
clared duly ell ected. The meeting then ad
journe d.
The estimates for the coming year and
the secretary's report are given here. The
superintendent's report is printed In full on
the second page.
ESTIMATES FOR SCHOOL YEAR i9)O-190l.
Teachers salaries $50 110 %
Janitors' salaries ....... ............. 2,200 90
Fuel and liehts.............. 1900 90
Water ............. ........... zoe 90
Bonds Nos I, 2, 3, 3, o, 15............. 4,5o0 90
Interest on 1,4S1 %
Free text books........... 500 90
600 90
Rent of rooms till Central finished $50 90
Extra zoe 90
Seating and upplies....... $500 90
Inciden n 20OO 90