Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-08
NEW MEMBERS OPPOSE
School Board Engages in Lengthy
Discussion Over Proposed
Third Ward Building.
Messrs. Church and Nicholson
at First Oppose the Expend-
iture Of Money.
Mr.. Church Partially Converted
Finally. and Plans Are
Called For.

Nd110U Vxs
Are the school patrons of the Third
ward to have suitable building 10
send their children to. or not? That is
question the school board discussed
for nearly three hours at special
meeting held Monday night, and ad-
tourned without being any nearer to-
gether than they We're when they pc
gan. The majority thought that Win
10000 in sight $4,000 building ought
to he erected in the Third ward.
Messrs Church and Nicholson thought
not but admitted that they did not
exactly understand the situation.
At the regular meeting of the old
board on March resolution was
passed authorizing the erection OF
new building on the present site OF tne
Third ward school. The building was
erected over thirty years ago ana LOT
five or six years the directors OF form
when the patrons could be PROVIDED
with q suitable school home for tneir
children. The board that retired last
month considered that time opportune
and prospects excellent for the erection
of the building. without mourning prac
tically any indebtedness. Mr.. Church
and Mr.. Nicholson raised the question
of whether or not the old board had
any right to pass such a resolution at
time when the members were not to De
In office to see it built, and In this the
members were of the same opinion
that under the law the board could not
hind it's successors to any contract. Mr..
Church thought the old Third ward
building plenty good enough and that
1T would last another year, aitho ne
said he would not be in favor OF spend
ing much money in repairing 1t. When
Mr.. Turner remarked that the patrons
of the ward had been complaining the
past few years because of the sanitary
conditions of the building, and had
threatened. in many instances, to take
their children out of school rather than
to run the risk of their becoming Ill,
Mr.. Church said that he had visited
twenty-five patrons of the ward and
that none of them had any complaint
to offer.
Mr.. Nicholson said that he took time
Sunday to inspect the building from
garrett to basement and he thought
that it was in pretty fair condition and
unless necessary, owing to the resoiu-
ton Of the old board, he would not be
in favor of putting up new building.
He admitted the sanitary condition was
not of the best, but thought that mat
ter could be remedied.
Mr.. Church said that they might not
know about some things pertaining to
school affairs. but he had taken pains
to look over the Third ward building
in company with an architect and two
carpenters, and he considered 1t foolish
to build this year, when the board
could wait another year just as we'll as
not.
Mr.. Turner replied that perhaps
there were some things that he did not
know and started to explain them. He
told of the necessity Of dismissing some
of the rooms last winter because Of the
impossibility to keep the building
warm; that water froze on the floor
while at the same time the thermom-
eter, on the walls of those same rooms,
stood at so degrees. He also told of
how the children had to sit on their
feet to keep them warm. The crowded
condition of the building was also men
toned, owing to the increased enroll
ment resulting from the west territory
annexed to the city bringing more pu-
pills into the ward. The worst fault Mr..
Turner had to find with the building,
however. was its sanitary condition.
and stated that the district was paying
$40 per month to keep the closets
cleaned, and during the hot weather 1t
would be necessary to have the closets
looked after twice a month.
Mr.. Church said he thought it would
be all right to build another building if
the board had money to do it, but he
thought it poor policy to tear down the
present structure and put another in it's
place unless there was money in sight.
II was thunderstruck," he added, when
l visited the building, to think that the
board wanted to erect another. From
business point of view / think we
should get along another year before
we build" Mr.. Church said he had
talked with Mr.. Atkinson and that the
latter told him emphatically that he
wouldn't vote to build it If he were a
member of the board today.
Mr. Turner replied that Mr.. Akin
son had also told him, that very day,
and just as emphatically, too, that he
would build, and that it would take
$500 or $500 to put the old building in
any kind of repair, and that an ex-
penditure of that amount would be
money wasted. Mr.. Turner also called
to the boards attention that it would
cost more to put the building into any
than the total interest on the
warrants that the district would have
to draw to build the new school. Mr..
Hull also said in this connection that
it was costing as much to keep the
closets in condition as the interest
would amount to.
Church Thinks Turner Personal.
Mr.. Church made a remark after
Mr. Turner finished to the effect that
he, Turner, would not conduct his per-
sonal business in such way, and
would not be in favor of building a
house if he didn't know where the
money was coming from. Mr. Turner
replied that If his family were in need
of a home and he didn't have money
enough to build 1t, yet had an income
in sight that he knew would pay for
it within a reasonable time, he should
cartainIy give his ia mily the benefit