The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-02-21
HELD UP

The bright dream of ample and
|commodious school rooms In Chanute,
INDUCED in by those anxious to see
Chanute move along with the present.
day procession and keep abreast Of
modern day thoughts, received sud
den awakening by the action Of the
school board at its meeting Friday
night last.
Last July the citizens voted $4,000
in bonds to erect school rooms in the
different wards. The board was eX-
pected to proceed at once to build the
various rooms as specified in the call
After months of wrangling among
themselves; after the patience of the
people had become exhausted, and the
fire had occurred in the Third ward
which entirely DESTROYED the school
building in that ward, the board an
nounced to the people that the $685.
600 previously voted was not enough
money to build and equip the rooms
wanted, in modern style, and they re-
Gently made call for another $685.
900, which was to include the replac-
ing of the Third ward building burned
ward building and extend the high
school room.
The plain understanding among the
board was that modern slX-rOom
building only should be built in the
Third ward. A good many people in
the First and Fourth wards were a
little suspicious about placing so
much money in the hands Of this
board, fearing that an unfair amount
Of it would be appropriated for use In
the Third, and declared their inten-
tiOns of voting against the PROPOSE
ton, but by the repeated assurances
of members on the west side that
they would appropriate the money as
intended by the vote and only build
six rooms in that ward, which is more
room than the present needs OF the
ward, they were Induced to vote for
the bonds. The people who are anX-
ious for The upbuilding OF our educa-
tiOual interests In the town, and who
were iH%uced to vote for the bonds on
the positive assurances of the board |
that the plain intent of the PROPOSE
tion should be carried out honestly |
and fairly, were very much shocked
Saturday morning to learn that ma
jority of the board had voted to ap-
proprlate the funds in different
manner than had been agreed and
build an eght-room building in the
Third ward instead of a six. The
members who now make this propo.
stiOn know full well that such a
proposii ion could not have been car
red in the town and that If they at
tempt to carry out their resolution
they are doing it in absolute defiance
of the will Of the people, expressed to
them both orally and by BALLOT.
We think that the proposition was
either voted through with ut careful
thought and consideration or was in
tended to bring about some desired
result and that In either case it will
eventually be reconstructed and voted
down. We have been in hearty SYM
pathy with the cenSure that has been
heaped upon the school board for their !
inaction, the past few months, but
we can not think that majority of
the board means to carry out the pro-
visions of the resolution. We believe
they want to see Chanute psosper and |
her schools an ornament and credit. |
This move, if persisted in, simply |
means the tying up of all building OPP |
eratlonS possibly for years, and the |
Quartering of our children in damp. |
dlngy easements and poorly lighted
and ventilated shanties not designated
for school purposes and not fit for
such use. We surely think that there
are not SIX men on that hoard that
desire such a condition and that after
mature thought, or the end is accom-.
plished for which the resolution was
passed, it will be recinded and active
steps taken towards carrying out the
will of the people and giving us the
school facilities we so much need.