The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-03-15

S"N Ni3t u 1lOL
be done without issuing bonds to the
extent of at least 500, 900, and one
OF Two of the speakers counciled
against plunging the city into a fur
ther debt.
Along this line it was shown, in
the course of remarks from several
speakers that Mitchell paid the low
est school tax of any city of equal
size in the state, the rate in Mitchell
being but IA mills, while at Dead
wood it was II mills, at Pierre 23
mills, at Huron "A mills, at Aber-
deem it was considerably larger, and
so it was with practically every city
of any standing.
1t was shown that from the school
fund endowment of the state that
Mitchell would receive this year
about $4,000 which would be ample
to pay the interest on the bonds to
be issued, and this amount would
keep increasing each succeeding year
as tue fund grew larger and as the
school population was increased.
1t was believed that in the course of
10 years that the amount from the
state would reach the sum of $780,
600. The growth of the schools
was shown by the amount of money
that it took to conduct them IL
years ago, when we had but eight on
nine teachers and the expense
amounted to about 500 At the
present time we have % teachers
and it requires s22, 900 to pay the
expenses of the schools.
From a number of speakers the
idea was advanced that they felt it
the duty of the board to provide
proper school facilities to keep pace
with the rapid development of the
city. There were sufficient evidences
to the gentlemen that Mitchell was
not going to take a backward step,
and it was their duty to see that it
which were presented to the meeting
it appeared that the city was really
two years behind it's facilities, and
ii the suggestion made that we wait
a couple of years before making any
move in the direction of another
high school building that we would
then be four years behind the school
progression, and before the building
could be completed we would still
be farther behind, as the general
opinion seemed to be that it would
take about two years to build the
new high school building.
With the statement prevailing
among the speakers it was thought
that there should be no delay in
commencing the work and that it
should start at once, inasmuch as it
would be necessary to vote on the
question Of issuing bonds at the
spring election, and perhaps the
best that could be done would be
to make the excavation and build
the basement this year, completing
the structure next year. 1t was adj
united in the course of the state
ments made that outside room would
have to be secured even though the
ward school was built this year.
Many instances were related of the
number of people who we're now
moving to Mitchell to take advan-
itage of the educational features, and
these could not be maintained in
such limited room as is now at the
city hall building, the use of which
has been discussed, did not offer
much aid in taking care of the over
flow, as the rooms were not large
enough to accommodate some of the
classes which would have to be sent
there.
The statements that were made
during the evening were brought to
ia climax when a motion was made
and seconded that it was The sense
of the meeting that the board of ed
ucation submit to the voters the
question of issuing bonds not to ex-
coed 100000 for the erection of a
high school building and for the
erection of the ward school build
ing. This motion was carried prac-
~tically unanimously. 1t was also the
sense OF the meeting that another
Injecting be called to meet in the city
hall auditorium for a further dis
cussion and for a gathering of a
larger body of men.
The Republican most heartily en-
dorses the sentiments expressed and
the action taken by the meeting.
The embarrassing school situation
has been something in the nature of
a drawback for the further develop
ment of the schools, and as long as
it is allowed to remain in this con-
dition we will be that far behind
Mitchell's reputation for progress
%iveness. The showing that was made