The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-03
THE BOARDS PROGRAMME.

100000 in bonds for the construction
of high school. We have been asked
what the programme OF the Board is
with respect TO this school; what sort
Of Il building is intended, and where II
is TO be placed. We have had TO con
fess that we do not know. The Board
has not taken the public into its con
fdence thus far. rs has been done here
tofore in propositions for bonding the
city or the school district. When The
former school bonds were issued there
were full explanations as TO the needs
the buildings, and where they were 70
be put. When the city administration
called for n vote of II 100000 in bonds
for water and sewer purposes, including
the Big Cottonwood water proposition,
a full and detailed statement was made
10 The taxpayers of how the money was
to be applied. The same occurred last
wear when the City Council asked au-
thority 10 issue 100000 in bonds. 1t
has been an unbrokcn precedent here
that when authority to issue bonds was
asked Of the taxpayers that the Coun-
ell or the Board would tell with a good
deal Of exactness what. its programme
was, and how the money was to be
spent.
1t may be that the Board Of Educa-
tion intends to make such statement
to the taxpayers, Certainly it is to
be hoped so. Ii is time, also, that that
statement appeared. for there arc n
good many rumors and suggestions
afoat. One that we have heard is that
the now high school building may be
erected on the northeast corner of the
block where The high school now is, in
the northwestern part of the city.
Another is that the new high school
viii be erected on the east side, the
high school instruction proper being
withdrawn from the west side high
school altogether, that being retained
for the purposes of a manual training
school. Sites have been suggested for
this east side building, Of that is what
is proposed,) one of them on the pres"
ent Twelfth ward property, some away
out on the east bench, and some In the
southeastern part Of the city. But no
one knows. All should know, however,
a sufficient time before the vote comes
to consider the question IN all It's bear
ings, every taxpayer deciding for him
self or herself which way to vote
Inasmuch as a detailed statement Of
the Board s programme is reasonably to
be expected, and is probably intended
by the Board, we urge that it is time
30 be making it public. The taxpayers
are entitled TO know what the Board
intends. The public should be informed
whether there are to be two high schools
proper, or only one, with the present
high school quarters devoted to manual
training, and the new school being
really the only high school in the city,
whether on the same block or elsewhere.
They arc entitled TO know the site upon
which that school is to be built, and in
general, as it is public business, the
public has a right TO know in as much
detail as possible what the Board IS
programme is
The natural disposition of the people
is to vote anything necessary for the
schools. Tt is undoubtedly necessary to
have new high school building in this
city. We believe, however, that the
consensus of opinion is that there should
he maintained here two regular and real
high schools, one on the east side and
one on the west side, and that if
manual training structure is necessary,
that that should be put up later on. or
if the present buildings Of the high
school are to be used for manual train
ing, then provision should be made for
the erection on the west side, perhaps
on the same block, of regular high
school with full course Of customary
instruction. There is ample material in
this city now, and will be ample right
along, for two good, strong high schools,
and the undesirability of pupils having
to cross the business district in order
TO get to school is acknowledged by
all.
However, it is not our purpose here
to enter into any particular argument
one way or another on this matter; but
only to suggest to the members of the
Board Of Education that the people of
this city want to know, and ought to
know, what they intend to do with re.
gard to this new high school for which
they ask half million in bonds. 1t is
q reasonable expectation, and the Board
should lose no time in meeting it, by
full and fair statement Of its purposes
and plan,
JOSEPH F,s I,JTT1E sNrrps