Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-07-22
HIGH school FOR
south SIDE

erside borough will be established
on the south side. This was decided
upon at joint meeting Of the school
boards of the two above named dis
tricts held on Friday night.
1t is the elimination of an agitation
set on foot year or SO ago, in which
there was division among the tax
payers with attendant controversy,
which at times made things interest
ing on the south side.
The question was made an issue at
the last election. The directors favor
ing high school were elected by a
substantial majority. This, it was
thought, would settle the matter, but
in view of the opposition to be over
come the new school board could not
see its way clear TO proceed at once to
establish high school. The project,
it should be remarked, was not aband-
oned.
Time was passing rapidly, however,
and fearing that the wishes of the tax
payers, SO emphatically expressed at
the polls, might not be carried out by
the school board citizens meeting
with j. II. Kase president, and E. W.
/ Young secretary. was held in the
school house at South Dsnville on Sat
urday evening the 10th inst. at which
a committee consisting OF j. II. Kase
and 4. w. Young was appointed to
visit the department of public instruc-
tion at Harrisburg to ascertain what
obstacles, if any, lay in the way of
establishing joint high school by
the township and the borough.
The committee visited Harrisburg Oh
Thursday. 1t did not find DR.. n. G.
Schaeffer in his office but from the
deputy superintendent of public in
struction it received all the informa-
sion it desired. The department. was
under the impression that the high
school IN controversy related to Gear
hart township only and made the point
blank assertion that the district was
too weak to maintain a high school,
This was certainly surprise to the
committee, as the proposition voted on
was a 5oins high school and no other
kind was ever contemplated although
it is fact that in general discussion,
even in South Danville people seem to
have lost sight of the fact that the
high school contemplated was design
ed TO embrace both the township and
the borough.
The departments misapprehersion
was discovered to be due to the mis-
carriage of letter forwarded to Har-
risburg after joint meeting ofthe two
school boards, in which specific in.
formation was sought concerning the
establishment Of d joint higu school.
As soon as the department. unce.-
stool that the propos stion related g. a
Joint high school it freely adyota,-u
the establishment OF one rs comius NJ.
to all requirements. and being ~ "
within II e provisions Of the seloo
law.
\ two years course was tex, M.
meuded by the department aud Was
adopted Saturday night at the Joint
meeting of the two school boards. The
only point which admits of any ques-
tion at all is whether or not under the
opposition a sufficient number of pu-
pills will attend in order to eutitle the
district to the annual appropriation in
aid of high schools. Ia this matter the
two districts have decided 80 take the
risk
An adjourned meeting Of citizens
with fifty present was held Thursday
night, at which the committee made
report OF its visit 70 harrisburg. Fol
lowing, resolution was unanimously
adopted requesting the school directors
OF Gearhart township 10 meeg with the
directors Of Riverside borough and
take action looking 20 the establish.
ment OF Joint high school thereby
carrying out the wishes of the tax
payers.
FRIDAY NIGHTS MEETING.
Pursuant to this resolution on Fri
day night the school directors OF the
township met in the school house at
South DanviIle for the express purpose
, OF acting on the high school propos-
tion. BY invitation the school board
of Riverside borough was present. 1t
was moved and seconded that Joint
/ high school be established In the vote
that followed b. +. Landau. John
/ Freeze, o. w. Gesrhart and John
Murphy, Gearhsrt township, support
ed the high school. T. W. Clayton and
W. W. Gulick, the other directors of
the township, declined to vote. The
directors of Riverside borough that
we're present.. G. Yeager. h. b.
Bird, John Wildsmith, and Harvey
Shultz-supported the high school
proposition. Thus the measure oarri
ed. The joint high school will be est.
ablished in one OF the rooms Of the
South Danville building formerly oc-
cupied by the grammar school, The
two grammar schools of the joint dis.
trict will be consolidated and will oc-