Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-05-10
BUY HOWE PROPERTY
DIRECTORS SELECT SITE FOR
NEW HIGH SCHOOL.
Secure Valuable Half Block for $500;
Howe Residence to Be Sold
at Auction.

district solved Ine pfODlem Ol StleCl
ing a High School site yesterday b!
closing a deal for the purchase of the
James Howe residence property OF
Main street. The price paid for the
property was $4500.
The purchase includes the Howe
residence and lot approximately 15(
by 800 feet. The building will be SOLD
to the highest bidder according to the
terms of notice of sale printed else
where in this paper. AS soon as the
house can be removed from the lot
and bonds of the district sold, work
will be commenced on the big High
School building.
Secures Valuable Property.
In the purchase of the Howe resi-
dence site, the school district has Sc
cured valuable property at a reason
able cost. The dwelling house was
built about twenty-five years ago by
Hon. ]. D. Lee and is one of the sight
ly homes of the city. While the house
is not strictly modern, it is substan-
TALLY built, and a neat sum of money
should be realized from its sale. Mr.
Howe's prices for the property without
the house was $4,000, but the directors
the house and lot for $4500, as it is
certain that more than $500 will be
realized from the sale of the house.
Some objection has been urged
against the purchase of this property
for school purposes on the grounds
that it is too close to the business dis
trict, but this slight disadvantage is
more than offset by the beautiful
building site and by the further fact
that the new schoolhouse will be sur
rounded by residences, with no great
prospect of any stores or business
buildings ever being built on that
block. The new High School will be
in plain view of all passenger trains on
the Southern Pacific line and will be
the first handsome public building to
attract the attention of visitors driv-
ing into the city from the North.
The only important objection that
can be urged against the selection of
this site is the size of the lot. A High
School building of the dimensions con-
templated by the board of directors
will occupy the greater portion of the
lot and will leave practically no room
for school grounds. 1t is not probable
that the new building will be less than
30 by $50 feet in size, and such a
structure would at best leave only
room for a small lawn in front and a
narrow strip at each end of the build
ing.
Grounds of this size might be suf-
ficient for High School purposes alone,
but owing to the crowded condition of
the present public school, it is cer-
tain that some of the lower grades
will have to be quartered in the new
building for the next five or ten years,
at the least, or else it will become
necessary for the district to erect
another public school building. 1t Is
more than probable that the sentiment
of the district will be in favor of us
ing some of the rooms in the High
School building for public school pur-
poses until such time as the increas-
ing number of High School students
shall make such use impracticable.
Should Buy More Ground.
Viewing conditions in this light the
Observer is of the opinion that the
time is not far distant when the people
of the district will authorize the
school board to buy more ground for
school purposes. The purchase nat
uarally suggesting itself in this con-
nection is that of the Dallas College
campus. The college property is ideal
for public school purposes, but is not
well adapted to the needs of a college.
The Observer believes that If a sat
isfactory deal could be arranged be-
tween the school district and the col
lege authorities, it would be a wise
and business-like move for the district
to purchase the college grounds The
tract is increasing in value every day
and would add to the wealth of the
district with every succeeding year. If
some of the smaller children are to be
quartered in the High School building
next year. II will be necessary to pro-
vide play grounds for them, and the
college campus is ideally located for
this purpose. 1t would be neither wise
nor desirable to permit the little child
rem and the older students to mingle
together on a common ground. Both
the school district and the college
4
and rightly. too.
IL is certain that within few years,
the people OF Dallas viii find Il nee
essary to erect another building to be
used exclusively for public school pur-
poses. by purchasing the college
grounds at this time. the district would
not then be confronted with the nee
essity of seeking a building site and
probably incurring an enormous in
debtedness on account OF the increase
in the value Of property With the
present public school building in the
South end Of town and another in the
North end, the arrangement could not
be otherwise than satisfactory 20 every
resident Of the district
Secured Good Bargain.
The Observer has no criticism what
ever 10 offer OF the action Of the school
board in purchasing the Howe proper
~. The tract Is worth every cent paid
for a.: In fact. IL Is worth much more.
Before the High School bonds were vOt-
ed. this paper urged the board 10 take
Up the matter Of a building site and
discuss Il with the people. 20 the end
that any future criticism OF objection
might be avoided as far as possible.
We believe that this was the wise
course 20 pursue. and we hold 10 the
same opinion still This advice, how
ever. did not meet the approval Of the
board. nor does Il seem that Il was
popular with the taxpayers either. FOR
that matter. Judging from the silence
of the voters on the subject and the
overwhelming vote cast In favor Of
leaving the selection Of a site solely in
the hands of the dlrectors- Therefore.
any person anticipating any criticism
from this paper Of the boards action
IN purchasing the Howe property r.