Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-05-19
LOOK TO THE FUTURE.


The men controlling the affairs Of
LaCreole Academy have published a
statement to the public in which it is
asserted that the school cannot be
maintained as separate institution
of learning and that the only hope of
its perpetuation lies in a continuation
of the present combination with Dali
las College. The college has now
reached a stage in its growth and ex-
istence where it must expend all of its
funds and energies in the erection of
needed buildings-if not in Dallas,
then in some other Oregon town where
aid and encouragement will be forth
coming from a community desirous
of securing an institution of higher
learning and willing to unite in it's
support.
Having found the present working
arrangement satisfactory, and desir-
ing to continue the combined school
in the town where it is already estab-
lished, the trustees of the college and
of the academy have devised a plan
whereby the academy course may be
perpetuated by turning the academy
lands into the academy endowment
fund, and using the interest arising
therefrom in paying instructors to
teach the academic grades, thereby
making it possible for the college to
use every available dollar Of the col
lege funds in purchasing suitable
oroI,nd and araotfnu fha naoaccory
buildings to accommodate a strong
and useful institution of learning.
This plan, which doubtless is under
stood by all of our readers, is to sell
the academy building and campus to
the public school district and to place
the money arising from the sale in the
permanent endowment fund OF the
academy An election to decide
whether the district shall issue bonds
to the amount of $4,000 and pur-
chase the property consisting of a
building and little less than two
blocks of land, has been called for
Monday of next week.
1t has been urged from certain
quarters, from whence the spending
of public money is not usually object
ed to as an important matter, that
100000 is more than the property is
worth. Considering this objection
from a strictly commercial standpoint,
and not taking into account the desir-
ability of the academy campus for
purely public purposes or its value as
a suitable campus for the new high
school, there may be some merit in
the argument. But looking at the
matter from the opposite viewpoint
appraising the worth of the campus
according to its desirability as a pub
lie playground; considering that its
value will increase enormously as the
city grows. and farther keeping in
mind that the property is not subject
TO taxation--the price fixed upon 1t
by the academy trustees would not
seem at all exorbitant.
1t must be borne in mind that the
time is not far distant when every
room in the new High School build
ing will be needed for high school
purposes. When this time shall ar
rive, II win be necessary for the dis
trict to provide a school building for
the lower grades that are now being
temporarily accommodated there. BY
purchasing the academy property
now, the district will have a six-room
building in readiness to receive these
grades at any time, and the problem
of additional land for school purposes
viii be permanently solved, as such a
purchase would give the district land
I'm both the north and the south ends
of town, a plan which has always
met with general favor. The purchase
of the property at this time would
save the district from the necessity
of issuing more bonds for many years
TO come.
Some expressions of doubt have
been heard among the voters as TO
the authority Of the academy trustees
TO sell this property TO the school dis
trict without violating the terms of
the gift OF land by the original donors
The most reliable information on this
point is to be gained from the acad- I
emy records and the deeds them
selves The minutes OF the first meet {
ing held 20 consisder the founding OF ,
an academy say that the object was to
an academy "at or near
Dallas" The minutes farther show
that Solmon Shelton agreed 20 do 4
nate rs acres OF land south OF the ,
LaCreoie River, on the condition that ,
John +. Lyle and william Lewis 1
would donate 40 acres each for a lire
purpose. The proposal was accepted
and 105 acres were donated to the In
The deed to 30 acres from l
Mfr. Lyle reads. For 81 and in consid- I
uration that the school be located up
on or In the vicinity Of the premises {
granted" There Is nothing in the
records 70 Indicate that the school {
building must be located upon the ac- I
luai tract Of land donated In order to
hold the title. In fact. the deed from q
Mr.. Lewis does not even mention the q
location OF the school. The last :
named instrument merely conveys 20 Z
lcrcs Of land for supporting and
an institution OF learning
% Be called LaCreole Academy" II Is
liainiy evident from the records that ,
ne only obiect Of these men was to l
lssist IN founding and maintaining an !
academic school upon or in the vicin- !
~ Of the land donated-in other
rords IN or near Dallas. Polk County.
)reron
Any talk of graft in connection
rith the proposed sale IL worse than Z
lie The men who compose TIE board q
r academy trustees are not graftera
'r TIRE contrary. hey are substantial o
uaIners men and property owners Of q
BE- cIiy-men who are interested IN n
aeinx Dallas Erow and prosper. IL
as been explained ever and over