Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1912-09-20
MASS MEETING TONIGHT
AT WHICH TAX PAYERS CAN
VOTE ON ONE OF SEVERAL
PROPOSITIONS

There will be mass meeting at the
court house this evening at which bal
lots will be circulated among the par
ents and taxpayers in order to ascer-
tain what should be done in regard to
school accommodations.
Various opinions as to how the
school problem could oe solved are
current and among the members
of the board there is conflict Of
opinion as to whether an entirely new
building should be built or whether an
addition would be as advantageous and
less expensive to the taxpayers, never
theless, the board will act according to
the wishes Of the majority of the tax
payers.
The champions who favor the build
ing of an addition to the central school
believe that it would be the cheapest
solution for the district and are Of the
opinion that the required additional
room will have been secured. Others
think that with the closing Of the Pine
Tree mill that no difficulty will be ex-
perienced in housing the school chill
dren. This, however, is matter OF ten
years distant. It is thought by the
projectors of the addition proposition
that the cost of maintenance Of the ad-
dition will be considerably less than for
that Of new building. The ground on
which these people base their argu-
ments, is that it is cheaper to maintain
one building than two. Another OBJ
lection to an addition, even if built 80
feet away from and connected
h inh cohnn1 hn11d1nO
is that the light on the north side OF
the present building and in the rooms
on the south side Of the new building
would be poor, and the ventilation
would be hampered by the nearness OF
the buildings; also that in case Of fire
the danger would be increased and the
system of schools would be crippled to
a much greater extent were such large
number of children housed in one
building.
Those who favor an entirely new
building are Of the opinion that an ad-
dition would be as expensive as a
new building with the exception of
securing new site for the building.
The agitators for new building
state that the maintenance of two
buildings will naturally cost more than
that of one, but that the difference will
not be as great as it would seem.
Many people refuse to consider that
the closing of the Pine Tree mill will
cause shrinkage in the population for
any length Of time. Therefore they will
not connect its loss with the school
question. At the meeting of the board
last Friday one Of the members stated
that he had secured information on
good authority that at the present time
the company had sufficient amount
of logs to run day and night for 10
years; and that fire would be the only
factor which would result in the closing
of the industry before that time.
| A large number Of the mill employees
live in the country, who, it they lost
their employment, would turn their at
tention to agricultural pursuits.
! Many persons are viewing the school
question from standpoint Of civic
pride and are in favor Of a new build
ing as they say an addition to the
Central building could not be made at
tractive enough so that the citizens of
Little Falls could point to it with pride
| The general impression is that a new
high school building should be erected
| IL d. UulluluS ~ W w cIcCtcu, auu 1Aot
the present building should be turned
over to the exclusive use Of the grades
Although unfit for high school purposes
the Central building with very little
remodeling, could be made into a very
suitable school for grades.
Some persons who have been mis-in
formed are under the opinion that the
Central building is unsanitary. This is
not true as those in position to know
will testify. The only unsatisfactory
part of the Central building is the base
ment rooms and the use Of these has
been discontinued.
Although opinions as to what shoulc
be done vary, every one of the tax
payers are under the impression that
something should be done, as most o1
the grades are over crowded. These
congestions make it very unpleasant fol
the children, the teachers and the
superintendent.
Children from one family are all at
tending different buildings in severa
cases.
The school board have secured G. E
Vasaly of St. Paul, State High Schoo
Inspector George B. Alton and Presi
dent Shoemaker of the St. Clout
| Normal to give addresses on tn
school situation and any other person
wishing to will be allowed to express
their views. ~-,.
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