The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-07
Moorhead Department
UP TO The VOTERS
Shall Moorhead Have New School
5uildins2-Gsc. G. PerIey eivos
Plain Facts.

aFNFMH .tEHN. III
TO The Forum: Referring to the
action Of the commercial club at a
special meeting last Friday night, in
disappearing by r vote of two to one
the proposition OF the board Of edu-
cation, to be submitted to the voters
on Friday evening, May 10, to bond
the district for $4,000 for the pur-
pose Of erecting a new school build
Ing. l desire to make the following
comments:
1t is plainly apparent that at least
five causes operated to influence this
adverse action.
Ffrst-The opposition Of those who
believe, or appear to believe, that a
new school building would be waste
full extravaganza, and that the dis
trict can worry along with the old
Central building, with a modest sum
expended for remodeling, repairs and
improved ventilation, and can sone-
how (they don't know just how by
taking out partitions and inserting
partition and banishing the Libraries
to the attic, find room for a high
school for $50 or more, though the
present high school room properly
seats only eighty. They don't know
how it can be done, but believe,
where there is a will there is a
way" To them gymnasium, manual
training, agriculture and domestic sci
ence are useless fads and o es-
sential parts Of education. Or they
be''nve that, even If these things are
needed, then that this city, which
practically does not owe 81 Of indebt-
edness, not provided for by the sink
ing fund from the waterworks de-
partment and special assessments for
,wers and sidewalks, and which does
not need to tax the citizens for i cent
for city expenses, except that the char
ter provides for it, cannot afford to
so in debt $4,000 and that such ac-
ton '. ould put US on the road to bank
ruptcy.
Second-The opposition of q few
who probably favor the erection of a
new school building. but believe that
the Fourth wa : should not "hog"
everything, and that the proposed
building should be placed somewhere
else. presumably in the Third ward.
Third-The opposition Of some who
think, and at that meeting plainly
said, the the board of education
Esnubbed the commercial club in MT
first bringing the matter before the
club and taking the clubs counsel in
the matter, and for this reason they
.~roposed that the bod Of education
(Which all must admit is the only
party who can lead the way n such
a matter and must be presumed to
know something about the work.
should be turned down, regardless Of
the merits OF the proposition, for
their presumption and lack Of regard
for the popular opini n, as represe-t-
| ed by the commercial club.
Fourth-The action of a majority of
tn members of the hoard of educa-
ton ct the dub meeting, who, while
present, failed with the exception of
one member, to support the PROPOSE
ton or assume any responsibility for
it, except that the people had decided
at the last annual meeting for a new
building. They sat silent in their
seats even when tainted with the
hostile question, whose child is this?''
Possibly the club members very nat
urely concluded that the board Of edu-
cation did not care for the proposition,
but were carrying out the instruction
Of the last annual meeting, in a per-
functory way only.
Fifth-The opposition of those, who
while they want a schoolhouse and a
good one, do not want the present
board of education to build it and
probably believe that they themselves
could do the job much better, and
preferred, for that reason, to kill the
present proposition, even at the risk
OF killing any proposition Of the kind
that may be proposed for several years
to come.
All these causes undoubtedly COM
bined to secur the adverse vote, and
on the whole the result might have
been anticipated.
I am not now discussing the merits
of any of the above named phases OF
this opposition, but am merely stat
ing facts. The commercial club has
gone squarely on record in opposition
to bonding the district for $75,000 and
as it will be found Impossible to figure
out how any less sum car be ade-
quate, the opposition of the club tc
any bonding proposition must be taker
for granted, unless they should later
experience a change Of heart
squareIy Up to the VotersS
1t is now up to the voters to say
at next Fridays meeting whether OF
not they wait a new school build
ing. The individual opinions of the
board of education does not count; thu
opinions of a few leaders Of the com
mercial club does not count, and moth.
ing here counts but the votes of thu
people. Once that voice is freely ant
fairly expressed, the result will b.
cheerfully acquiesed in by everybody
The voters, however, should clearl!
understand that o room must b
at once provided in the Central build
ing, and that the expansion must taxi
place in the attic. and that in one yea
the privilege Of using the norma
auditorium and gymnasium will b
/ Withdrawn.
I am not a prophet Of a son of 1
} prophet. but I venture the prediction
that IL this proposition is killed, w
j shall have no new schooihouse for sew
eraI years to come, and I venture tn
J opinion that, when the matter is close
ly studied, 1t will be found that no
less than $4,000 can be spent advan
! ~tageously, that any considerable sun
above that amount would be a needles
, expense, and that the estimate an.
Recommendations OF the architects TO
the erection of separate high schoo
building near the Central building, s.
that the two may be economical,