The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-22
They Want Free Water and
Reduced Rates Which Is
Planned for the Public
Schools of City.
ST. ANDREWS TAKES
LEAD IN MOVEMENT
St. Mary's Catholic and ST..
Johns Lutheran Will Fol-
low Its Example, Board
Delays Action.

| The congregations of Richmond sup
porting parochial schools will endeav-
or to have clause inserted in the pro-
posed water works contract whereby
their schools will share the limited
free water use and reduction in rates
given the public schools under the
proposed franchise.
| The matter came up before the
| board of public works today in a COM
munication which the Rev. Frank A.
church, addressed to the body The
letter asks that the same provisions
be made for st. Andrews parochial
school as is made for the public
schools in the water works proposal.
1t is known that both the Rev. Fa-
| ther Cronin of st. Mary's Catholic
church and the Rev. A. ]. Feeger of
st. Johns Lutheran church, the two
other congregations of the city with
parochial schools, support the action
of the Rev. Father Roell
Have Taken Action.
These pastors have already taken
steps to see that their congregations
present petitions to the board of works
| asking that reduction in the water
rates for parochial as well as for
publis schools be included in the pro-
posed contract. The Rev. Father Gro
min was the first to call attention to
the right of the parochial schools to
reduced water rates.
1t was learned today that a number
of councilmen are in favor of the re-
quest and will support the stand of
| the three pastors. The board ofsworks
took the matter under advisement to-
day. Definite action will be taken at
the next meeting of the city council
devoted to a consideration of the wa
ter works question.
The three congregations that are
asking for the concession numbers
more than 1900 families and $500
communicate members. The enroll
| ment of the schools totals 900 child
rem, conservatively estimated.
The children in the parochial
schools are included in the school
enumeration that is taken as
basis on which the city of Richmond
school purposes from the state. The
city of Richmond secures a direct
gift in school money from the children
in the parochial schools, as the three
congregations pay the expense of
maintaining their schools and do not
receive aid from the state.
A warm sentiment favoring the re-
quest of the two Catholic and Luther
an congregations was found today
among persons whe were approached
on the subject. 1t was argued that the
parochial schools were entitled to the
same advantages of free and cheap
water as were the public schools. 1t
was also pointed out that the Catholic
and Lutheran taxpayers practically
pay double as much for educational
purposes as do citizens who do not
send their children to these schools.
| Under the law the city has the right
to give the parochial schools free wa
ter. 1t cannot appropriate funds from
the school treasury for the support of
the parochial schools.
The full text of the request of the
Rev. Mr.. Roell is appended:
| RoelPs Petition.
Richmond, Indiana, Aug. 20, 1912.
To the Hon Board of Public Works,
Richmond, Indiana.
Gentlemen:
| In view of the fact that a new fran
chise for the Richmond City Water
Works is now under consideration,
and that the city will, at this time,
expect certain concessions to be made
both to the city and its various insti-
tutions, we deem this an opportune
moment to present a request which
we feel we may justly make.
! Under the present franchise the
public schools of the city have been
given the free use of the city water
up to a certain amount. Whilst COM
mending this arrangement, and trust
ing that an equally liberal spirit will
be shown to our public schools in the
future, we feel that like courtesy
should also be extended to the paro-
chial schools of the city.
| Speaking for ST. Andrews Parish,
cannot refrain from pointing to the
| fact that it has maintained its school
for over fifty years, and that it has
been potent factor in moulding the
youth of the south portion of our city,
particularly, into godfearing and patri-
otic citizens. By this. / do not mean
to say that the schools activity is
confined merely to the residents of
the South Side, for its patrons live in
every sectional this time the par
ish is engaged in the work of erecting
a new school building at a cost of ap-
proximately seventy-five thousand dol
lars. This is made necessary by the
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