The Detroit times., 1912-03-16
COMMITTEEVOTESS2OO
TOPURCHASE D, A. c. FIELD
Doubtful, Though, If R. M.
Grindley, Who Holds Option,
WIZ Sell at That Figure

The council committee on claims
and accounts approved an estimate
OF 100000 for the purchase OF the ID.
A. G. grounds by the Board OF Educa-
ton, as an athletic field, Friday after
noon. The sum OF $250,0V0 was
originally asked for the purpose.
Those who spoke in favor of the pur-
chase were Supt Martindale, Judge
Hubert. Attorney Harold II. Emmons.
Assistant Principal Miller. OF the
Central High school: Arthur j. Lacey,
representing the Federation of Civic
associations, and Benjamin F. Com
fort, principal OF the Cass Technical
High school.
Each OF the speakers assured the
committee that he would not attempt
10 suggest a price. Judge Hull/rt
asked that IL be made large enough
so that the board would have suf-
ficient latitude to make the purchase
at the lowest figure possible, stating
that 100000 might be sufficient.
There Is some question as TO whether
Robert M. Grindley, who holds an
option from the Campau estate on
the property, will sell at the figure al
lowed by-t committee Mr. Grind
ley is said to have obtained an OPP
ton at about $4,000.
The discussion on the d. A. c..
proposition brought a large crowd to
the council committee room, several
school inspectors attending.
Attorney Emmons Ssoke first,
saying that he appeared In the in
terests of the citizens in the vicinity
of the athletic field who desire to
have the school board take over the
property.
Property is rapidly increasing in
value In that section of the city," he
said. Years ago the city bought
Belle Isle for a very low price, and
consider its value to the city now.
The city cannot lose anything by buy
ing the property from an investment
standpoint, while from an educational
standpoint 1t has much to gain. We
had a committee out looking over the
proposition and IL agreed that the
nearest available property outside OF
the athletic fields is a strip of land
near the Ford factory. That would
cost about $4,000 and then. you
would have only the land and would
have to make an additional outlay to
improve 1t. Besides, the property out
there would be inaccessible to the
children In the central portion of the
city
Assistant Principal Miller spoke OF
| the need OF playground from an
educational standpoint.
Everyone feels that the purchase
| d. .oid Hnlharf
The only question in doubt Is the
price. We cannot look too we'll tc
the interests of the boys. My expert
ence has shown me that the boy oil
| foreign parentage is stronger today
than the boy of American parentage
My own work teaches me that the
standard Of the American boys
vitality is going down, while that OF
the boy of mixed parentage Is going
up. -.
Now, $3.50, 900 for the d. A. c. field
for playground looks high, viewed
from the standpoint of Mr.. Grindley' g
option But, considering the value OF
| property adjoining II, ! tell you the
price asked does not appear so very
| high, at that.
"That spot is the coming business
center OF the city. The land VIII be
an admirable site for the school
board administration building"
Supt Martindale said there are
6 1000 elementary school pupils in
that section of the city between the
ages OF six TO 16 years and 1000 high
school pupils. He said that he plead
ed for nearly $4,000 children In that
section who required playground
facilities.