The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-08-29
SCHOOL SHOWN TO Be SAFE
Members of Board of Education With
draw Demand Made on Council for
$4,000 for Building Fund Send Bill
to Contractors for Repairs on School.

Interesting facts in regard to
methods of inspection of school build
ings in course of erection in Kenosha
were brought out at the adjourned
meeting of the board of education on
Thursday evening when Architect T..
Gaastra, who had been employed to
superintend the building of the Col
umbus school, was called before the
board to explain the serious defects
in the construction Of this building.
The statement made by Mr.. Gaastra
brought out the fact that portions of
the building were put up without in
spection even though the board has
paid Gaastra two per cent of the con-
tract price for experimenting the
erection of the building. Mr.. Gaastra
declared that he had not seen some
of the brick work which had been
done. He admitted that some of the
portions Of the building were defec-
tive but insisted that it was matter
for the j. P. Cullen Company of James
vile, who had been the contractor for
the building.
Gaastra declared that he would at
once take the matter up with the Cul-
len company and make an effort to
force the company to pay for such
repairs as had been deemed neces-
sary by the board and to make provi-
sion for further changes in the work.
Photographs presented to the board
showed that the interior Of the walls
of the building was of poor construc-
tion and the pictures indicated that
the building could not have been prop
erly inspected in course of its cree
ton. Already the board has expended
$3.50 in making repairs and it is ex-
pected that as much more must be ex-
pended within "a short time. The
building has been carefully inspected
and it is declared to be entirely safe
for the use of the children. 1t was
thought at one time that it might be
necessary to abandon the building,
but after the most careful inspection
it was declared that the defects were
not of a nature as to warrant any fear
for the safety of it.
Members of the board may ask the
council to file suit against the contrac-
tors and the architect to force the re-
pairs that may be necessary to place
the building in first class condition
from every standpoint.
In addition to the Columbus school
situation the board took up the fnan-
cial problem and it was decided that
it wouldn' It be necessary to start
work on an addition to the Balm
school or on a new building until some
time next year. Members of the
finance committee of the council ap-
peared before the board and asked
thar the board withdraw the demand
made for $4,000 for building pur-
poses and after a long debate the
board decided that this should be
stricken from the budget presented to
the council some time ago. The
amount to be raised for school pur-
poses will still be little over $101,-
600. The schools may be little
crowded but superintendent Mary D.
Bradford asserted that it would be
possible for the children to be taken
care of without the builing of any
additions this year.
The board took up a number of rou-
tine matters in connection with the
opening of the new term of the schools
but most of the important matters
were laid over until the September
meeting of the board.