The Calumet news., 1912-07-31
SAYS THE ISSUE
OUGHT TO CARRY
official Says Defeat of Bond Pro-
ject Would be Mistake

There have been more or less oppO-
siton expressed In some quarters IL
tho bonding of the city for s15O,000 for
q new school, President Baer OF the
noard Of education this morning said
,bat II would be regrettablc If for any
reason the question OF bonding To be
voted on next Monday should fail 20
receive a substantial majority sun!
cisnt 10 authorize the issuing of the
bonds. Should it fail. ne said. Han
cock will be left in the unenviable po-
sition of being Indifferent tc It's schools
and likely 20 be left To struggle along
with is present high school for a loag
time 10 come
1t has been claimed by some of the
objectors that the present school
grounds mignt be used and that the
cost of a new site might thereby be
saved. besides which Il part of the
equipment could De used in the neN
building. The Central primary. IL is
claimed, could be moved to another
site in east Hancock and that for
$4,000 or less the city could have a
new high school, costing 100000, leav.
inc the balance for new grade and pri-
mary schools.
To this it is answered that while
the taxpayers viii be asked to vote
$3.50 900 that amount will not be used
unless abs olutely required. Az option
has been held for some months past
on very desirable site in west Han
cock occupying blocks three and -four
in the Condor third addition. bound
ed by Forest, Maple. Anthony and At
lantic streets, for Il sam of about ff-
teen thousand dollars. This would
he a very desirable site, although
somewhat distant from the heart of the
city. But it is more accessible than
an eastern location would be TO tie
majority of the pupils attending. The
site Of the present schools is ideal,
hut the question is asked what will be
done with the two thousand children
attending the schools there while they
are building the high school and moN-
ing and reconstructing the primary. u
will take two years Ia complete the
new school said Mr.. Eaer, The archl-
tects will need at least three months To
prepare plans, Gnd the other details of
letting the contracts. etc, would re-
quire much time and many meetings
of the board before even the prelim-
mary work could be started. As To
using part of the present high school
building, that would he folly, es it Is
already So far cut of date in its equip
ment and arrangements as to he a
subject of humiliation when compared
with the schools of Calumet, Palnes-
dale. Houghton and Others Of the
newer high school bdildinss of thc
copper country and the upper penip
sula.
That Poor Mans Argument.
The objection as To increasing the
taxes of the poor man is not tenabie
said Mr.. Raer. The cost of the school
would be spread over period of twen-
ty years. and with the increasing va,-
uation Of city property, new additions
TO the population, Improvement OF
business conditions as the result OF
the successful development of the
Hancock mine, the burden will be
scarcely felt. rhe children who will
benefit by the building OF the new
school will be called upon when theS
grow up to meet the payments as they
fan due and with modern educational
equipment win be better fitted To take
their place IN the business world and