Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-11-21
The School BUILDING r,,s.

-" "eii-known fact and as sueh an
eiection is highly important .ff.;r
'ner discussion of the proposition
VIII not be amiss. Besides. the nrono
sltion is meeting with such favor w;th
'ne eltizens Of the town, that if is +.
pleasure to advocate the bond ;ssn.
AS many have expressed it. il i tho
greatest move that has been made for
'no pe'terment of Grangeville for MANY
years. "'s
mere are many encouraging signs
tnat the proposition will be carried hv
lar more than the two thirds majority
Nearly all the leading business men
doctors and lawyers, are supporting the
issue. A number of these people bave
no cniidren IN school, either. If some
men who pay the big taxes and vet
nave no children in school. vote for
ponds, what must be the breadth Of
view OF the small taxpayers with child.
rem IN school who vote against ite Ono
iac' STANDS out plainly-the heavy tax.
payer who supports the bonds is gen.
uineiy public spirited citizen. Again
1t may be that the heavy taxpayer who
opposes is a public spirited citizen. but
to prove it, he must show unselfisblv
that the bonds would be detriment
TO the community as a whole. The gen.
ulne American always looks at public
Improvement from the standpoint of
the community's welfare. There are
a few good men who now are not favor.
ing this proposition, but their oppos.
ton is not radical and they appear to
be open to conviction. 1t is to these
men that these facts are presented.
All who investigate will agree that
the present building has no means of
ventilation, that it is exceedingly poor,
~ lighted, that it is unsanitary in ev.
cry respect, that some of the rooms are
literally packed full of pupils, that dan
ger OF fire is sufficient to cause parents
anxiety every hour of the day; literally,
the old building is fire trap, and last.
~, 1t is clear that there is no room to
install some of the modern courses of
study which are demanded. Let any
patron 60 up to this building any school
day and step into a room and he NAV
be sure that he will detect the bad air
by the sickening ordor which is due to
vitiated air and an excess Of organic
matter breathed out by the pupils.
What a chance for the spread of dis.
ease, and how often does tuberculosis
get it's start under such conditions.
Each pupil should have 1000 cubic feet
of fresh air per hour, but under the
present conditions he gets no fresh air
except at intermission. There should
be a complete change of air every six
minutes, yet it is doubtful if he gets a
complete change once a day. In the
new building warm, fresh air will be
forced into each room in the required
amount by fan run by a motor.
Let us look at the question of light.
ing. Each room should have in light
ing area one-fifth the floor space; our
present building has one eighth to one
ninth. 1t is positive shame to put
children in room where they are
bound to injure their eyes as now.
The building is unsanitary, not alone
because it lacks ventilation, but be-
cause there are no adequate toilets, no
cloak rooms, and no basement. There
are no Mushrooms. Every room is heat
ed by stove in corner of the room.
Just now there are two rooms so full
of pupils that it is almost criminal to
allow so many in the room, but none
can be turned away. The eighth grade
now has 43 pupils in attendance, and
four of these have no desks, and there
is no room to put more in except by u.s.
ing the aisles. When that is done, it can
be said that the room is literally
packed.
Think of this too. Some day the fire
bell is apt to ring and someone will cry:
The school house is on fire." Your
first thought will be of your child, and
will not that be moment when you
wish that you had voted away the old
fire-trap. This alone should cause you
to support the bond issue with a vim.
Just one life is worth more than the
SOL 900 asked in bonds.
Lastly, every taxpayer should keep
this fact in mind. Taxes will not be
any higher than they have been the past
two years, for the limit has been levied.
The increase in valuation will make it
possible to pay the interest on the bonds
and run the school on the present rate
If taxation. The matter is with you.
Vote as your conscience bids you.
By the School Board.