The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-11-07
SELECTING = scsool sIrs


to an article recently written by Mr.
J. n. Brinson, obiecsing 20 the pro-
posed site Of the new Ocaia high
school baildlng. so far a. We are
advised. there exists no general
complaint or objection In this com.
munity 20 erecting the building on.
shs site which Vas selected and pur.
chased, not by this board. Boa b.
committee ~ ave representative per.
sons. as follows. " T. Gary, repre-.
sentlnK The sab-school district trus-
tees: "A. IA earn. rsRnesenting the
conniy board of public instruction.
} IA. Crimson. county supsrlntend.
ent, \. :. Hail. representing the cit.
iksns OF Ocala; Mrs. Jack Camp
Fepreseutinn ne Womans Club.
Two or ihres communications. Ia.
cludns one written By NJ Brinson
have appeared "a The local papers
which set forth some objections 10
ne site. bua IL Weuld seem that The
riters in each instance DO not rep.
resent or claim 20 represent. any
ones opinion except their oWn. A.
this faet g. a matter OF public con.
Germ 80 wish 90 present some facts
and figures heariRg upon the ques-
tion. so that the taxpayers and pat
rons 81 The school NAV form some
Judgment upon the matter.
LIST A. between the site pur.
chased and the properly known a.
he nuebei lot. the comparative dis
tance from the court house square
shows that the Duebel lot = nine.
tenths OF q mile from the public
square. while the lot selected Is six
tenths From the point In North
ocaia where Magnolia street inter.
sects the A. &. l.. railroads main
line 10 the Duebel property. the dis
lance By the most direct route pos
sible. 20 De- trayersed over any high.
way. Is Ia miles. From the same
point via the paved streets the DIS
lance Is is miles. From the same
point TO the site purchased. the dis
lance is las miles. This would
seem TO dispose OF the criticism bas-
ed on the inconvenience 10 North
Ocala.
End Elevation and drainage.
The site selected by the committee
as shown by actual test, is s1.13
feet above the level OF the public
square. that is from the bottom ster
of the court house on the south side
and also 2S.36 feet higher than q
point on Fort King avenue directly
north OF this site. The drainage, as
is we'll known. can be made perfect
and at very little expense from the
site selected toward the lower levels
of the city. in a northwesterly direc-
ton. This should meet all objections
on the score OF elevation and drain
age.
3rd. As TO alleged inconvenience
TO students living west of the 4. c.
L. railroad. The facts are that pu.
pills residing in the third ward of the
city could most conveniently use the
crossing at South Eighth street
where there is only a single track OF
the railroad, while students in the
fourth ward would necessarily come
through the business part of the city
just as they would have to do to
reach the Duebel lot. This ought &c
cover the objection raised on that
score.
4th. AS to the objection that the
site selected is not suitable to the
future growth and development OF
the city, 1t is only necessary to say
that this is matter largely of opin-
ion and prophecy, and the five per-
sons on the committee who selected
this school site probably exercised
sound judgment in this respect.
5th. 1t is claimed by Mr.. Brinson
that the location chosen does not fill
the requirements OF the state law
and that instead of being dry and
airy. the location is low and fat
This is matter which every citizen
is able to Judge for himself, and We
submit to the candid opinion of the
citizens and taxpayers whether Mr.
Brinson's statement as to the char
acter of the site is correct, judged
by their knowledge of the facts, and
the actual figures shown in Mr.
Moorhead's report, hereto appended
Mr. Brinson apparently wishes tc
convey the impression that water
sometimes stands on the lots, but he
makes no positive statement to that
effect. Mr.. j. W. Akin, who has been
living just east OF the property for
l.