The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-02-17
2. R'rfN9! DISCUSSES
II TIRE SCHOOL SITUATION

1
cess OF reasoning the City Couhcn
arrived at the conclusion that thes
had the authority to borrow $la.oc"
on the city's credit and use tue
] money for purpose that is liiesa'
/ for the city Only snort "Ei''
ago the City Council, 5a' XII Dy -
overwhelming vote of the citizens
attempted to borrow $4,000 TO
build school houses and the Supreme
Court OF the State decided that the!
could not do it, Now the City Couh-
Gil, without giving the voters
chance to say yea or nay. propose
to take the bull BY the horns ana
do what the Supreme Court OF the
State SAYS is in violation OF the con-
stituton of the State. In addition
to that, they propose to do with TINS
none. what the voters OF Lakeiahd
voted down by an ovcrwhclminS
ajoriiy. If you will set copy 81
the Murrell proposition, suhmlttea
; TO the people some time since. yov
will find that it is. on the schooi
question, substantially Just what the
Council is proposing to DO at TINS
time. If | remember correctly, TINS
proposition received twelve or four
teen votes out Of more than a hun
d:ed and fifty cast; but the thin"
seems to have more lives than cat
1t can come to life overnight an!
old time. The fact that 1t has been
killed BY the citizens of Lakeland in
MaSs meeting assembled; again "
/, the people when their vote was
polled to learn their wishes in the
matter, and yet again when the
| Supreme Court decided that the
city could not build school building
seems IL have had no effect on It.
/. hobs up before the county bOaa
and insists that it is not only ai'N@
| but IS the whole chcese-a Nv
cheese a that and demonstrates il
ability 70 make tho people sWaiaA
! i, or aet nothing. Being AGAIN killes.
lv the county board this time, it -
turns on its regular rounds to IT,"
| City Council again, and asks thu;
body TO nuliify the constitution Of
the State in its interest. That cmcr-
gencs plea for il would sound bot
ter if everybody did not know that
the good people back of this scheme
had deliberately left the school in
| its present condition, and then pro
pose to use that as a plea to get The
people to consent to building an ex.
ptnsive addition to the school
house, instead of a new building at
q other place. The county school
hoard stood ready for months 10
borrow the money lOr the district
md build the new school house but
these good people, who were then as
| Ow SO distressed about the cOndi-
I on of the school. would none of II.
1t first they said they had tried and
failed to get grounds for the new
huilding-the grounds were secured
Then they said the county board
would not let us have enough money
- buy the grounds and put up the
building; that was arranged Then
they demanded that II the new house
was built, $4,000 must be spent on
the old one. After much talk, that
was agreed to. They they raised
the amount to $4,000 for the old
building. Finally that was agreed
10. They they raised 1t to $4,000.
I he county board dropped the whole
matter.
Now they hold up the pitiable
! flight of the school before the Coun-
cil to induce that body to do an un-
constitutional act, making the prom
ise that very soon the district can
issue bonds. and then the city is to
be relieved of its untenable position
j I nder such pressure. seeing the
rGeds of the school, and with such
i.ir promises, one could hardly
anne the Council for setting aside
lie constitution of the State If thcv
+ uld find some one who would lot
ON have the $4,000 on their un-
Institutional act.
Speaking of promises. carries me
t-ack TO the time when the school
as moved from the south side of
I railroad to the north side IT
I ut time the greater number of chill
ch were on the north side of the
. iiroad, and it was very dangerous
3 ifr these north side children to cross
tie railroad. and their mothers suf-
red very much from nncasinoss
IA if the south side people faui.n
: number Of them had no children,