Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-01-12
SUPT, MATHIS MAKES APPEAL
FOR BOND ISSUE FOR SCHOOLS
Vital Needs Of Local School System Outlined By SupGriR
tGndent Mathis, With an Urgent Plea For The Pas
SAGE of The Bond Issue For Schools at The Election
on January q

Superintendent Mathis has issued an
appeal to the parents and people of
Americus to support the bond issue
that is to be voted upon January 21.
The present condition of the schools
are shown, and the needs of the fu-
ture are indicated. The communica-
ton from Superintendent Mathis,
which should be read by every citizen
and resident of Americus, is as fol-
lows:
To the People of Americus:
On the twenty-frst of this month
the people of Americus will decide
whether $4,000 in bonds shall be
issued for the schools. They ought to
ask for they have right to know,
that the issue will be for the public
good.
They ought to know that it is IN
keeping with the spirit of the best
development of the state and the COM
munity such as would meet with the
approval of those who are willing 70
lend themselves to the general well
fare.
By reference to the article in this
paper of the 9th Attendance at Local
Schools, the rapid growth of the
schools is shown, and it is clearly evil
dent that increased accommodation
must be furnished by the next school
year, else children will be turned
away from school,
1t was necessary to occupy this year
all of the rooms at Furlow school va
Gated by the removal of the High
School to the new building on Rees
Park. Every room at Furlow is now
full, besides having two primary
grades quartered in the High School
building
If the bond issue carries, as We
confidently hops, it is the purpose to
use the money as follows:
$4,000 for a modern, model school
in East Americus.
$4,000 for a modern, model school
in Brooklyn Heights.
$4,000 for repaying excess outlay on
High School.
$4,000 for rebuilding Furlow school
and adding to negro schools.
Surely there will be no objection
to the first two
AS shown above, more room must
be provided, and when it is provided
it should be accessible to the smaller
children in the principal resident sec
tions of the city.
The board of education incurred d
debt in building the High School IN
excess of the appropriation which is
entirely justified by visit to that
model building and when we see the
rapidly increasing attendance there
the increase, this year alone, being
thirty-fve enough for another room
and another teacher.
There has been some criticism Of
the board of education for incurring
the debt but the reasons above will
satisfy all who believe that all of the
children are entitled DO the best
chance for an education. 1t is worthy
of remark in passing that this is the
first time in the history of the schools
that they have not lived within the
appropriation fixed by the charter,
while every other department of city
service has exceeded the limit every
year and the outlay has been justi-
fid, too, by the city's growth and needs.
In this connection it might be added
J that the schools are the only public
utility which reaches into every nook
and corner of the city. Sewers are
necessary, but they do not go every
where; police protection is absolute