Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-16

there submitted within the appropria-
ton, and that more money ought to
have been asked. When 1t became a
certainty that an overdraft must be
incurred in order to complete the
building for use in the fall of 1913,
one of the two following courses was
open to the board: Either to suspend
the work and wait for added appro-
priation from the school meeting in
May, 1914, or, there being no legal
provision for calling a special meeting,
to go ahead and complete the building
and incur an overdraft. The board
decided on the latter course, because
of the totally Inadequate housing ia
cilities for the pupils of the East side,
believing that it's action would meet
with the ultimate approval of the cit
liens of Augusta.
An additional reason impelling the
board to take this action arose in con-
nection with the disposition of the
Middle street schoolhouse property.
The original intention of the board
was to build a new schoolhouse par
TALLY upon the Middle street school
house site and partially upon an adj
jacent lot upon which it had an option of
purchase. After the appropriation of
$33, 600, covering the purchase, both of
the building and of lot, was passed,
the question of suitable site was
vigorously debated, the meeting fin
ally expressing its sense in favor of
the Hospital street location. but leav-
ing the matter in the hands of the
board. The question was then asked
in open meeting as to what would
become of the Middle street school
building and lot, and it was stated
that it would probably go toward
the purchase of new lot and found
alton for the new building. In
making it's contract, the board as
sumed, as stated in the meeting,
that the proceeds of the Middle street
property would be turned into the
general school fund, and that it would
very nearly take care of the impend-
ing overdraft, for the estimated value
of the property at that time was
$500, though subsequently it brought
less. But after the contract had been
made and the work of construction
was approaching completion, it devel-
oped that technically the city council
had no power to turn the funds over
to the board though it was unques-
tionably the understanding of the
school meeting that this would be
done
In this connection / wish to recall
to you just what the conditions were
in 1912 and 10, and also what the con-
ditions would have been during this
school year if the new schoolhouse
had not been ready for occupancy last
September:
In the year 1913 there were en-
rolled in the grades of the East side
excluding the ninth, 531 scholars. The
normal seating capacity of the ele-
mentary school rooms available for
these children was but $50. BY trans
ferring the eighth grade of Al pupils
to the High school building, and COM
polling the High school to use its Ii
brary for recitation room, we were
able to house 400 pupils in rooms de-
signed for $50 in a fairly comfortab BILE
manner, so long as there was not a
one hundred per cent attendance
This was accomplished. however, az
the expense of the best arrangement
with - reference to ventilation and
lighting, and also at sacrifice of the
most advantageous organization from
a teaching standpoint.
During the present year the enroll
ment on the East side has been $40
an increase of SO. The growth of TIL.
High school has made necessary the
abandonment of the room which was
formerly occupied by the eighth grade
This growth was not unexpected by
the board, but is, on the contrary
about the same which this section OF
your city has experienced during the
last few years, and for which those
intimately acquainted with school af-
fairs knew additional housing faeil-
tiles must be provided.
If the new building had not been
ready for occupancy last September
we would have been confronted with
this situation, a situation not only
embarrassing to school officials but
to our city as well: $40 pupils would
have asked admission to our schools
on the East side and only 464 seats
could be offered. In other words, aft
er stretching our school accommoda-
tons to their greatest point of elias
ITCHY, there would still be 100 who
could not be admitted
In the face of these conditions the
board feels that it was justified in
pushing the building to completion
even in the face of the impending
overdraft. 1t regrets, however. that
an overdraft was necessary, but ii
feels that the city has received full
value for the money expended.