Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-04-17
EXPLAINS BOARDS
PLAYGROUND PLAN
SUPERINTENDENT BEACH MS-
CCSSES PURCHASE ELEC-
TION SATURDAY.

When the three brick school
houses of the city were built some 20
years ago, no adequate provision was
made for Fairgrounds" says City
superintendent c. E. Beach in
statement issued this week on the
school boards proposal to spend &c.
600 in purchasing a tract of land
south of Twenty-frst and between
Washington and Franklin streets for
an athletic grounds, upon which the
people of this city will vote toner
row, "but later when the Mckinley
and Roosevelt schools were planned
The board secured ample grounds
Give acres for each school and about
Two and one-half years ago secured
considerable addition to the Garfield
school grounds on the Westside, con-
sequently the schools on the East,
West and North are now provided
with sufficient land, but the Wash
ington, Lincoln and High schools,
where the largest number of pupils
attend, are badly in need of such a
tract as that included in this option.
Says Neither Park Feasible.
Some persons have the erroneous
impression that the suggested CONVEX
sion of Maple Park into playground
will fill the need, but the park would
be a play field for small children only
and could not be used as an athletic
ground. Another suggestion has
been that an athletic field could be
cleared and used in Priest Point park.
OF course this would be impossible be-
cause of the distance and the lack Of
any means of transportation. Even
If 1t were possible to use such a field
for practice and for games between
local teams, which is not feasible, it
would be impossible to get an attend
ance of the public, which is neces-
sary to finance our high school sys-
tenn of athletics.
''The board of education in state
ment issued short time ago explain
ed that in case the purchase should
be authorized the board would issue
bonds bearing per cent interest,
payable in whole or in part on any
date and would plan
to retire these bonds at the rate of
about $1,000 each year. This would
require an addition of about one
third of mill to the tax rate for the
next six years "a little more for the
first half of the period and little
less for the last half. This would
mean that a property owner paying
taxes on valuation of $4,000 (from
$4,000 to $4,000 actual value) would
be called upon to pay 81 per year to-
ward the expense of the purchase.
Good Chance to Buy.
"The school boards statement also
called attention to the fact that this
tract lis now available at very con-
servative price and that should the
contemplated purchase be delayed,
the tract will, in all probability, soon
be sold for homes. and as soon as a
few residences are built on it the
added value will preclude the possi-
bility of securing it for athletic and
agricultural purposes.
"It is true that if these grounds are
secured they must be paid for and the
must be raised by taxation. 1t
is best to look the matter squarely in
the face and decide it upon its merits.
Play is a very important element in
the life Of the boy and it is usually
best to provide it under good auspices
then they will be less tendency to
seek it under undesirable auspices
and influences. Many persons believe
that it is we'll worth while to make
this investment in the future charac-
ter of our citizens"
The election will be held at sos
Firth street from to p m, Sat-
lrday.