Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-04-03
FAvORs BONDING
BELIEVES ERECTION OF A NEW
HlGHSCHOOL is lMPERA-
TIVE
TO REMODEL BUILDINGS UNWISE
"Are We Pessimists or Optimlsts
On the School Question:"
BY T. M. Thomas

1t is admitted by all that we must
in order to get state aid, which
amounts to about 100000 annually,
we must have ample, adequate, safe
and sanitary school buildings.
We are all proud of Ladysmith, her
growth, her prosperity, her progress
siveness, her ability to meet and
overcome each obstacle to her de-
velopment Our present population
of $500 people and assessed valua-
ton of $1,75O,864.OO in eleven years
growth are the result of optimistic
work and endeavor instead of pessl-
mistic destructiveness
Have we arrived at a preiod OF
our existence as a city when we are
to hesitate and falter? Are we los
ing confidence in our ability TO ac-
complish things as in the past? II
we exhibit to the outside world
pessimistic opinion as to our future,
will it deter people from coming to
our midst? Does any business man
or manufacturing corporation when
looking for a location want to set
tie in d community where the people
are alive and active and building
for the future Or do they prefer to
settle in a town where the people
are afraid to venture for fear the
growth and development will cease?
Development and growth Of any
city is the result of organized effort
of it's citizens. Natural advantages
help but no city has ever grew to
any size on natural advantages alone.
Growth is the direct result of opti-
mistic effort.
1t has been suggested that we build
an addition to the first ward school.
This is frame building, some now
call it fire trap" should the
school district enlarge a frame fire
trap" in what the outside world calls
the Zenith City of the North? The
first ward school is not full now be-
cause it is so far for the small chill
dren to walk, some rooms that would
accommodate 40, only have % pupils.
Is it good business policy to build
more rooms and put in a new expen-
sive heating plant under such con-
ditions at an expense of $500, and,
with heating plant, at an expense Of
$4,000? 1t has been suggested that
the present high school be remodeled
It's location by the railroad and rail-
road yards would seem to make this
of trains and accompanying noise,
dust and smoke made it undesirable
as a school building and further ex-
pense remodeling would be money
wasted To remodel to accommodate
200 high school pupils, an expense of
$4,000 would have to be incurred.
This added to the $4,000 on the first
ward school building makes 100000
expense with no permanent relief
from congested condition of the
schools. There are now eight grades
in our schools SO crowded that the
schools are being conducted in vio-
lation of the state law, and if such
condition continues the state aid will
be withdrawn.
The bonded Indebtedness of the
city of Ladysmith is a little over
three per cent. Most cities of Wis
consin of the assessed valuation OF
Ladysmith, are bonded to the con
stitutional limit of five per cent. La
dysmith school district is now free
of debt. Many school districts like
Ladysmith are bonded to the full linn
it, If We build a high school fol
forty-five or fifty-five thousand dol
lars, where the site costs us moth
ing, the school district would be
bonded about one half as much as
similar school districts are nov
bonded, the school district composing
much more territory than the city.
know that the people are able
and believe that with a full under
standing of the situation will b.
willing to build suitable higl
school at an expense of forty-five o
fifty-five thousand dollars for tn
children of our city and district. 4
free site is offered, a large, well
drained and slightly building ground
1t should be accepted while it ca
be obtained thus saving the distric
from eleven to fifteen thousand do
lars.
The growing generation of Lady