Arizona republican., 1915-11-28
CENTRAL BLOCKS
 PROPOSED SALE
Statement By President Ely of Board of School Trustees. Yet Within Power of City to Avail Itself of Site

Concerning the school election which has been called for December 1. Sims Ely. president of the school board. said yesterday
 In order for the school electors or the city to vote intelligently at the coming election. it is necessary that they know the problems which face -he trustees
 The election is to decide whether the Central block shall be sold for not less than $200,0oo. either as 2
 whole or by lots as platted
 one of our duties is to provide school facilities under the direction of the electors of the district. For several years prior to this year. our school population increased annually lv six to eight hundred pupils and we had to provide some twenty new school rooms each year. A year ago We conclUded that no new buildings would be necessary this year. and the school census of last spring and the attendance since the schools opened this tall, have justified our conclusions We don't know what will be needed in the way of new school rooms at the beginning of school next September. but it had been our guess that We possibly could get along with the existing buildings provided we could continue to use the Central building The city govern
 ment, however, has condemned the Central building and forbidden its use after the close of the present school year.
 Consequently. regardless of the question of increase of school popula- ton. 1t is necessary now for us to
 provide. if possible, at least dozen new school rooms for the beginning
 of the next school year, next Sep tember.
 There are two ways for providing funds for new construction-by bond ! issue. or by a sale of the Central block. Public sentiment. so far as We have been able to ascertain it. is against the bond issue. Public . sentiment, so far as we have been able to learn it. has seemed to be 1 in favor of selling the Central block, l or at least portion of it. We nave i therefore. plated the block IS shown i in our advertisements. and have ] called for an election for December i 4th. so that the electors may tell us i what we shall do our purpose. il ] the sale of the block is authorized. Is
 to invite offers for the block as a
 whole or for lots separately. If sat i isfactory offers for lots to the eN- | tent of S100.00Q say, should be re- 1 ceived. we would accept them, reject
 ing offers above that amounts since i $iO0. .0O0.OO would, meet our present needs, and if we should fail to re ceiVe offers amounting approximately to S100.OOO, no sales would be made
 In other words, failing to obtair i S1OO. .O0O.OO by the sale of lots, we
 would then call another election foi
 the electors to instruct us whether
 to issue bonds.
 The former election clearly
 showed that the people of the city
 were by a large majority in favor O
 selling the Central block for a civi,
 center. to the city or county or t' both.
 If, as has been suggested, the cit, still wishes to carry out the plan O buying the Central block for cit hall the election which We hay called will not in any way interfer with that plan. but will in fac further it. The trustees will, ar