South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-06
SAY SCHOOL HAS
BEEN NEGLECTED.
MueSSeI Civic Club Discusses
Safety of BuiIding-Board
is Silent.

A spirit or resentment against the
school board was displayed Friday
night at the meeting of the Muessel
Civic center when the question OF. the
safety of the Muessel school building
came UP for discussion. After
I length consideration of the matter
committee comprised of Atty. L. J.
Hammond Homer Robertson and r.
I r Morse was appointed 10 meet
either with the municipal recreation
/ committee or the school board in an
effort TO secure a gymnasium Tor the
Muessel playground.
Atty. Hammond, representing the
/ executive committee of the commu-
nitv center, said that he considered
: that the publicity that had been given
10 the matter of the safety of the
building was more or less tempest
! in the teapot. The purpose of the
executive committee, he explained, in
addressing communication to the
school board on the advisability OF
using the school auditorium for ath-
letfc events had been done merely
with the idea of placing the respon-
sibility on the board. The board he
said, apparently had ignored the COM
munication.
The idea Of the executive commit
tee as explained by Hammond, was
I
statement by the board concerning
the general condition OF the building,
particularly as TO whether or not the
auditorium could safely be made 10
accommodate crowds Of 500 people II
il could not be Used for athletic
events. He said that the executive
committee had questioned the board
on this point, and also as TO the
safety of the first floor. which had
settled some, without any feeling of
criticism or antagonism and that the
committee felt that the board should
have made some formal reply before
the meeting of the community CEN
ter Friday night
Waiting for Report.
Mrs. Homer Miller stated that the
school board had authorized her to
say that they had given out no state
ment because they were waiting for
a detailed report on the condition of
the building by Architect Freyer-
muth The sinking Of the first floor
corridor, she said, was explained by
the shrinkage of timbers in the build
ing which, however, had not weak
ened the building. She was sure, she
the board would not be permitting
further use of it before repairs were
made.
Several pupils have been taken out
of school and some adults had re-
NAMED away from the community
center meeting because OF fears as
TO the safety of the building. accord
ing to Miss Gertrude Vaughn. prin-
cipal of the school She advised
against using the auditorium as a
gymnasium but suggested that the
people of the Muessel district were in
a position to ask and secure a sep |
arate building which, according to
Architect Freyermuth, would cost but
little more than 1t would cost TO alter
the school auditorium.
There was much discussion as to |
the best method OF approaching the |
school board on the matter The feel |
ing was expressed that the board had |
in the past neglected the people of |
the Muessel district and that they |
would pay no attention TO a resolu- !
ton from the community center or a
petition from the people of the dis |
trict. A motion TO have a petition
presented was lost. Finally COM
promise was reached by leaving il TO /
the judgment of a committee as to |
whether the board could best be APP
preached directly by the committee |
or through the recreation commit /
tee.
Prof. LETTER Talks.
The feature of the program Of the |
evening was an ADDRESS Dy HIOI 1
Shepperd LETTER on The Citizen and |
His Government Relations" This is /
the first of a series of lectures which |
Prof. LETTER Will give during the win
ter at various civic clubs on What !
We Ought to Know About Our City |
State and National Government" This |
series of lectures is comprehensive |
and is presented in a manner to in |
terest thoroughly every class OF citi- |
Gems The Muessel club unanimously |
decided TO have the lectures continued |
through the winter.
Following Prof. LETTERS talk, the |
work OF the federation for social serv-
ice was explained by William Happ, /
after which a resolution endorsing the /
work was passed by the club. Pres't
Charles b. Eddy then outlined the
plan of the club for the winter during
which time a minstrel show, a play
and various other extraordinary fea- 4
lures will be developed in order TO
attract the people of the district.
The remainder of the program con- |
sisted Of community singing, lead by
+. A. Morse; a reading by Elizabeth /
and finite SOlO nv Earl YOSt Il