Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-04-13
PROPOSED NEW
SCHOOL BUILDING

school bond issue. The result OF tins
meeting will be reported next week.
AS the Editor has been more than
generous in the space allowed the
board this week q complete answer to
Mr. Wilson's article will be withheld
until then. The Board will take this
| opportunity of saying however, That
it is glad that Mr. Wilson and hls
friends have come out in the open In
resisting this bond issue with the sim
pie platform OF obstruction based on
not wanting to spend the necessary
money.
iouslv, have been considering the well
fare of the school children of this
district from a standpoint of educa-
ton, health, sanitary conditions and
personal safety. We have, at last,
lined up against those issues some
what moral, policy of obstruction
based on the theory that it is going
to cost some money to accomplish
these things. This is not the first
time progress has been assailed by
| obstruction in this community and
along this line.
Twenty years ago, when TINS
School Districts valuation was $500,
10000, it was proposed to spend $50,
10000 for a school building and the
Wilson's and taxpayers committee OF
| that day said it was criminal to
spend the money.
| To-day, with a valuation OF over
three million dollars, we ask for Sal,
| 100000 to make good our school sys.
| fem for another twenty years VI
| course. we are not building only for
| the present needs, but for the future.
i We can't build a new school-house or
cottage evey year, but, we can build
| for the future and let the future
| nav its lust share. In the meantime,
| providing a school system OF which
this district or any district could be
proud.
The present Indebtedness of the
| Village of Perrysburg is over Sll2,
10000, This went for water, lights,
sewers, paving, etc.
The present Indebtedness of the
School District is $5,OOOOO, but when
the Board because of its study and
investigation of conditions seeks to
better the health, safety and welfare
of the children OF this community by
increasing that debt by S41,OOO.OO,
then, they are criminals: II TINS
bond issue carries, the school debt
| VIII Dt Oll4N OilC-lllIlh u VI NllttC bAAS
debt of the Village is, while the
VILLAGE Indebtedness has a valuation
of only s1GST,54O.OO behind it on the
duplicate. but the School District has
S3.O39 $4,000 behind it. Is there any
thing criminal in saddling a debt of
SAL 10000 on a district worth $3,039,-
10000 when the Village has saddled
over $112,000.00 on a village worth
81, ,6S7 $4,000? Isn't the welfare,
health and safety of the children OF
this community of as much import
ance as having a sidewalk OF street,
and can't third as much be spent
for that purpose? Nor is there any
legal difficulty as there is no limita-
tion on the amount of bonds that can
be issued by the School Board. OF
course, interest has been paid and ii
will be paid. Some amendment oil
: repeal of the Smith l per cent law is
bound to be forced in the next few
, years or every town, village, city and
: school district in the State of Ohio
will go into bankruptcy. When that
time comes, we can pay our interest
: and maintenance out of our income
Until that time comes, we can Dor.
row and accomplish the same pur.
pose in perfectly legal manner, only
in another way.
, Villages, cities and school district:
1 cannot conduct the increasing public
service demanded in modern time!
without spending more money. The!
can't get it with the l per cent limi
tation so it will have to be changed
in due time. In the meantime, the!
, can do one of two things,-go back
ward, or, go ahead-human institu
. tions can't stand still and let us .ad
< wise Mr.. Wilson and his friends tha
| when they go back there is only one
logical destination and that is the
| caVeman.
We shall hear from the anonymous
taxpayers committee more loudl!
and eloquently when some change is
the above mentioned Smith l per cent
law. In the meantime if it is the
sense of this community that dollars
and cents, and it isn't dollars, it's on,
ly cents-about so cents or less or
$1,000.00, shall prevail as against the
. development of the future men and
! women of this community. So be it;
but, Mr.. Voter before you decide this
question, in your easy chair, with a
pencil and paper as a matter of arith-
! metic,-go to the school-houses-
personally investigate-be fair to
yourself, to your community and to
this Board. Then, after you have
made some personal Investigations OF
conditions as they are you will be in
position to argue this question in
telligently and fairly. But, if OBJ
, struction for selfish, pecuniary mo-
tives is the only reason for your OBJ
struction, continue to throw dust or
mud as each best suits the purposes
of obstruction snug in that self-com-
placency that the less you know the
more you can try to convince others.
BOARD OF EDUCATION.