The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-11-23
THE NEW HICHsCHO
Cost of Construction and Other
Features of Proposition.

/ Saturday Globe: II will be remem-
bered that short time ago the report
signed by committee appointed by
the Commercial Club stated that they
thought that $4,000 would be suffi-
cient to furnish the addition needed
When this committee made their rec
concentration of $4,000 they we're lab
oring under the idea that it would be
practical to utilize the old assembly
room for an auditorium and that said
auditorium would only be used at
night for public gatherings and there
fore would not interfere with school
work. However, those in close touch
} with our school work all insist that
the utilization of said assembly room
for auditorium purposes would SER
iolsly interfere with the recitations
during the day, as the room would be
used often during the school hours
and in order TO erect an auditorium
OF sufficient size and also allow for
proper sized rooms for other de-
Ipartments it will necessitate buying
more ground to the north and build
ling a larger addition than was antici.
Ipated when the committee recon-
mended the $4,000
1t might be well to state here. also
that there have been a half dozen or
more architects looked over the situ-
alton ard only one of them produced
any plans which would come within
the $4,000 but when these plans
we're investigated and the needs OF
the district taken carefully into con.
federation it was found that they were
rot practical for the Oskaloosa dis
Itrict, and would not furnish sufficient
room. Some of the architects were
of the opinion that 1t was not feas.
ible to use the present building at
all for the purpose of a high school.
However Proudfit, Bird and Rawson,
Iarchitects of Des Moines, sent one OF
their representatives here, Mr.. Carl
IThornburg, an old Oskaloosa boy, by
the way, to see If some workable plan
could not be made giving Oskaloosa
the requisite building at the least pos
sible expense. After going over the
situation thoroughly as to the needs
of the district, the room required.
and also with view to utilizing all
the present building this firm or archi-
tects, which has standard reputation
in Iowa, have evolved plan which
the board and committee think will
meet all our needs, at an expenditure
of 100000. This will include the pur-
: chase price Of the two lots which will
b. bought to the north of the present
[ building, also the furniture. lights.
heating and, in fact, the building com
,plete.
A great many have asked the ques-
ton IL Penn College could contract
for their new building at an expense
of about $4,000 why 1t was th"t
: kaloosa Hieh school would REQUIRE
the expenditure of such a large
amount of money as $4,000. The
, situation is easily explained. The
| contracted price for Penn College was
for the bare building alone and for
nothing in addition and we have the
word Of Mr.. Warren Kalbach, who is
a member of the building committee
of Penn College and also a member
of committee reporting ON the new
high school building that when the
new building Of Penn College is com
pleted they will be perfectly satisfied
, II the cost is not more than $150,0OO.
The contract as let for the Penn Col
lege building did not include the heat
ing system, telephone system, vault
doors, finish hardware, plumbing, vac
: uum system, clock system, electric
: conduit and electric fixtures, lights.
science and recitation furniture, fans
and control, grading sidewalks, pip.
ing water to the building, etc. AS
stated before, when all these are
taken into account, it is expected the
price will reach fully S150000 or more
The new high school building must
naturally include everything. The ar
! chitect's estimate of this new build.
ing is from $4,000 to $4,000. the
extra $4,000 to cover any contingent
cies that will arise. OF course the
100000 will not all be used unless alb
solutely necessary.
We believe the people of the 0ska-
loosa Independent district should raj
Ily to the support of this new project
as it has been carefully gone over by
men who now concede taht this
amount is necessary to meet with the
needs of the district.
Petitions were being circulated yes
terday and today and before the board
can hold an election the petitions
must have the signature of $50 quail
fed electors of the district
These will no doubt be easily OBJ.
tanned and the election called as soon
as all the legal requirements can be
| met.
i The Globe believes the building a
necessity and that it should be favor
ably acted upon by the voters. The
matter has been under investigation
ever since the last election and the
conclusions by the committee and
board have been reached only after
very careful examination