The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-04-05
SCHOOL BOARD STATEMENT
To the Voters Of Brookings Independ-
emf School District:

ent School District:
In view of the pending school bond
election the board deems it advisable
to make the following statements con-
corning the matter:
The continued, steady growth of the
city, with the consequent increase in
the number Of school children, make IT
imperative to provide much additional
school room.
In the four years last past the total
number of pupils enrolled has increas-
ed from 700 to 900, of which $50 are
high school pupils. These figures are
Approximate. For ten years the aver
age yearly increase in number of pupils
enrolled is between 40 and so. over
crowded as we are now the problem Of
building for the future as well as the
present confronts us.
Brookings never has maintained a
separate high school building; that is,
our high school and grades are housed
in the same building and because Of
lack of room our equipment, accommo-
dations and opportunities for high
school purposes have necessarily been
limited and circumscribed.
The present school buildings are and
for two or three years have been over
crowed and even with the addition Of
the Baptist church, purchased by the
board last year, used for school pur-
poses we are still fearfully over-crowd-
ed. In fact we are o~ver-crowded to an
extent that we can no longer expect to
obtain desirable results with that con
dition existing.
For about two years the board has
given this matter careful and earnest
consideration and have arrived at the
unanimous conclusion that the best,
most feasible and business-like solu-
ton of the problem Is TO build a mod
ern new high school building which
will cost according to estimates fur
nished, approximately $120.0 0 90 zone
Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars.)
In the event the people vote in favor
of the issuance of bonds to that amount
at the special election next Tuesday,
the board plans to build such a high
school building on the Baptist church
corner, facing South on Williams
street and to acquire whatever adj
ditional land is necessary therefor.
FROM Investigations made by us we
have reason to believe that bonds bear
ing as low as 4%o interest can be sold
for par or better.
Owing to the circulation of rumors
and statements that the old school
building was unsafe and unsuitable
eve for the grades we requested three
of our citizens, qualified and competent
in building matters, viz: Messrs. Peter
J. Bergeim, e. ]. Ray and f. w. Heintz
to examine and inspect the old school
building from basement to attic. This
they have done and pronounce it IN
very good condition and report that
with just ordinary repairs made from
time to time, 1t Is suitable for use for
from twenty to twenty-five years to
come; therefore 1t is the plan Of the
board not to tear down, build over or
otherwise dismantle it; but when the
high school shall be completed, to use
it for the higher grades.
At one time it was suggested that a
part of what vas formerly Sixth av-
enue, between Williams and Fifth
streets, title to which was acquired by
the District. by the City Council vacat-
ing 1t. should be used as the site for
the proposed new high school building,
but the sentiment of u people ex-
pressed at several public meetings as
well as our own judgment, satisfies us
that such street should not thus be
used; but it will be fitted and used for
play grounds.
W. are so thoroughly convinced that
Bookings needs such a high school
building and that the location selected
is so favorable, convenient and ideal
that We have no hesitancy In urging,
and requesting the voters. both men
and women, to attend the election next
Tuesday afternoon and vote Eyes" on
the bond proposition.
n. G. Miller,
w. A. Caldwell,
r. B. Forsee,
c. H. Atkinson,
B. A. Dunbar,
Members of the Board of Education
THE PRESIDENTS NEW WAR MES
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