El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-11-01
ExtraUagant Financing of
Schools Warned Against
By Tax Commissioner
Desire of State Board Only to Cooperate in Inn
proving Educational Facilities, Francis c.. Will
son Declares; Sidelights on School Problems

! wings In which there could be pro.
vided sufficient room for school
rooms. to take care of the congestion
In the grades. The present building
Is not fitted for grade purposes as the
rooms are too small and, If possible,
the building should be used for a high
School, rather than for grade pur-
poses. WE think that Mr.. Swinnev
conceded this fact, and yet he insists
that a new high school should be built
which could not be used for any other
purpose. That would give the city OF
Gallup two school buildings, both OF
which are adapted to high school pur-
poses but not to grade schools.
my opinion, and in this respect I
am not trying to represent the com
mission, is that the present building
should be used as a high school only.
and that a large new grade school
building should be built with the
money derived from the bond issue. I
believe that a four-room school house
on the north side of the track could
be built, and a fine new grade school
building constructed in place of the
proposed high school building, and
the old building used, with some al.
terations, in a large part for high
school purposes and by this means
Gallup would have an upto-date
equipment which would take care Of
the congestion for some time to come.
"The commission is not in any re-
spect trying to block the very praise.
worthy efforts of Gallup to improve
its school equipment, but we think
that in approving the bond issue we
have, by the law of the state, been
placed in a position to e that the
taxpayers money is not wasted and Is
spent in the most efficient manner
possible. Our desire is and has al
ways been to cooperate in the efforts
of every community in the state to i'm
prove it's school and educational IA
%cilities, but the difficulty is that
those efforts sometimes result In
gross extravaganza and an entire dis
regard of the most efficient use OF
money. 1t is certainly wholly wrong
that the school authorities of Gallup
should endeavor to get the people of
Gallup to agree to the construction of
a building which really duplicates, to
a large extent, their present equip
ment and does not relieve the con-
gestion in the grades which exists.
81 wish you would show this letter
of MIR. Cotton and others in the COM
munity who are solid, substantial and
thoughtful business men. I would
suggest that you have q little meet
ing and talk this matter over among
yourselves. Ask Mr.. Swinney If the
high school which is proposed will re-
lieve the congestion In the grades and
if not, what is going to be the use OF
such a school when if a grade school
were built, the present high school
could be adapted, by slight altera-
lions, to the needs of a high school.
Il will add that you are at liberty
to use this letter as personally ex-
pressing my views upon the matter.
but not as expressing the views Of
the commission, as l do not care to
commit them to some of the matters
which / have suggested in this letter.
with kindest regards. l remain,
Sincerely yours,
'FRANCIS G. WILSON"