The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-23

If suitable buildings are not provid-
ed in the meantime.
Could Not Remodel.
Careful investigation disclosed
that there was no feasible way by
which the remaining portion of the
Central school could BIO utilized in n
new building, or be used while a new
building was being constructed. One
portion Of this building is 35 years
old and the south wing % years old
and no part of 1t conforms to the law
regulating school buildings, or could
be made to conform to it without an
extravagant waste Of money and an
unsatisfactory result. Before any
thing could be done toward removing
this building, it was necessary that
provision be made for high school
pupils elsewhere. The Woodrow
Wilson building was, therefore
undertaken and when completed will
by Crowding take care of the high
school temporarily, but this building
will have to be used in 1920 for grade
purposes and during the intervening
period the new Central school must
be built.
The proposed building is so
designed that it can be used as
combination grade and high school
for a number of years accommodate
ing comfortably and without crowd
ing at least 1900 pupils. 1t will
contain eleven rooms for the grades
besides a kindergarten, and stimuli
taneously will accommodate 500
high school pupils. AS the high
grows grade rooms can be gradually
released for high school purposes,
insuring adequate high school facil-
ties until such time as the city Is
large enough for two high schools.
This building, by providing proper
accommodations for manual train
ing, domestic science and physical
development, will afford the boys and
girls Of Fargo the education to which
they are justly entitled and without
which they cannot hope in later
years to meet their competitors on
equal terms. In addition the build
ing will contain an auditorium with
a maximum capacity Of 1900, there
by affordinE a much needed COM
munity center when not in use for
school purposes. The building will
be flreproof and in arrangement.
capacity and appearance will, we are
assured, commend itself to the peo-
pie of Fargo as being amply ade-
quate without being extravagant. 1t
will moreover solve the problem of
housing the west side grades, for 1t
will directly take care of its own
grade pupils thus relieving the
Agassiz, and by releasing the Wood
row Wilson building, for It's ultimate
purpose, win enable that building to
take care of the Longfellow district
and also relieve the Roosevelt.
City Can Afford TO Build,
hnFTHfmwa 81 h T.
spring cannot be completed with the
utmost diligence before the school
year Of 1890 and in view of the
school situation as 1t will then be,
the need is so urgent that the cost
ought to be Of secondary Importance.
However, Fargo can we'll afford to
build this building at this time.
Statements to the contrary notwith-
standing, taxes for school purposes
in the city of Fargo, so far from be-
ing high are with one exception the
lowest in the state in cities or towns
having high schools of the first class
and this Is shown by the public rec
ords.
'"rhe latest authoritative publica-
ton on the subject Is the Tenth An
nual Report OF the Inspector of High
to the State Board Of Edu-
cation for the year ending June 30,
1917. In this report Sc cities and
towns are listed as having high
schools OF the first class. The rate
Of taxation for school purposes is
shown for each Of these and there is |
only one, the town OF Paramount, |
which has a lower rate than Fargo. |
Fargo's rate was 1873 mills and the |
rates of the remaining Ga cities |
varied from 1873 mills TO 90 mills, the /
average for all being 81.8 mills The
cities nearest to Fargo I'm size and, |
therefore, more nearly approaching |
1t I'm general conditions made the fol- /
lowing levieg: Grand Forks $3.50 i
mills and Minot 45.e mills. IT will,