Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-28
TAX SHACKLES
SPREAD CHAOS
INSCHOOLWORK
Crippin, New Educational
Board Head, Says State Must
Give Funds to Save Riddles.
ALL BUILDING TIED UP

Unless the state tax board lo0sens It's
grip on the purse strings of indianapolis
the entire building program of the city
school board will be held up and it may
be impossible to build a single school
this year, according to statements made
by Clarence E. Crirpin, president of the
board, last night.
This condition exists at a time when
the city schools are more congested than
ever before and wholly inadequate to
care for the educational needs OF the
city.
Mr.. Crippin said last night that for
more than ten years the city has been
unabl to construct school buildings ade
quate to keep pace with the increase in
population and that for the last five
years erection of new school buildings
has been suspended altogether. he also
said that at the present time nearly
5000 pupils are attending halliday ses-
sions in the grade and high schools be
cause there are not buildings sufficient
to house them for a full day session. to
which they are justly entitled and which
the city is legally obligated to give.
CRIPPIN ADVOCATE
OF BETTER EDUCATION.
Mr.. Crippin Officially took his seat as
president Of the board at the session. He
has been a school trustee for the last
two years and is familiar with the needs
Of the educational department Of the city
Mr.. Crippin is connected with the En-
quirer Printing and Publishing Com
pany, 309-11 East Ohio street, and has
been known as a conscientious school
trustee since his election to the board
in 1918.
In the list of recommendations pre-
sented to the board on taking the Of
fee of president Mr.. Crippin urged an
~ FnV n
sweeping improvements in the school
system. He said in part:
mo period In the past has presented
SO imperative a need for the prompt and
intelligent carrying forward OF gigan-
tic building program as confropts the
board at this time.
g ~ zae3ag aFfst sFrssg9 g9sszs pro - ~
ton of our great undertaking Ii time that
can not be recovered in the term Of Of
fee of this board, nor in any subsequent
years. for 1t Is beyond the financial
power of this board to do at one time
all the thinrs that ought to be done for
the educational welfare Of the children
OF Indianapolis.
TAX BOARD MUST
OPEN PURSE STRINGS.
I'VE are deeply appreclative Of the
spirit Of cooperation In which the ,egis-
lature of last year gave consideration
to our financial problems and endeayored
to lift the barriers which were imped
Ing our progress toward better things
We are likewise appreclative of the fact
that the state tax board in October in
tended to enable us to proceed with our
duty to the children and parents of In
dianapolis when IL authorized us to
make certain bond issues for designated
buildings. But in the face of mounting
costs of labor and materials, we now hnd
1t impossible to construct even q single
grade building within the limits of costs
named in our preliminary estimates,
which were accepted and made the basis
Of the bond authorization granted by the
tax board. The same may also be true
Of the proposed addition to the En-
merich Manual Training High school.
Both old and new members OF the
board are familiar with the extremities
to which we have been forced with refer
ence to the new construction at the Ar
senal Technical schools. Such drastic
curtailments and eliminatlons are not
possible In the grade buildings We thus
hnd ourselves again facing stone wall
Our first serious problem Is to surmount
it without delay.
Every one knows the unanimity with
Continued on Page EIeven.)