The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-02-19
NEW HIGH SCHOOL
N0WASSUREOFACT
BID FOR CONSTRUCTION ACCEPT
ED LAST MONDAY AND WORK
WILL SOON BEGIN
LOCAL FIRM IS THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER
Building Completed in Autumn
OF Next Year.

Brookings will have new higl
school building. Work on the new
|, building will be begun as soon as the
weather will permit. This is assured
by the acceptance by the school board
Tuesday of the bid of the A. Nj. Wo.d
Mark Construction Company for the
erection of the building. This marks
the first definite step in many months
toward the carrying out of plans in
augurated nearly three years ago by
the school board to provide Brookings
with such modern building as will
meet the growing needs of the city
There was one other bid considered
that of Klarquist & Co., of Minneapo-
lis, but the bid of the home company
offered maximum cost price Of nearly
$4,000 less than their competitors and
had also other more desirable features.
The Register has at all times in the
past kept the public fully informed
concerning what was being done or
attempted in the matter of getting a
new building, and so it is not neces-
sary to reiterate the details. Briefly
recalling what has been done, it will
be remembered by all who have been
interested in the matter since it's in
ception that about three years ago the
board asked the voters to give them
permission to bond the school district
for $155000, which at that time would
have about met the cost of the desired
building. The voters saw fit to vote
down the proposition, and so the board
was unable to take any further action
at that time. Again, about a year ago,
the board asked for $4,000, and this
proposition the voters endorsed This
sum is now in the hands of the board,
and drawing interest, but at present
prices of materials and labor it is
not nearly enough to pay for the build
ing and equipment. However, the
board is going ahead on plans which
have the hearty approval of the Regis
ter, and of large majority of the
business men and taxpayers of the city
and Brookings will have a high school
building whether it is ever equipped
or not
The board realizes that the money
they now have on hand will not COM
plete the building, but the need for
action is SO imperative that they feel
justified in beginning the work, intend
ing to carry it so far as can be done
with the funds in hand and then ask
the. voters to provide for the compile
tion of the work. With what they have
they can at least get the structure
under roof and enclosed, and certainly |
the public spirited people of Brookings
will the enable them to complete it.
The contract which will provide for .
the work is favorable to the carrying
out of such a plan. 1t stipulates that
the contractor shall be paid on the
cost plus" plan, by which he will re-
ceive as compensation 10 per cent of
the cost. This is the plan on which
much of the federal governments con-
tract work is done. One favorable fea-
ture of the plan in this case is that
II the school board shall find il nee 4
essary at any time to stop the work
10 await more funds it will be under
no obligation to Immediately pay the
contractor his percentage on the whole
estimated cost, but only on such part
)f 1t as the work done shall call for.
The matter of ordering a cessation of {
he work will be optional with the /
BOARD 4
1t is hoped that such a building as
he plans call for can be erected for {
about $250,000. Compared with the {
estimated price Of three years ago, this
igure is not a greater increase than
he increase in cost of practically al z
work. 1t is hoped that
he work may be carried on to com I
'letion without interruption, and that /
he building may be ready for occu- q
'any not later than the beginning of a
he 1922 school year. One thing r
hat is favorable to an early beginning t
" the work this spring is the fact /
hat the contractor has on hand t
'ood supply of several of the essential
materials, including brick, tile, cement, n
'ravel and steel, or had ordered the s
anne last fall and so can count upon O
n early delivery. But to accomplish /
he desired results in the least posi- T
lie time the taxpayers of the district n
must prepare themselves to meet the S
all for whatever additional funds '
nay be necessary to keep the work t
DING on after 1t shall be begun. I
Wv. s. S..
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Nelson are re- a