Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-07-15
IS REELECTED
BOARD MEMBER
Albert ]. Archer is Again the
Choice of Voters Of School
District.
SCHOOL SITES PURCHASED
New Ones Secured and Land is Pur-
chased to Round Out Two
Others.

Although it had been expected that
Albert j. Archer would not be op-
posed for reelection as a member Of
the school board for another term, a
slight opposition developed at the
meeting Monday night, but it did not
bring forth strength enough to be
a serious factor in the election,
Archer receiving practically four
times the number of votes that went
to the opposition. Some objection was
brought out against some of the pro-
posed new school sites, but the gath
ering of over $50 voters of the dist
rict gave each proposition a hand
some vote, all of them being carried.
Because of the lack of any pre-
concerted movement in behalf Of any
one to succeed Mr. Archer, it had
not been expected that there would
be very large attendance at the
annual meeting The interest that
was developed in the proposal to pur-
chase the various school sites
brought out a good crowd of people
interested in the location of the site,
however. The assembly room was
well filled when Otto Sanderhoff,
president of the board called the
meeting to order at 500 p. m.
Following the reading of the re-
ports of the secretary and the treas
urer, both of which were adopted,
the budget for the coming year was
presented to the voters for their ap-
proval.
The budget calls for S123,00O for
the coming year, the largest single
item in the budget being S65,000 for
teachers. The budget is the largest
ever placed before the voters of the
district, as is the sum that is pro-
vided for the teachers. The amount
for teachers is greater by reason of
higher wages for the instructors and
the fact that the greatly Increased
attendance in the public schools de-
mands more of them than ever be-
fore. The only question that came
up regarding the budget, was wheth-
er OF not il was large enough to meet
the needs. II was passed by the
voters.
The election of trustee to succeed
Albert J. Archer was then taken up.
Rev. J. Frank Jackson placed in
nomination the name of W. f. Will
son, and this nomination speech was
followed by the nomination of Mr..
Archer by Fred Delavan Out of
265 votes cast Archer received 212,
practically four-fifths of the entire
number. Wilson received 40, the
balance being scattered for three or
four others.
Considerable discussion came up
regarding the various sites that the
board desired to purchase, but all of
them were given large votes and
were carried. The discussion
brought forth the school census fig
ures, the crowded condition of the
public schools and other interesting
data.
The sites which the voters of the
district decided to purchase follow:
Sixteen lots in block one, Udelle ad-
dition costing $4,000; this site being
in the northwestern part of the city;
fifteen lots in the block north from
Williams street and west from Ore
gon avenue in the northeastern part
Of the city at cost Of $4,000; the
rounding out of the Republic school
site by the purchase Of two houses
and lots, and four vacant lots at
cost of $3.50; and the purchase of
five lots to round out the Hillcrest
school site at cost of $1,000.
The census which was called for
during the discussion that came up,
showed that Alma has 2,180 children
of school age, scattered in the var
ious wards as follows: first ward
SS4, second ward s24, third ward
1876, fourth ward 276.