Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-17
/: LOCAL COMMENT

women Of MarshAlttown who have
at heart tina welfare Of the city's public
school system can show how deeply In
terested they arc next Wednesday whom
the electors Will be called upon 10 vote
on the bond Issue TO provide a new
grade school for tho First ward. As tho
authorization OF bond issue Is 10 DO
made, women are permitted TO vote.
IL Is usually admitted that the moth
ers have n deeper ind moro personal
interest in the schools than tho heads
of households The election Wednes-
day viii prove whether rr not this sup
position Is correct
While some people may argue that.
with the high cost OF building, IL IL not |
policy TO build school houses at the |
present time, the fact must remain as
clearly outstanding that we have the /
children with us, and they must be
cared for. II II were possible to do !
right by the children in permitting the !
school houses to be crowded to over !
flowing. then one might argue for de- |
lay In building program. But In this |
case necessity demands that more room
be afforded and tho only way to obtain |
additional room 10 to build more school
houses. It Is something that can not |
DO put of II the welfare of the chill |
dren ia to be considered.
4
In comparing tho building programs
OF other Iowa cities within recent years.
many even since the building cost has
increased. Marshalltown does not mako
r. favorable comparison. This city IL
far below most of the Iowa cities. Des
Moines has spent s325.000 for six
graded schools during the past four
years. Fort Dodge, in three years, has
not only spent $3.50 900 for a Junior high
shcoo1 annex and three graded schools, |
but Is planning on a $4,000 expendi-
ture for q senior high school next
year. Within the last five years Mason
City has spent 100000 for senior
high school, q Junior high school. and
four graded schools; Town City built In
1918 four graded schools at cost OF
$3.50. 000 Davenport, in comparatively
recent vars, built senior high school
at a cost of 500, 900. a graded school for
$50, 900, and last year built three Junior
high schools costing 100000. or a to-
tai Of 81, 2S0. 900 for the additions to the
public school system. East Waterloo
last year built q senior high school
costing s425. 900. and a few years ago
erected a grade school costing $4,000
Sioux City has spent s225,Ooo for two
Junior high schools, and s45,s0O for a
grade school, total of s3Oo,So within
the last few years. Cedar Rapids ia
now preparing to expend $1.5O0.c00 for
four Junior high schools and two
No sNI hot
this great building program has been
on In other Iowa cites, Marshalltown
has built two grade schools. at cost
Of $4,000.
II the census of Marshalltown falls
below the $4,000 mark business In |
terests are going to feel disappoint- |
ment and awaken to realization that.
had they taken a little more interest in
the census when it was being taken. a
better showing for their city would
have been made The enumerators are
now closing their work. The Times
Republican, on Nov IL, called atten-
ton to the danger OF missing q great
many people who would be away for
the winter at the time tho census would
be taken. The newspaper advised that !
these people prepare and leave with the
Marshalltown Club the necessary data
concerning their households, that the
enumerators could be supplied when
the time came. That few people took
the trouble to leave the information
Is shown now that the census is on.
In this Office Friday one enuinerator
was supplied with data on sixteen per-
sons who were out Of the city and |
could not be seen.
The danger Of falling short In CEN !
sus was evidenced FIVE years ago. when |
tho state census was taken, and q re-
count added to the figures 80 ma
teria1ly that this city went into tha
first class officially. with a count Of
1897. The government census Of
1910 gave this city 1874. and thu
state census I'VE years later showed a |
gain Of 1853. To show $4,000 now
would not mean as much Of gain in |
tho last nve years as there was in the
i've years preceding. and II the CITY |
should go 1880 tho count would come
nearer meeting the expectations Of
those who are familiar with local condl- |
lions.
The settlement OF the carpenters |
strike resulted as all such con-
troversies do. with the burden fall
Ing upon the ultimate consumer. Per-
sons who have building projects under |
way can not afford to wait for tho con-
tractors and carpenters TO arrive ut a |
conclusion that both consider fair, |
hence are willing to pay the increased |
price ON unfinished work. What effect
the increased cost Of building will have
on work not yet contracted for remains
to be seen. but the chances are that |
the added cost Of labor win not tend
to encourage building. even tho it must
be admitted that the carpenters have
not been receiving the proporttonato |
high wage OF other building trades |
crafts.
Announcement from Washington al
the appointment Of NJ s. Mcfarland a.
postmaster Of this city was surprise |
to most people. and especially those
who were not inclined to take much |