Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-04-05
WOMEN BOOST
!, new SCHOOL
Meeting at Chamber of
Commerce Proves WO-
men Of City Anxious
for Improvement.
KNOW SITUATION
Familiar With Present
Crowded Condition and
Want Remedy.

Will Webster City produce $3.50, OOC
worth of citizens in the next twenty
years? If so, then the city can surely
afford to build for these future citi-
zens a school building of which they
. can be proud.
This vas the outstanding thought
brought out by the women of this city
in a meeting held Thursday afternoon
at the Chamber of Commerce rooms.
The meeting had been called for the
purpose of discussing the general
school situation and creating interest
among the women in the election of
April 10 at which time the school house
propositions are to be presented to the
peOple-shall the city issue bonds of
$25O.OO0 for the erection of q school
or schools; and. shall a school build
ing be erected on the north side.
There is no doubt about where the
majority of women stand in regard to
the question. They are for the new
school building first, last and all the
time. A great many at the meeting
yesterday expressed themselves as OPP
posed to buildings but declared that
one building would alleviate the
crowded condition sufficiently for the
present at least. a vote taken showed
the in favor Of a junior high
school Notwithstanding 18th, Sth and
9th grades.
Mrs. F. f. Whitley presided as chair
man of the meeting and was several
times forced to call order when ques-
tiOns arose which brought forth a vari-
ance of opinions. Two members Of the
school board were present. and a de-
cided difference of opinion between the
members in regard to the feasibility Of
issuing bonds at this time was brought
to light under the women's questioning.
Taxation Explained.
Mrs. Whitley. in explaining the pur-
pose Of the meeting as II to consider
u question (which is undoubtedly the
most important we have had to con-
slider for some time" first of all asked
.. j. Henderson. secretary of the
school board, to explain to the women
just what this additional bond issue
would mean to the district ana to the
property wners.
There are those who are against
the school bond proposition and those
who are for it, and 0 know why.
because they do not know the figures"
MI. Henderson declared. Those who
are against it are against it because
they think we should wait until a bet
ter building can be erected. 1t is al
together a matter OF judgment of the
individual taxpayer. but this is true,
TAI put up a $25O,OOO building,
give our children the opportunity that
children ought to have, put them OH a
par with children in other communities
and none would eve know that any
thing had happened. None. will ever
feel the taxes that it will impose upon
us. whether it is now OF 30 years from
now"
Mr.. Henderson then explained the
two funds with which the board has
to do--the general fund, for running
expenses of the school, and the school
house fund. over which the board has
no control and from which it can make
no levies without the sanction Of the
people through a vote.
AS all example of the increase in
taxes. Mr.. Henderson took $4,000 as
the average assessed value of city
property, which would make the taxi
able value only $1,000. \ bond issue
of SoJO.0OO, he declared, would in
crease the taxes about 10 mills on the
dollar, or about $40 a year IN the aver
age city property.
Large Owner Objects.
But it is not the citizen who OWNS
only his home that is objecting to this
additional tax he said, lit is the large
owner. the maj who has
property worth many thousands of dol
lars. The fact is, this large property
owner will not pay the tax for he will
pass ii on to his tenants and to the
public, for taxes under any theory.
whether as income or profit taxes. are
passed on down to the public because
the big property owner isn't going to
pay what it appears on the face he is
paying"
Mr.. Henderson declared that he was
receiving innumerablc letters daily
from bonding companies anxious to
take up the bonds. and believed they
could easily be sold at a premium.
This statement was later contested by
+. J. Rood, who declared that The bond
market was flooded and that only rec
emily the city had been forced to dis
pose of gas bonds at Il discount.
According to Mr.. Henderson, the
9imit to which this school district can
TO into debt at this time is approx
mately S2IO.00N. as bonds in the sum of
S55J,O0O already are outstanding. The