Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-10

NO INDICATION
OF BOND RULING.
The tax board which was asked, In
compliance with the law, to pass on
the proposed bond issue. all but ig-
nored the bonds in its statement and
gave no indication as to when there
would be a ruling. The statement does
not even say under what conditions
the bonds would be ruled on favorably.
The board declares the construction Of
a building containing an auditorium, a
cafeteria and a gymnasium-eyidently re-
ferrlng to the Emmerich Manual Train
ing High School annex-as utterly in
defensible." II gives a long list of what
It terms unnecessary equipment" The
list includes practically all the equip-
ment of the cafeteria without which the
high school obviously would be without
a cafeteria.
The board admits the necessity for
new buildings at schools Nos. 16, SO, 3S
and G., for which the bonds were to be
issued but declares the estimates of
their cost are too high.
One of the principal objections to the
erection Of buildings brought up by the
Taxpayers League in fighting the con-
struction of new buildings-this is the
same Taxpayers League which the board
visors-was upheld. This Is the arrange
ment which the school board previously
had with the firm Of Snider & Rotz as
engineers and L. A. Snider as building
advisor. The board says while it has
no power to rule on the Legality of these
contracts, it considers them ''unethicaI
and undefensible."
GIVES REASONS
FOR SUGGESTIONS.
The statement of the tax board in full
follows:
Before setting out the recommended
tions of the board we deem 1t only fair
that the reasons existing for the sugl
gestiOns we make should also be given.
The assessed valuation of all property
IN the city Of indianapolis at this time
is S60S 1926 ,470; the constitutional limit
of Indebtedness of tie school city is 2
per cent of this amount, which is
S12 166. .529.
The present indebtedness of the school
city of Indianapolis, including the pro-
posed issue Of $4,000. is $10.660,500.
1T was agreed at the hearing that there
has been estimated as necessary the fol-
lowing amounts:
Completion of Manual Training
High school. Ol...................$ T2S,O00
Potter Fresh Air School. ...... 93 600
Arsenal Technical High School. 20000
General repairs Of school prop
erty Observation-Disclosures. 100000
Total contemplated expense. 81, ,221, 600
"Of this total about S900GOo must be
raised from the sale of bonds which with
q probable reduction in the valuation Of
property in the city Of indianapolis for
the year Of 1922. Will practically exhaust
the borrowing capacity OF the school city.
Nearly $4,000 pupils attende" the pub
lie schools Of indianapolis last year. The
enrolment for the last term was A, ,9J9-
For the last ten years there has been
an average Increase in the school attend
ance Of 1000 pupils each year. For the
last three years the average increase has
been LIZA. This means that 1000 more
pupils must be provided for each year.
This must be done, and 1t can be done,
but not by pursuing the building pro-
gram in the manner in which it has been
our deliberate judgment that during this
time enough money has been spent to
have provided splendid fressproof build
ings with all modern cOnyeniences for
every school child in indianapolis, and
If this money had been Wisely expended
there would not be necessary 4 single
portable school building today.
I'm addition to the wasteful extrava-
gance In the construction of the butlo-
ings many features, well enough in their
way but not necessary, have been installed
which might have been postponed until
in good substantial buildings. Many ara
unprOvided for now, many are attending
school in cottages, in poorly lighted
rooms, with no CUnveniences, and under
circumstances that are disgrace to thel
city of indianapolis, while thousands OF
dollars are expended for exhibition bed (
rooms, exhibition dining rooms. model
living rooms, fancy mantels that are
not used marble window sills, and for
CONTINUED on Page Six.)