Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-03-03
THE LYONS VILLAGE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Open Letter Regarding School Conditions and Costs in
ROyalton and Lyons

| LulCOI
We are at loss to know why any
one desiring to put the facts before
the public should publish or send
broadcast over the country the state
ments that have been made concern
ing our Schools here. They are en-
tirely misleading, for the consolida-
ton of our schools is but a small
factor in any deficit that has occurred
in the running of our Schools this
present year as the following data
will show.
Cost of running the Royalton
| Township Schools and the Lyons
! School for 1920-21 if run under old
plan and by contracts entered into by
the two Boards of Education, ST.
507 90. Cost of running the schools
for 1920-21 under the consolidated
plan as we have it $19,35O.00. This
includes in both cases the sinking
fund on the present building, but il
does not take into account the addi-
tional foreign students who are COM
ing because of our consolidated i'm
proved school making an additional
| 100000 paid into our treasury.
1t should be understood also that
| had the change not been made the
Lyons School had the alternative Of
being reduced to second grade high
/ school. which would have meant at
least $80000 tuition to be paid to
other towns, besides the additional
cost to the pupils of transportation
and in some cases of board. Under
our present plan our pupils are taken
directly to the school building in the
morning and taken to their homes at
close of school. This is wonderful
improvement over the old plan where
pupils furnished their own conveyance
and could spend their waiting time
on the Streets. This year there is
no waiting on the streets but the
children are home, in nearly every
case, before the children get home
from the rural schools that are still
running in our township. The real
! value of this change is hard to mea-
sure in dollars and cents. For all
of these privileges for our boys and
girls our people are paying about 76
1'cents on 100000 tax valuation more
than they would have paid under the
old plan.
1t is plainly evident that the deficit
has not come because Of the consoli-
dation, but for the same causes that
has brought it about in other villages
and rural districts.
AS to the building proposition, a
very difficult problem confronted the
Board of Education. A new heating
plant must be installed. With it in
side toilets must be installed or else
spend several hundred dollars on
building outside toilets to meet the
requirements of the state and these
would never be satisfactory. To do
this and make necessary alteration
of the old building would cost $12,-
10000. But this would give no audi
torium or room for growth of schools
in years to come. Two or more Ar
chitects presented plans and estimates
for the complete heating and ventilat-
ing plant, auditorium and additional
class rooms, making an up-to-date
! school plant. The estimate was $685.
the matter thoroughly both among
themselves and with other men of the
township and town decided upon the
latter plan. An election was called
to vote upon the bond issue and it
carried by large majority.
We are proud of our school and
of the work they are doing. In the
literary contest held in our county
we now stand third in all of the high
schools of the county. In all of our
experience as board members none of
US have heard more favorable and
less unfavorabFe comments than we
have of our schools this year. 1t is
this splendid spirit of cooperation
that is helping to make our schools
what they are. We expect to have
our new addition completed ready
for occupancy next fall and shall then
have a community auditorium for high
school activities, farmers meetings of
all kinds, and other public gatherings
besides having well arranged and
well equipped class rooms for the re-
gular class work.
Signed, Lyons Village Board Of
/ Education.
Cost of running Royalton Town
ship and Lyons Village Schools 1920
21 under old plan.
ROyaltOn Township