The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1922-03-22
SCHOOL BOARD
HAS DECIDED ON
DEFINITE PLANS
PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO PRES
ENT HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD
MEET WITH APPROVAL

What the school board recommends
and why they recommend it.
After many meetings covering a
period of several months, going into
all the different angles and condi-
tions now existing as well as at
tempting to read the future to a
certain extent, we have reached the
conclusion that the only sensible re-
commendation we can make to the
people Of this city is one of addi-
tions to our present high school
building. This conclusion has only
been reached by laying aside all sell
fish, personal wishes and considering
the matter in the light of the most
good to cover the most trouble. The
conditions at central at this time are
such that relief of some kind is an
absolute necessity. To those who
have advocated new high school
building on a new site, we will say
that such a building and the addi-
tionau grounds for it means an out
lay of not less than 1857 900, and we
doubt the wisdom of such an outlay
of money at this time. On the 9th
er hand we have not lost sight of the
physical condition in the second ward
several prospective sketches having
been drawn for buildings in that ward
which have five or six rooms, all we
can handle there with the present
play ground space with what we can
acquire. This building would cost
$4,000 and only give us three more
rooms than we now have there, a
rather expensive outlay for three ad-
ditional rooms that will only give a
little relief at one end Of our con-
gestion. We figure that the interest
for one year on such an expenditure
will make such improvements to this
property that will put it in good con-
dition and this should be done. Even
tually we will have to build small
building in this ward but grounds
forbid anything larger than five or
six rooms.
What we need so badly now to
eliminate the crowded conditions is
additional class rooms and that is
what we recommend to be built this
year on each end of the present High
school. This building was originally
built as a unit and we believe we
should utilize it as such by erecting
these additions on ground now idle,
without spending our money for. new
building we now have back of the
High school by cutting it down one
story and use it for a heating plant
taking all such apparatus out of the
main building and extending the
manual training department into the
space now taken up with boilers and
Goal bins. A water-color sketch now
shown in the window of the Belding
Coxy.pnr- hanI oriu cf1lnnAt6
idea of how the improved building
will look when complete. 1t will be
just as fine inside and give Us four
teen classrooms and gymnasium Of
good size with a stage at one end anC
balcony at the other so this room can
be used for all auditorium purposes
as well as physical training work. Ir
most towns the attendance at games
pays for the upkeep of the gym
However the greatest gain is in ac-
tual school work, the additional class
rooms allowing us to vacate the back
building, which is in dangerous con-
dition yet harboring nearly one hun.
dred fifty children, and also vacate
the city hall where we are teach.
ing under most adverse conditions
at the same time giving Us the much
needed room for high school purpos
es. We believe the people of Beldine
are going to agree with. us that oul
conclusions are wisely based in tha
we buy no new property, throw away
nothing we now have, and yet get the
most good in the smallest package
The estimated cost of this building
project furnished, is only S45,O0(
more than already appropriated fol
the second ward building. The hooI
plans are on exhibition in the offic,
of the secretary and also at the fur
niture store Of Brown-Hall Co. wher,
you can call and see them and asl
all the questions you like.
Board of Education.