New Britain herald., 1923-04-28
PMinuM News
Meeting RESCINDS
COOKE TRACT BUY
Committee Appointed to Select
Site Will Report in Two Weeks
lls VOTERS ARE PRESENT

l16 VOTERS ARE PRESENT
Caroline Fisher Dies--Church Scrv-
ices TO be on Daylight Saving Time
TO Report on Bristol Hospital
Drive-Change Fire Districts.
The voters of Plainville at a special
town meeting last evening voted to
act on petition calling for the re-
scinding of n former vote taken at q
meeting held on April II. which
stated that the board OF selectmen
would be empowered to buy tract
Of land on Linden street from the
John Cooke Co. for $500 for school
purposes. The meeting also voted to
appoint a committee consisting of
First Selectman William j. Johnson.
John b. Minor and one member of
the school committee to be chosen by
the committee to investigate and Sc
lect a site. The meeting was adj
journed for two weeks and this
special committee will report back at
this time.
The meeting last evening was one
of the most largely attended hear
ings ever held on any subject in the
town. 116 voters in all were present
among whom were II women. The
vote when taken totaled III, of which
SO favored resembling the former ac-
ton and % were opposed, two blanks
being among the total. There hasn't
been so much interest shown in any
subject in long while as there was
| In the purchasing of the school prop
erty last evening. Fiery speeches.
rapid fire questions shot at the secre-
tary of the school committee and
rapid answers and arguments of all
sorts on all lines featured the session.
Henry Trumbull was elected chair
man for the evening. and Merit o.
Ryder was clerk. The call for the
meeting was read and a resolution
signed by f. l.. Benzon followed call
ing for the resembling of the former
vote. This was seconded by r. L.
Seymour.
L. s. Mills, secretary of the school
committee, was called on to state
what had been done by the commit
tee since the last meeting. He an
swered that efforts had been made to
get reduction on the price, but the
committee had been unable to do so.
He said that there was nothing new
to report. Mr.. Benzon. in explaining
his resolution, stated tina there was
absolutely no objection 70 a school.
but solely to the price.
Mr. Aspinall rose and spoke against
the price.
Senator John Fl. Trumbull raised
strenuous objections to the price asked
for the land, terming ii a ''hold-up
price" He said that the price is alb
solutely eXorbitant although the best
location for a school is in that vicinity.
He said that the profiteering which
has been going on in Plainville has
hindered the progress of the town
and has held development back.
High prices stop progress" he said,
land ! am absolutely opposed to the
price and personally I think it is
hold-up. He further stated that
there was no doubt but what school
was necessary by fall, but at the
same time, although the town has set
on the best location, the price is be-
You'd question.
Mike Sasek stated that il a man
asked $4,000 for three acres, then he
ought to be taxed according to the
way he values his land. Mr.. Benzon
stated that he intended to enter a
resolution later ON calling for the ap-
pointment of committee to select
a site on East or east of East street.
Mr.. Mills. in answer TO rapid fire
questions shot at him from all parts
of the hall stated that there was alb
solute need for three rooms and great
need for four. He stated that Plain
vile had received notice from New
Britain and Bristol school boards
that there was no more room in the
cities for any more pupils from Plain
vile. He stated that Bristol might be
able to take care of some of the pu-
pills for another year. He said that
the school committee had the power
to send the high school pupils to Wa
terbury. New Haven or Hartford to
the high schools there and the town
would have to pay the expense OF tut
ton and transportation.
He said that the question of using
other buildings temporarily was not
good idea. because it meant more
money for equipment and would make
the school system like factory that
tries to make the parts of its products
in different places. He stated that the
mart time idea was bad because 1t
meant more holdups of pupils, He
said that the present need for schools
is serious and swift action is needed.
he said that the estimated cost of
transportation and payinf tuition for
pupils attending the Bristol and New
Britain schools would be about S19,-
900 and the total cost would be SILL
900. He said that high school IN
the town would cost about 500 per
year per pupil He said that they
couldn't hope to get building erect
cd before December
Mr.. BenZon then stated that If
building couldn't be built until De-
cember and the pupils would have to
be taken care of in the fall, then
little delay at the present time would
not hurt. MIR. Williams favored part
time for q few months because 1t is
being done everywhere with success.
Senator Trumbull then stated that
he was against resembling the vote
taken at the previous meeting because
If the matter was turned down, then
the next time the land was sought,
higher price would be asked. A. II.
Condel stated that the action in re-
sc;nding the vote would not effect the
cntion in any way. because the school