The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-11-27
CONSIDER NOT
OPENING NEW
CITY SCHOOL
School Board Members May
Postpone Use Until Next
Fall
REASONS ARE CITED
Lack of Greatly Increased
Enrolment, Expense,
Among the Reasons

Because Of an unusual condition
arising in the city school ENROLL,
mcnt, the city board Of education
has under consideration the ques-
ton of whether it will open the
new Riverv;ew school this year.
The building, which is being built
in the western part of the city, is
nearing completion and could be
used for the last half of the school
year
The condition which has led
board members to consider not
opening, the school is the fact that
the enrolment has not attained
the normal 10 percent increase this
year. The question 'of finance also
enters into the consideration, as
well as the disorganization which
it is felt would be encountered in
the transfer of some pupils to the
new school during the school year
The enrolment in the city
schools, exclusive of the high
schools, was on November first
1145. On November / last year it
was 1119. Normally the total en-
rollment reached during the pres
. ent school year would be 10 per-
cent greater than last year, when
it reached 1924. While there will
be an increase in enrolment yet
this year-the1e already has been
some increase since November l.
it is hardly likely,s according to
school authorities, that the total
enrolment will reach 1894.
On November 1 there was shown
little increase in the various build
ings. Wachter school had 1873
pupils as compared to 1926 the sama
date last year; the North Ward
90 277 compared to 27b; the Will
school 4O1 compared to 396; Rich
holt 334 compared to 1922.
Information Given
Superintendent Saxvik, at re-
Quest of board members, has laid
before them the facts regarding
the situation without recommends
ton, and for the information of
~ the patrons of the schools.
hiOn the basis of the enrolment,
it is questioned whether or not
there is need to enter the new
school building this year.. 1t is
pointed out that the greatest in
crease in any grade school is in
the Richholt school in the extreme
: eastern part Of the city, which
would not be affected by the new
school. The pupils for the new
school would come chiefly from the
Will school.
There would be, it is held, dis
organization in the Will school
incident to the transfer. Teach
ers in the Will school were inter
viewed for the board and it was
stated by Superintendent Saxvik
that they expressed a willingness
to continue teaching the same
number of pupils they now are
teaching.
Information was prepared on the
number Of pupils that might enter
the four grades it was proposed to
:. maintain this year in the new
Riverview schooly The maximum
enrolment, based. on the June
census, would not exceed 125 and
might Be less, the superintendent
said. Making First street the
dividing line, about 80 pupils would
be transferred from the Will
school. West of First street
based on the June 1 census, there
were $50 children of ages from
six to 21.
Will School Growth
The Will school has been the
most crowded school. Its increase
this year is from 396 pupils to
4O1 pupils. However, the largest
grade in the school this year has
Al pupils as compared to 49 last
year.
J. On the other hand, Superintend-
: ent Saxvik and other school Off:
cials do not recommend that any
teacher have more than 40 pupils
in one room and this number is
exceeded in the, Will school. How.
ever, his administration is mot
demanding that the new school be
opened at this time.
Another question which has caus.
ed some inclination on the part OF
the board not to open the new
school is the question of finance
It was estimated by Superintend.
ent Saxvik that it would cost about
$4,000 to maintain the new school
the rest of the year.
Taxes Limited
UNDER the limitation law of the
last legislature the amount of tax
es that can be levied is limited
The board now is having hard
time to finance the schools. II
the tax levy limit is exceeded the
schools must close, according tc
Mr.. Saxvik. It is criminal under
the law to continue to keep them
open if the levy, has been exhaust
ed. There will be, he says, many
= schools in the state unable to com.
plete their school year because OF
the levy limitation.
The reason for the fact that the
schools have not sustained the
normal rate of increase is possibly
due, it is said, because II appears
from information at hand that q
- tcontlnued on Page y