The Wrangell sentinel., 1926-03-25

council held Monday and Tuesday evenings for the purpose Of eonsid- ering Wrangell's school problem it was voted unanimously to petition congress immediately for permission to bond the town in a sum not to exceed S50,000 for school purposes and not to exceed $30,000 for bet ter and more adequate water faeili- ties. The matter was taken up at once with Delegate Sutherland to insure it's consideration before con- gress adjourns.
 The question as to whether the town will bond rests with the vot- CTS of Wrangen. It will be their opportunity to indicate whether they will take the step that will bring their community into the front ranks and encourage new in- dustries. Water enough to bring new industries and keep the ones going that are already here, and adequate school facilities to war rant men bringing their families and making Wrangell their home are the two greatest needs.
 The fact that permission to bond for fifty and thirty thousand dol- lars for school and water needs, respectively, does not mean that these amounts of money would be required. The council placed the request at a figure where it was evident that no shortage could develop at the last minute which might necessitate the expense of second election, congressional. per mission etc. Likewise should the development of the Ground Hog Basin mining district, the paper pulp industry and cold storage and harbor facilities cause the town to double within the next few years the permission to bond in the ex- cess amount would take care of unforeseen requirements of both schools and water by simply voting to issue the additional bonds, al- ready approved by Congress.
 The present elementary school building is not only too small but it is actually unsuited to school purposes, when judged by modern, school building standards. The building, however, is well adapted to general municipal purposes. It could house the city library, furnish a room for local Red Cross head quarters, has one room we'll suited as a court room, and has enough space left to convert into a council meeting room and city office rooms which will soon be needed. The base ment would make an ideal Fire De- partment room.
 Plans have already been worked out by the school board and super intendent, and approved by the Council, for a modern school plant that would anticipate the towns needs for the future. The plans are now in the hands of a competent school-building architect of Spo- kane. It is estimated that the build ing could be constructed, under con- tract, with concrete basement and frame superstrueture, at a cost of s45,0O0 or less.
 By the will of the late Fred Be- a nf f;po between s5,0O0 and S6,000 was be- queathed to the Wrangell Public Schools for the purpose of supplying the children of Wrangell with a playground. The members of the school board have recommended the purchase of the land lying between Church street and the new street laid out as Reed street, from the Presbyterian church property east to the east line of the property now occupied by the high school build ings.
 Messrs. Gartley and Gurr have off, fered to sell to the City a con- modious building site, just across  Reed street from the playground lots, with the understanding that it will be used as the site for the new school plant, and the City Council has indorsed the recommendation of the School Board in the matter. This arrangement would make the entire tract between Church and Reed streets available for play ground purposes as soon as the old buildings could be removed. This land is the most nearly level of any tract of it's size in any centrally located district of the town. With the surplus fund from the Bevier estate it could be made into regulation baseball and foot ball field with accommodations for oI1 ofhar kipdo af