The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-30
HIGH SCHOOL
OPENING WILL
ENDLONG WAR
Nearly Ten Years Strife
Preceded Completion
of Shortridge.
MONDAY IS INAUGURAL
Suits, Counter Suits and
Clashes Over Plans
!. Marked Battle.
MONDAY is INAUGURAL

Wn6n nunQr6QS OF SJuQeQCS START
work in the new Shortridge high
school, Thirty fourth and Meridian
streets, next Monday they enter a
monument to Indianapolis educa-
ton that is the ultimate result of
almost a decade of chickering's by
school officials and taxpayers.
The children desert the old struc-
lures at Pennsylvania and Michigan
street sat last. The property was
sold to the State Life Insurance
Company. For years, parents, espe-
cially those living on the north side.
promised their children they soon
would go to high school in the new
Shortridge.
The property on which the new
building is erected was purchased by
the school board in 1919, after a
court fight. The board, in that year,
was determined to have new site
for the school,.
$4,000 Offer Refused
The owners were offered $4,000,
but refused. The board succeeded
in condemning the property for
school purposes and only paid $780,
600 for it. The title was turned over
in 1920.
For several years the desire for
a new Shortridge lay dormant.
After several lengthy discussions, the
architect firm, then Kopf & Wool
ling, was selected to draw plans in
December 1923. A few days later
new members took Office and
promptly cancelled the architects
contract.
Suit was filed, but finally COM
promised, when it was agreed to ap-
point Herbert Foltz consulting
architect. This took. almost a year
and finally, in 1925, plans were I'M
der way. The school board made
several trips, viewing high schools
about the country to decide what
they wanted to adorn the strip of
barren land at Thirty Fourth street
Other Schools Ahead
About this time Shortridge tempo
rarily was forgotten and William H.
Book, then business director, had to
spend his time in preparing con-
Struction of Crispus Attacks and
Washington high schools, in the
western part of the city.
In the meantime, however, bond
issue of $1,350000 had been approved
by the board, but was rescinded and
bonds totalFng $1,2O0,0OO were ap-
proved. This was the issue that
Harry Miesse, secretary of the Indi-
ana Taxpayers Association, said
would pass without appeal to the
state tax board. 1t was appealed
anyway, bringing about another de-
lay.
Then the election brought in
Charles w. Kern, Theodore Vonne-
gut and Mrs. Lillian Sedwick, elected
on the khan slate, who Immediately
formed an opposition camp TO
Charles Yoke and Fred Bates john
son. holdover board members. They
took office Jan. /, 1916 and immedi-
ately the work on Shortridge was
forgotten entirely, as the new ma
jority faction fired and hired teach
ers and employees.
Plans Ordered Redrawn
Bids on construction of the school
later we're called back and the plans
ordered redrawn. The objection
arose because C. G. Ships direct
indirect type of heating and ven
tilating was ordered placed in the
new building. The board members
elected by the khan and friendly to
Shipp argued that by redraw1ng the
plans and putting in this ventilatlng
system "a 2,500rpupil building could
be erected for $1.000,000."
But in the meantime came Frank
Woolling with an option on a large
tract at Forty-sixth street and
Washington boulevard and the
school board decided that if the
school was erected on this tract, an
athletic field could be constructed
next to it.
To this, persons who mad been eX :
pecting the school at Thirty-fourth
street for years, objected. The
Times made poll of the territory
around the new proposed location
and found that people in this dis
trict did not want the school at
Forty-sixth street.
Finally, the plans we're redrawn,
bids received on a $1,000,000 build
ing, contracts let which provided fol
the direct-indirect heating plan
and now the building is to be opened
at a cost of about $1,300,000, in
Guiding CASTOR plans, the heating
system, architects fees and equip
rnent