New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-06-09

OF land. Hunter road. 3S.510.oo; pur-
chase of land. Chapman street.
tSSo.25; repairs. Walnut Hill school.
100000. Total. $44G6S.:5.
Furthermore. please note the
item for the sale Of bonds, $4S.-
1891. for payment of which no spe-
cial provision was made. but which
was paid from the fund for new
school buildings and thus reduced
the amount available for erecting
new schools OF charging existing
schools by $4s.4s3.71. If We add
this expenditure Of $4s.4sS.71 to the
$44,66S.o5 as shown above. We get
total of &s3.lsl.os which might
reasonably be expected as the total
amount of the deficit in the building
fund.
ut 10 fair to state what has been
well-known fact to all who have
been at all familiar with the condi-
ton Of the fund for new school
buildings, that while there has al
| ways been in the treasury work.
ing balance credited to the fund. at
the same time there has been for
years an actual shortage If all obli-
cations and expected obligations
were paid. In fact, attention OF the
mayor and chairman Of the board OF
finance and taxation was called in
December. 1926, to an actual short
age of t77.173.s4 in the building
fund, which shortage has since been
reduced to $4S,7S0.43 as of June 3,
1925.
Following the partial destruction
of the Israel Putnam school insur-
ance was paid amounting to $73.754.
AS fast as the checks in payment OF
the insurance were received. they
were sent to the city treasurer and
receipts were received from the
treasurer.
I'm all. the school department has
received seven such receipts cover
ing the entire amount of $73,754.
received from insurance on the Is
rael Putnam school.
The destruction of the Israel Put
nam school left approximately 800
children without school. At the
same time there were approximate
, ly 200 children at the Washington
school who had been in portable
buildings since September 1927.
waiting for the Benjamin Franklin
school to open when it should be
completed Arrangements were made
for the use by the Israel Putnam
school pupils of four portables which
had been erected at the Washington
school, and with the exception of
the kindergarten pupils, the children
Of the Israel Putnam school were
cared for upon a part time basis in
these portables. This arrangement
necessarily forced the placing OF
eight classes or approximately $50
children of the Washington school
district upon half time, making a
total of 5o5 pupils at the Washing
ton school and the portables on the
Washington school grounds who
We're then upon half time.
Here was an acute situation
which demanded a decisive policy
Of relief. To delay progress OIL the
Franklin school would have kept
800 children on half time for long
period. To complete the Franklin
school at the earliest possible date
meant the reduction Of the number
OF pupils on half-time to approx
mately $50. Under the circum'
stances, therefore. 1t seemed wise
and necessary to make all possible
progress on the Franklin school
Following the Easter recess, tbs
Franklin school was occupied and
approximately 200 pupils were
transferred to 1t from the Washing
ton school. This made it possible to
restore all pupils who properly be-
longed in the Washington district to
full time school day.
1T should be noted that there
was no possibility of completing the
reconstruction of the Israel Putnam
school at such time that 1t would be
available for use before September
1928"