The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-08-29

new school building, this paper has
secured authentic inf or nation
,rrich is presented below in the
form of questions and answers.
Many of these questions are being
discussed on the streets every day
and the following information, we
believe, is entirely correct:
What is the election for? s..
TO authorize a bond issue OF $55,-
ooo for the purpose of erecting a
new school building; election to be
held on the 18th of September.
Is this to be the total cost?
No: this amount is SIS percent OF
the estimated cost, the remaining
"a percent to be secured as feder-
al grant which will not have to be
Maid by direct local assessments.
The money available, including
bond issue and federal grant Will
nroyide for the completed building,
fully equipped.
What is the plan for bond retire
rlent?
Under the recently enacted init
iatiye "a, and under rulings made
by the attorney general relative
thereto, the bond payments and in
terest must be met from the regu-
lar ten-mill levy made annually by
the school district.
What is the present school levy?
Ten mills.
will the authorization of the bond
issue raise this levy?
No.
Can the board make a definite
promise that the passage OF this
election will not result in an in
crease in the levy?
The board has no authority to
make promise beyond their term
of office. This promise will be, and
is made, to within the limits pro-
yided. The board believes that it
will not become necessary at any
time to raise the levy on this &C
count.
If the issue is authorized, what
kind of building is contemplated?
In order to comply with the re-
quirements for securing the federal
grant, it was necessary to submit
complete plans, specifications and
estimates to Washington, D. c., by
the 18th of August. The plans had
been prepared a year or so ago and
the board considered them adequate
and necessary for the best interests
of the district. They were submit
ted and if approved no substantial
changes can be made at this time.
The plans, as submitted, call for
a two story building of poured re-
inforced concrete construction Of
ample size to care for the districts
needs.
Why was concrete chosen?
Principally because of the cost,
but also because of the fact that
such construction will provide for
the greatest amount of unskilled
labor. Also because it offers greater
safety than any other type of con-
Struction.
What portion of the cost of the
new building will be given to labor?
It is estimated that nearly fifty
percent of the total cost on this type
OF building will be spent for labor.
Is there any provision for the en-
ployment of local labor?
One of the main reasons for the
federal grant is from that very
angle. In order to provide reem-
ployment in all parts of the coun-
try, the government has taken this
method of encouraging the erec-
ton of public buildings. In the
grant itself Is a provision that local
help must be employed wherever
possible in the construction of
buildings where federal aid is given.
The local district, further, gives it's
definite promise that this angle Of
the project will be given very care
ful attention.
Is it correct, then, to state that
better than $4,000 of the total cost
OF the new building will be spent
IN labor locally within one year?
That is correct.
What is the need for the new
building? 60
numerous reasons are given for
TINS question. In the first place, the
SCHOOL system now has the largest
enrolment ever recorded. Lack of
space has forced the renting of a
church to house two grades with
practically every class in the high
scnool overcrowded. - .
Inc high school laboratories, con-
structed at a time when the enroll
uiehe was small, do not meet the
necessities at the present time; lack
VI a proper size study hall; lack of
an auditorium; lack of gymnas-
.ain 10 serve the new compulsory
physical education course.
owing to numerous reasons, it is
telG tnat the Washington school
Culoing should be abandoned for
class rooms.
Inc new building, as planned,
Mouio include % class rooms. It
sou,o De occupied by IL high school
eeocEerS and four INNER Cra fIa