The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-12-03
Live Topic Discussed
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on another vacant lot if such plan
could be worked out His thought was
to help build up the city as much as
possible while at the same time taking
care of school needs. He said the pres
ent Junior high wing had been built
10 years ago, that there is now con-
gestion, and that building plans should
take future needs into consideration.
w. F. Kienitz remarked that be UNI
derstood the board had made de-
cision as to the nature OF the new
building and asked if 1t were not too
late for any further discussion.
]. T. Brindley raised the question as
to whether the present congestion may
not be due to children of families who
are here on highway and bridge con-
struction, whether or not the over
crowding might be relieved after the
highway work is finished.
M. D. Rowland remarked in answer
to a question that the application tor
federal aid did not depend entirely on
the result of the forthcoming vote. he
said Helena had voted three times on a
similar proposition. He said tor the
bond election to carry, it must receive
81 per cent of the vote.
DR.. ]. M. Cairns spoke at some length
on the school question. He opened by
calling the Lions attention to pro-
gram of civic Improvement III which
they had taken an important paH
About a year ago, he said, work was
started that had resulted in much
better water system for the city, while
another project had brought great i'm
proyement in sanitary conditions. He
said the Lions had supported all this
work fully one hundred per cent
DR.. Cairns is much in favor of
new grade building and expresses him
self openly in that respect. he said
the present grade building is old and
has outlived its usefulness, having been
built in about 1906. He said light,
ventilation and sanitary conditions are
bad
DR.. Cairns argued that there are APP
proximately 500 pupils in the grades
while the high school enrolment is
only $50. From this he said it is evi-
dent the grades are where the conges-
ton exists. DR. Cairns also. said he
thought it not good policy to mix the
grades with high school students, as
would have to be done if new wing IS
built onto the high school building.
DR.. Cairns said that while athletics
is good thing for the school, he felt
that ii is sometimes overstressed He
argued that desire for better athletic
and gym facilities ought not to blind
one to the real needs of the children.
Athletics is good thing but education
is the real purpose of the school, he
said. The real task of the community
is to take care Of the children, and if
that is done properly he thought new
grade building ought to be supplied.
Fayors New Wing
Carlton Joughin spoke briefly say
inc that he was for a new wing and
would vote for it. He said that at a
meeting with the school board he had
SO argued but had first stated those
were his personal convictions and did
not necessarily reflect the stand Of the
Lions club He said the new wing and
remodeling Of the present building
would take care of all present con-
gestion.
Lion Joughin remarked that some
thought $4,000 was too high a figure
for the proposed wing. Of that amount
it is proposed to devote $1,000 to re-
modelling the present building, $4,000
for the new wing and from $4,000 to
$1,000 for new equipment He said that
after his experience as member OF
the Lincoln county high school board
and having worked in financing that
building, he felt that the proposed cost
of the wing was not at all too high.
Several Enter Discussion
A general discussion then followed
with several taking part. Lion WEIGH
remarked that probably federal grant
was not absolutely necessary. He told
how Kalispell is now planning to erect
new grade building without federal
aid, believing that to do SO will be
cheaper W. F. Kienitz said the Wom-
ems Club building was certainly no
fit place for school room, it now be-
ing used for that purpose. Marshall
Murray explained why the application
for federal aid need not be lost even
though the proposed bond issue is
killed He maintained that an amended
plan could be proposed and the .appli-
cation remain valid This had been
done in connection with the new court
house, he said. Lion Murray said he
thought that possibly the suggested
cost of new grade building was too
high, when one considers what the
new county high school building at Eu-
reka had cost.
Mr.. Crane entered the discussion
briefly, saying that perhaps he had
better not He suggested that it might
be wiser and cheaper to build an en-
tirely new high school and leave the
present two buildings for grade pur-
poses.
Soon thereafter the meeting was adj
iourned, it having proved one of the
livliest and most interesting Of any held
for a considerable time.
Knowing that you don't know much
is knowing lot.