The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-09

voters next Friday approve the question concerning the junior high school to be decided by ballot at the special meeting of the freemen, later another vote will have to be taken, 1t is pointed out.
 The acutal vote to be taken next F day will be on whether or not local residents want the board warden and burgesses to apply for a loan or a grant from the govern r1ent for a junior high school and gymnasium. No sum is mentioned for such a structure
 If the majority vote yes on this question, later when and if the government approves such a grant, it will be necessary to hold another freemen's meeting to authorize the town to borrow in anticipation of bond issue the amount the town will have to borrow to finance its share, which is expected to be at least $165 ,000.
 Then if this should also meet the approval of the borough it would be necessary to get approval of the General Assembly for such bond issue. The assembly usually grants such permission, but there is always the possibility of a refusal. There will be the cost of the two possible votes, with this cost averaging at least $3O each, and the cost of pre- pairing the request to the General Assembly. It was stated at the school board meeting this week that the cost of the architects plans, that is of those submitted, will come out of the general cost of the school, not expected to be more than $3O0,O00 ad if the public turns down the new school proposition, there will be no charge fro the archi- tects who have submitted the plans
 Up lin Air"
 There is much talk about the school matter and many residents are still much "up in the air" about the proposition. Some sincerely want to know if such a school is absolutely necessary now and if no other substitute plan could be work ed out temporarily at least, and others feel it would be heavy burden locally.
 Some work would have to be started on 1t by January l. under government rules if the PWA ap- plication goes through, Borough Clerk Charles F. Daly said at the school board session Tuesday.
 The assembly does not meet until Saturday would mean if approval were given here, 1t would have to be provisional on granting of per- mission by the assembly for bond issue. This is why permission of the freemen to permit borrowing in anticipation of such action by the assembly would be necessary.
 Officially the junior high school proposal is in a peculiar position. The board of educator members are evenly split, three for and three against the plan. The board of war den and burgesses has neither en- dorsed nor condemned it. The vote to call a special meeting of the freemen for action, which was made by the borough Tuesday night, was one which the board was required to do by charter provision, which requires special meeting of the freemen be called when a petition with 20 signatures, is presented and asks for such meeting.
 No Official Stand
 But the borough board has not officially taken and stand on 1t eithe. as group or as members. Warden John Sheridan mentioned other possible expenses the town will have to bear in the near future and indicated the people do not want a tax increase. Some inter pret this to mean he is opposed to the construction of such a school now.
 Chairman Charles P. Rodenbach of the school board is the outstand- ing supporter of the school and the other two Republicans members of the education board, Emil Mann- weller and Howard Bristol, signed the petition which requested the special meeting.
 There is also the question, some fell, as to whether or not the board of warden and burgesses, not the board of education, would have the power to choose the architect and to have the final word as to plans for the school. It is a PWA job and the warden Is the sponsors agent here, and it is the board of warden and burgesses who will apply, for school if the people decide to permit them to do so.
 The board of education can de- clare that a new school is needed and recommend a certain type but some observers feel the borough board would have the final say about the details of the project.
 When the TuItie nome and pro- perty were turned over to the town on the condition they be used for school or park uses, they first had to be turned oyer to the borough board which voted to put them under the control of the school