The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-09-27
D OU CL 4 5 N E W 5
DOUGLAS TO TRY FOR
 SCHOOL GYM, AUDITORIUM

A step of large importance taken by the Douglas city fathers last night favored application being made at once for a PWA grant of $10000 for an auditorium and gym nasium here with equipment to cost around $20,000 The citys portion or 55 per cent of the total is to be raised by the sale of real estate and funds solicited for that pur- pose It was pointed out that ordinarily there will be couple of months or more in which to , arrange for the city's portion of the cost if the grant should come through No expense of any kind will accrue to the city in making application for the grant, II. R. Foss, architect, explained to the Council.
 Another issue taking up lot of the time of the City Council at the regular meeting last night was whether Douglas school children should be supplies with free text books or be charged for their use of them As stated by one of the | Councilmen at a previous meeting that the parents were paying twice for their children's books, once with taxes, and again when the books were turned over to them, the School Board was present at the meeting to explain the matter thus ly: No Territorial refund for text books is being allowed this year, the Board continued the same sys-. tenn as the former Board did, viz, selling the books to the children at cost and the money received therefor being used in their gen. eral fund, which ultimately would proportionately reduce the amount of funds they would have to ask the Council for to complete the term. If at the end of the term, the board pointed out, the books had been well taken care of, they could be resold by the children for a little less than they originally cost and in the end result in small expense to the parents.
 Another method, one used by the neighboring city school board was described by a member of the local board as follows: "A deposit is collected from the children to cov- CT the cost of their books; at the close of the year, when the books are turned in, the deposit is re- funded to the children, less g per cent for books showing fair usage, and less 50 per cent if mutilated to any extent, but no refund at all if the books are too bad for further use" Normal use would permit use of the books for four years.
 The board further explained that it had just recently received advice from the Territorial Board of Edu- cation that due to the fact that last years appropriation had not been all used up, they would allow the 30 per cent refund on text books newly bought by the board. during this term, but could not guarantee the same for next term. This was good news to the Council as the total expense connected with the school will therefor be less than the original budget calls for.
 A resolution was passed by the Council recommending to the School Board the system used in Juneau be adopted <
 A. J. Balog, Chairman of the Fire and Water Committee, report ed that with the assistance of Fire Chief Mike Pusich, he had placed the order with the American Hose Company for 800 feet of new 21s- inch hose for the fire department. This was approved by action of the Council.
 Other business of the evening consisted of several minor issues. Water service to the native village was left in the hands of the gen. eral utility man for the city, Charles. Schramm and Chairman of the Fire and Water Committee A. J. Balog. Councilman Lindstrom, of Public Properties Committee, re- ported the new school appropriately dedicated also recommended in- struction being given the caretaker of the Natatorium for preventing