The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-10
SCHOOL BUILDING
PROGRAM IS CLOSED
DOWN TEMPORARILY
Continued from Page One)

neu, c1assrooms as soon as heat
mo system can be installed.
All other buildings in the county
school system he said are in USE
ahle condition at the present time.
Needs S14. 600
"Approxima1ely S1i,000 is needed
Immediately by the New Hanover
county board of education to COM
plete present construction work IN
the county school SYSTEM Roland
said. e,
Education board members acted
after the county commissioners
had advised in joint session they
had no authority to issue bonds
at this time of the year, except
by vote of the reople. Addison
Hewlett chairman, said there were
no surplus funds available in the
budgets of the county commission
ers or the education board to take
care of the emergency
DR.. John T. Hoggard, education
board chairman said, I'VE have
had to shut down all improvements
work in the county schools unless
the county commissioners can let
US have additional funds.
The board acted he said
ION account of the withdrawal of
aid by the WPA due to the lack
of experienced laborers such as,
carpenters, and brick masons, and
the rising cost of project materi-
ais"
Additional Cost
DR.. Hoggard estimated that it
would cost an additional $4,000
after July l, the beginning Of an
other fiscal year, to complete the
current construction work in place
Of finishing the projects now.
The education boar predicted
the school construction would be
closed down DR.. Hoggard said un-
til such time as the county COM
missioners can furnish additional
funds.
when the WPA withdrew its
aid," the education board chair
man said, "the board had to pro-
vide the necessary skilled labor
for the various projects and the
materials which should have been
furnished by the WPA.
Recently there has been a lack
of experienced skilled laborers and
even now common laborers are
scarce. The work will be stopped
until such time as the county com
missioners can take over the part
of federal assistance" he said.
Roland and Hoggard explained
in detail the emergency to t. e
county commissioners, cited the
needs for completion of the work
at the High school vocational build
ing on account of national defense
program, and estimated about $14,.
900 was necessary to finish the
present work.
The increase in cost of labor
and material added to the fact
that we were unable to retain the
w. P. A. assistance originally ex-
pected has exhausted the funds
made available by the county COM
missioners," Hoggard told the
county commissioners.
Obligations
Outstanding obligations were list
ed as follows: High school 5000;
HemenWay, heating $685. and
contract $207. SO; Cornelius Harnett
heating, S18, and contract, SLIT. OF;
Delgado, heating, plumbing, ST.
1920; and William Hooper, $153. 80
for a total of So, 49,. 88.
Hoggard informed the county
commissioners the balance to the
credit of the boar of education
in the building fund amounted to
So, 76O.65 and the amount available
for remainder of construction total
ed S., 777.68
The following increased cost of
construction and withdrawal of w.
P. A. funds he said caused the
available cash balance to become
exhausted before completion of the
work: Wrightsboro S.. 800. IS; Will
liam Hooper, $500; Delgado, ST.
500; vocational building, 81, $50;
and high school gym, .$1,07O; for
a total of $14, 040. 65.
Hoggard said the anticipated as
sistance plus the present balance
of So, 1905 would have made our
present balance $22, sol. 21. This
sum he said yould have finished
our present program and furnish
ed the rooms ready for use.
f"Thjc oorIi4i~~ -,;1v -e.1..
essary for us to close down the
work on the vocational building
and part of the remaining work on
the High school gym.
THE w. P. A., is showing full
cooperation in an attempt to COM
plete u present program and
leave the buildings in a finished
condition. However the demand
for labor for vocational defense
makes this difficult for them. The
prospects are that W. P. A. will
be further handicapped as more
federal work opens up in u vi
cinity. The labor we would get
would be of a type we could hardly
use.
If there is any way possible to
continue this work at least on the
vocational building we are in
great need of this building for our
work in connection with national
defense. The government is usinr
our school heavily at the presen.
time ever with basement rooms.
for classrooEas" Hoggard told the