Laurel outlook., 1948-10-27
Tells Of Need Of
More School Space
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returned, often m~otivated, he
thought, by a desire to render
public service. They have made
it possible for many of Americas
school systems to operate during
the emergency.
After teachers, who in early
days often taught successful
schools in log cabins, Graft listed
two other factors: shelter and
equipment. Of equipment he was
not seriously concerned; the dis
trict would probably always have
enough money to buy books and
materials, and stock an adequate
library. Shelter, though, he re-
garded as a pressing problem, on
which the school board has al
ready begun a study.
For awhile some years ago the
Laurel schools we're able to leave
the Easements in which several
grades had to be located because
of lack of space, but now the
back-to-the-basement move has
begun again in a small way. With
space resources exhausted, the
board and the administration are
looking for square feet on
the ground floor. This addition
should be provided within the
next two years, as the superin-
tendent saw the situation, by con-
struction of another building.
The construction would have to
be by mortgage-bonded indebt-
edness-unless either OF both the
legislature and congress provide
grants to schools. The money
cannot be raised by special levy.
Graft made a studied guess that
the bonding privilege of the dis
trict is $4,000, not enough to
meet today's building cost. And
"what we do today will tie our
hands for the next 10 or Is
years"
Although district 7 has ir-
creased in total valuation, and
although $4,000 houses sometimes
sell for $4,000 or more, their
value has not increased on the
assessment roll; in that respect
they still are pre-war. The
states constitutional limitation Of
8 per cent may be raised by
amendment to 5 or even 6 per
cent, but amendments are not
quickly made. Should such an
amendment be submitted to the
people, Graft recommended to his
audience that they support it.
Two other possibilities were
considered: the slow process of
increasing assessed valuation, and
the previously mentioned grants
from the state or from the fed
eral government. Should either
of these last be proposed in Hell
ena or Washington, the speaker
hoped the public would encour-
age and approve the proposals.
Amendment of the Montana con
s~titution would take at least
two years to bear cash fruit, but
congress could act within a year.
Near the close of his address,
Graft outlined some of the fea-
lures that should be incorporated
in a new building for elementary
grades, made functional further
with a gymnasium for first to
sixth grades, a music oom and
a cafeteria. Classrooms and the
other features could be %incorpor-
ated in one building, while two or
three small separated units would
create certain Implications and
add to administration costs. No.
thing in this respect has been de-
the board and others
charged with conduct of the
schools are approaching the study
of the difficult problem with
open minds, remembering that
their acts will be felt for several
years in the future.
The superintendent thanked his
audience for an opportunity to
examine in public an affair that
is of Importance to all citizens.
At the beginning of the meet
ing. Pres. W. A. Mccormick in
triduced Wesley Freeburg as a
guest; Harold Williams introduce
ed Wesley Henley, Jr., and Vern-
on Garlock, members of the high
school Key club, and Harold Col
Inns and H. Lee Hamlet intro
duced men members of the school
Arthur Smith,, Leon
Glen Anderson, James Nor
Harvey Bowen and John
MacD Donald, principal of the high
Harlan Russell, program chair