The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-05-08
LIONS ENDORSE
SCHOOL BONDS,
MUSIC FESTIVALS

Two civic Improvement prof.
ects" were heartily endorsed by the
Juneau Lions Club today. Lion:
voted to support the s750,0oO schoo
bond issue on which the city vii
vote May l6, and continuation OF
the Southeast Alaska High Schoo
Music Festival as an annual event
School superintendent Sterling
Sears distributed a dozen copies OF
the architects drawing for the pro-
posed grade school and gymnasium
auditorium, and referred to CON-
parative figures on both enrolment
and costs, as listed in todays pub
LEGATION of The Cats Meow"
He pointed out that enrolment
in Juneau schools has grown from
252 in 1918 to 1850 today. Oi
these TOO are grade school students
Based On the standard of Is pupils
per room, % would be required
right now. There are l8 disable
rooms in the Fifth Avcnue build
ing and in the Willoughby school.
Sears called the present draw
ings 'pre-preliminary' plans, sub
ject to revision before application
for federal funds from the Gen
eral Services Administration. II
locates a gym-auditorium capable
of seating comfortably 1920 per-
sons for basketball games and more
than 1000 for stage performances.
Total construction cost to be ad-
vanced by G. S. A. dnclucing pre-
liminary expense, plans, actual con-
struction, equipment and miscell-
aneous) is estimated at S886,0oo Of
which the cost to the Juneau In
dependent School District would
eventually be half.
Besides this $443,000, the building
site selected (the Smith Dairy prop
erty) would cost 100000; making
the necessary fill on the site,
$4,000, and miscellaneous, $4,000
"a total of $583,000.
The School Board is asking $780,
600, in order to be assured that
all eventualities are covered. 1t is
their announced intention to use
only that part of the bond issue
needed to complete construction.
Sears pointed out that there is
no music room for band practice
and similar use, and that various
special use" rooms could be
changd if desired. The school, as
now projected, would contain 10
classrooms, plus teachers rooms,
office, nurses room, book and stor-
age rooms, lunch room and kitchen,
and a rifle range.
Sears mentioned that there might
be objections to including rifle
range. But" he said, Alaska is
different. Most adults and young
people here use guns; it is i'm
portant that they know how to
handle them safely. Right now
there are so high school students
in the Rifle Club"
DR.. Joseph o. Rude, president OF
the Juneau School Board, stressed
the fact that, financially, the stu
alton is better now than it ever
has been, what with tobacco tax
and other new revenue. He called
on a guest expert" Walter e
Welke, famed University of Wash
ington band director and Festival
adjudicator, for his advice.
Welke suggested looking into the
type of combination gym-auditor-
ium which he saw recently in
Lewiston, Idaho. This uses the
same space for stage and basket
ball court and can be used either
with or without the auditorium of
seats on an inclined floor.
He urged that special acoustical
treatment be part of the original
building plans, whichever floor plan
is used, and also spoke for inclus-
ion of a music room. likewise ac-
oustically treated. He suggested
that this be close to the stage for
protection of equipment when NOV
ed to and from the stage.
1T is important to have an ele-
waited stage" he commented ITO
elevate a performer gives him a
little of the prestige he needs"
Wlke paid high tribute to Jul
neau's interest in music and other
cultural activities: You are SO
artistically minded here" he said
He cited the fact that everyone,
''even the drummers" remained to
the end of the solo band and
chorus tryouts.
Other visitors at the weekly Lions
Club luncheon meeting in the Bar
anof Gold Room were the Rev
Michael A. Ossorgin, Benjamin l.
See and Robert r. Burns, all OF
Mt. Edgecumbe, and Louis Vacca
Ketchikan-all Lions.
Guests of Lions numbered also
Mrs. Pauline McCahill, Mrs. Irver
Wengert, Miss Virginia Long anc
Philip E. Jerauld, music coaches
of Douglas, Ketchikan, Juneau ano
Petersburg, respectively; Col. Ev-