Hungry Horse news., 1954-09-24
OK Federal Grant FOR Schools

Further federal grant OF SISU,zOi
is available for school construction
or reimbursement in district 6, ac-
cording to a telegram received
from Senator Mike Mansfield
Wednesday.
This is in addition to the $685.
400 grant that resulted in erection
of Columbia Falls grade school. It
is also in addition to the $218,-
216.47 received by the district un-
der public law 874 from the fed
eral government for operations
and maintenance starting in Aug
ust 1851.
The payments came as a result
of Hungry Horse Dam construction
and burdens placed on local tax
payers as a result of the population
influx to the federal project. Nine
ty six per cent of land in the dis
trict is federally owned.
The Hungry Horse News was in
telephone contact with Senator
Mansfield's office Thursday morn
ing, and received the following
additional telegram:
Amount reserved for school
district can be secured either for
reimbursement on work already
done which has been approved by
Office of Education or can be Sc
cured for construction on projects
which would have to be sent in by
school district for approval. Office
here does not know at this time
if school district 6 will request
reimbursements or whether it will
be for construction. Amount OF
S13O,2O7 will be available to the
school district when requested" ."
When the original building re-
quest was submitted, the U. S. Of
flee of Education had representa-
tives survey school situations in
the district. A new grade school
to replace the Talbot build
ing in Columbia Falls was ap-
proved, and the structure was to
have cost $640,000. Only 1926, 400
was available. The district paid
out $34,061 of its funds to COM
plete the building as it is.
Result is the Talbot building
still in use with the new building
accommodating half of the 658
grade school students.
The reimbursement angle was
explored by the school board, and
legal opinion is that only $34,061
the money spent by the district on
the new building, is reimbursable.
1t apparently is not legally pos
sible to use federal funds to pay |
up the bonds for new four-room
buildings erected in Coram and |
Martin City in ls48. With their in
terest over 20 years, these two
will cost about $180,000. |
Building funds came to the dis
trict as a result of public law 815,
and the operations and mainten-
ance funds under public law 874.
Result of the 874 grants starting
in August, 1851, brought district
6 taxes down to near low levels
for Flathead county.
Choices before the district 6
school board on spending the
$130,207 forthcoming are: (1) re-
imburse $34,061 of district funds
spent, and return rest to govern
ment. (2) add rooms to Columbia
Falls grade school as was approv-
ed by federal representatives IN
original plans. (3) seek new
schools in district and approval for
same. (4) leave money with gov
ernment.
Only a limited time is allowed
to spend the money. A grant OF
S130,2O7 will not build a sizeable
new plant.
West Glacier is in need of a
new school, but the U. 5. Office OF
Education did not approve build
ing there three years ago.
Essex needs a new school, and
the school board is proceeding with
plans for a new building there.
Martin City school this year de-
veloped crowded conditions. There
was also talk last spring OF sec
ond Junior high in the district 10
Gated at Hungry Horse, Martin
City or Coram. Any new projects
in addition to the Columbia Falls
grade school addition would need
u. S. Office of Education examin-
alton and approval.
Indication of how the grants
work was the U. S. Office of Edu-
cation asking for $98,000,000 for
federally affected areas. Congress
granted S55, 100000 and the district
s originally approved allotment OF
S219, 274 turned out to be S13O,2O7.
Pending are applications of. Ro-
nan. Chester and Elmo for federal
school construction funds.