Newport Schools Close Banner Year, Approve $8,000 Bond and Plan New Wing
Eighth-grade graduation, teacher re-elections, and a unanimous bond vote cap a successful school year as the board moves to expand the building.
The Newport public schools last week closed on what was in every sense a successful school year. The faculty and pupils have worked together in harmony, and as a result the schools are in excellent condition and doing good work.
Friday evening at the Congregational Church occurred the graduating exercises of the eighth grade, at which the following completed the work in that grade: Shirley Fox, Ross Boyer, Lavernon Menke, Howard Krause, Helen Langille, Alta Long, Ada McCool, Margaret Miller, Elsie Schwab, Lena Sherman, Lyla Strong, Margaret Sutherland, Ruby Wile. The program of the evening consisted of essays, readings and musical numbers, closing with an address by Arthur W. Davis, a member of the Spokane Board of Education. Mr. Davis delivered an interesting address on the influence of the schools in the making of men and women actors as well as thinkers, and took occasion to compliment the people of Newport on the excellence of their schools as testified by the program given that evening.
The school board on Friday last elected all the teachers for the coming year, being well satisfied with the service rendered. All but Mrs. Rogers have accepted re-election.
On Tuesday the question of bonding the district for the sum of $8,000, for the taking up of the outstanding warrants, was submitted to the electors of the district. There was but little interest taken in the matter, as the people were generally favorable to the plan and no discussion of the matter had been indulged in. But 29 votes were cast and all were favorable to bonding. When these bonds are sold and the warrants are called in another election will be called for the purpose of bonding to take up the remainder of the warrants.
The board held a meeting on Wednesday at which the matter of building an addition to the present building was considered. The plans, which were drawn by Prof. King, call for a wing on the north of the present building to be 23x89 feet, which will provide four more rooms and do away with the present congestion. Entrance to the wing will lie on the north side. The plans call for a basement room to be used for a lunch and recreation room, to have cement floors and sides and a nine foot ceiling. On the first floor there will be two class rooms, hallways and closets, the class rooms to be 31x22 feet. The second floor room on the east is to be joined to the present High School class room which will give an assembly room 44x32 feet and on the west side there will be a laboratory 31x22 feet. In the plans the lighting and heating facilities are well looked after and the board believes it has secured the best possible solution of present needs.
The board also ordered a warrant drawn for $13.95 to make the last payment on the piano purchased for the school by the W. A. Club. Most of the pupils who purchased the piano are no longer in the schools and the board, appreciating their efforts, decided to relieve them of the remainder of the indebtedness.
“The people were generally favorable to the plan and no discussion of the matter had been indulged in. But 29 votes were cast and all were favorable to bonding.”
A century later, Newport's school district still faces the same balancing act: convincing voters to fund buildings while keeping taxes low. In 1909, an $8,000 bond passed with 29 unanimous votes; today, school bonds often require supermajorities and fierce campaigns. The little wing they built then has long been replaced, but the debate over how to house a growing student body echoes in every facilities levy.
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