Women, Workers, and a $40,000 School Bond

Tomorrow at 1 o’clock a special election will be held in the city to decide whether school bonds shall be issued in the sum of $40,000. Of this amount, $25,000 is to be used in the construction of a new high school building on the south half of the block fronting Union street and bounded by Washington and Franklin streets. The remainder will be used to cancel outstanding warrants. The polling place will be the Central school building at the corner of Washington and Union streets. The polls will open at 1 o’clock and remain open until 8 p.m. Registration is not required to enable a person to vote, and women enjoy equal privileges with the men. Three-fifths of the votes cast are required to carry the question.

A strong point in favor of the matter is the policy on the part of the school directors that home labor shall receive the preference in the work of construction. Owing to the present depression in business, it is thought that the building can be erected at present to much greater advantage to the people and benefit to the laborers. Expressions on the matter show a majority opinion in its favor.

C. L. Talcott said he would vote for the bonds: “A new school house is necessary and I want to see the improvement.” Robert Frost said he would vote against them: “I do not favor issuing any more bonds from this district until the question of the city bonds is disposed of. I am in favor of any kind of an improvement that is necessary for the public good, but I cannot see that a new school building is at present essential.” George A. Barnes, A. A. Phillips, John F. Gowey, Mayor O’Brien, L. Bettman, John Byrne, B. C. Armstrong, Captain McMicken, Mrs. A. A. H. Stewart, and Mrs. P. C. Hale also gave their views, most favoring the bonds.

Labor’s cause was well presented at Columbia Hall last evening, with but few vacant chairs. The meeting was called to order by George I. Smith; Dr. Newell was chosen chairman and Mr. Smith secretary. Professor Brintnall argued the necessity for a new school building, saying that the school enrollment was now over 900—500 in the Washington building, 300 in the Lincoln, and over 100 on the Westside. All the rooms in the Washington building are in use, and all but one in the Lincoln. In the former, recitations are heard in the basement, where ventilation is poor, and in a temporary room in the attic. He thought it almost impossible to put the Central building in shape for the high school grades without spending more money than it would justify. Prof. L. F. Henderson, principal of the high school, endorsed Superintendent Brintnall’s remarks and expressed a willingness to meet his share of taxes incurred by the expense.

Justice Rathbun said: “The city can well afford to pay a home contractor who will employ home labor a few thousands more than to a contractor who will bring his men here with him. It would be better to pay a home laborer $2 per day than a temporary one $1. On that platform I propose to stand if the bonds are voted. To spend $2,000 or $3,000 on the old Central building would be practically throwing the money away.”

Dr. Newell spoke to the point. He referred particularly to the importance of the workingman educating his children, alluded to the folly of attempting to repair the Central school building, and presented the necessity for giving home labor an opportunity. “Now is the time,” he said, “to erect a high school building, to give your hearty, hard-handed home labor a chance to work, when employment is scarce. I have not taken part in public affairs since I ceased to be governor. I have been remanded to the rear by the politicians, thank God! But I still take an interest in educational affairs, and I feel complimented by your call to preside at this meeting.”

Mr. Swan moved that a committee of five be appointed to wait on the school directors and demand a guarantee that home labor and home material be preferred in constructing the proposed building, as far as practicable. Cal McClellan insisted that the committee should be composed of laboring men. Dr. Newell named Mr. Swan as chairman. The other members were David Lincoln, plasterer; H. B. Smedley, carpenter; J. W. Robertson, carpenter; and Simeon Dock, brick mason.

The committee met this morning in the office of Justice Rathbun and reported that the school directors were unanimous in favoring the employment of local labor and procurement of local material for the high school building, in so far as those things were attainable or practicable, at the election to be held tomorrow.