This Day in History: 1939-12-28

The report of the special committee to propose plans for a new school and community auditorium, was presented to a special School Board meeting, attended by the officers of most of the Townships major organizations. Mr. Savino of the W.P.A. who was asked to attend by Mrs. MacArthur and invited formally by Representative J. Parnell Thomas of Allendale spoke of the steps in applying for W.P.A. assistance on such a project. He said that W.P.A funds had been exhausted, so the agency was accepting no new applications. Albert Winter and others said that the Township’s experience with the W.P.A. had not been good. He suggested that the only way to be able to tell, that the cost of the project would be, was for the School Board to put out their own bids. The sense of the meeting was, that the Board undertake to build an auditorium/ Gymnasium with a flat floor and a stage no more than $75.000.00, less if possible. The basement was to have rooms, which could be used for training and domestic science classes. The new facility would be used for sports contests, commencement exercises and school assemblies and be available for community use. The committee was to reduce the plan to paper and report back to the near future. (Bristow)