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Nearly Everybody In Winnetka Reads The Talk WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1920 VOL. IX, NO. 7. Campaign at SIXTEEN PAGES PRICE FIVE CENTS to Voters (MAINTAINS BOARD FIGURES CORRECT President Bell of Board of Education Replies to statements of Winnet- ka Schcol Associa- SUM UP HORACE MANN SITE "ADVANTAGES" Winnetka School Association Sub- mits Final Argument To Prove Horace Mann Site the Most Economical tion S IN GP" CHARGES EXAGGARATION EMPHASIZE PLAYGROUND TicToc Map or The \ \ Declares Attempt To Enlarge Upon FRECIHCTS for EF FRINDUA Say Enlarged Site Provides "No Less Than Twice As Much One Unit Space" as Board Owns Summing up arguments in the Win- netka school site controversy the Winnetka School association has sub- mitted the following for considera- tion of readers of the Weekly Talk and voters at the Referendum on the school question Saturday. "The Horace Mann school site is centrally located. The central loca- tion eliminates the necessity of the forever after and large yearly main- tenance expense of a bus system. The Horace Mann site is a site on the hill as against a site in the swamp. "It would not require drainage which is a real problem and a tre- mendous expenditure chargeable against the West Elm street site. "The Horace Mann site does not require paving, sewers, water main, sidewalks, etc., which would be ne- cessary at the West Elm street site and result in a very heavy expense to the School Board and equally as much spread in the form of assess- ments to the people west of the tracks. "The Horace Mann site as enlarged would provide no less than twice as much one unit playground space for the six grades as now owned or con- templated by the board. It would be away from view and in close prox- imity to classrooms which is stated by the board to be so desirable. Separated Playgrounds "The upper grades (7th and 8th) would have a €eparate playground in excess of two acres (over 80,000 sq. fit.) in which a baseball diamond could be installed within the grounds or several soft ball diamonds which would offer energetic play for the older boys and girly. There are other variations in play which if the playgrounds were supervised could be used to accomodate several groups at the same time. To give the cor- rect impression of the size of this playground two hundred children playing at the same time would each have a twenty foot square. No playground submitted yet will ac- comodate games for all of the boys and girls at the same time nor is that necessary. "The Horace Mann site provides adequate space for seventh and eighth graes separate from the en- larged playground for lower grades. "The Horace Mann site as enlarg- ed would permit the use of the Kup- penheimer Memorial Hall for eight grades instead of just two as propos- ed by the Board in erecting the new school on the West Elm street site. Less Expensive "Erecting a two story building will be less expensive and the building more desirable than a one story building even without full basement as contemplated by the Board. "Why not take the first step, as stated by Mr. E. H. Bennett, archi- tect and builder engaged by the vil- lage Plan commission, and establish a civic center and beautify the center he village. ota Sond by Winnetka School Association." BISHOP C. P. ANDERSON AT CHRIST CHURCH TODAY Bishop Charles P. Anderson will be the principal figure Sunday morn- ing at the 11 o'clock services at Christ church, Sheridan road and Humboldt avenue, when he will oc- cupy the pulpit and officiate in the confirmation of a new class of com- municants. Bishop Anderson's appearance here Sunday marks his annual visit in the parish. NEW DETHLOFF STORE The John H. Dethloff clothing store for men at 788 Elm street, will be moved to a new location at 786 Elm street, the early part of the week. The present location will be occupied within a few weeks by a National Tea store. (ET Ale Office of WA: 1oés Gage Jr- \ \ | | tHidage i Precinct Limi 2) Prez eS \ PIE Jr <p oN JCHooL JTTE May | 1420 JHowinG THE 3 POLLING PLACES V5.7 577 W/ 9A JCHOOL DisTgrer+3¢ x Bm, Hegers Dank Did yu som Be oie of rs: ey PRECINCT No 3 Mandl, 2 : P-- rt tm \ 3 yoo PRECINCT N Letter For Three April 27, 1920 Mr. John S. Miller, Jr. President, Board of Trustees, Mr. Laird Bell, President, Board of Education, Mr. Philip S. Post, Chairman, Village Plan Commission, Winnetka, Illinois Gentlemen :-- In view of the fact that each of you had communications published in the Winnetka Weekly Talk under date of April 24th commenting upon an article under my name in the Weekly Talk under date of April | 17th, I will reply in one letter, which | I am sending to the Weekly Talk with the request that it be given the same publicity on the front page as was the article of Mr. Miller. Each of you gentlemen take excep- tion to my statement, as follows : "The Village Plan also contem- plates leaving the Horace Mann school at its present location." This is certainly the truth, and each of you gentlemen in your article ad- mit this fact, but seem to be afraid that "the casual reader" might infer that it had been approved as a site for the new centralized school. The language used was plain and unambiguous, and I believe would not any more mislead those who read it than it misled you gentlemen. Each of you also take exception to the statement: "This plan has been submitted with the idea that it was the first step towards the consumation of Winnetka Plan Commission's idea of beautifying the central portion of the village." Certainly the submission of a plan with the idea that it was the first step, cannot be "misinterpreted," and is not "misleading." Mr. Miller states | "as President of the Village Council, I feel it my duty to point out that I regard it as the Prerogative of the Council, second only to the Plan Commission itself to determine what is and what is not a development of the Village Plan." - If Mr. Miller is correct, and the people of the Village have infringed upon the "Prerogative of the Coun- cil," then, possibly, Winnetka School association was wrong in submitting the plan, but the association submit- ted it upon the theory that the people of the Village had a right to at least "submit" a plan. Even the original colonies had the right of petition. However, I disagree with Mr. Miller that it is the "prerogative of the (Continued on page eight.) When you go to the polls today to eXprgss your sentiment regarding the most logical and desirable site for Winnetka's new grade school BE SURE you go to the right balloting place and BE SURE you mark that ballot correctly. Precinct 1. All territory east of the tracks, within the south half of Woodland avenue to and including the north half of North avenue: west of the tracks from the south half of Woodland avenue, east from the east half of Lake street thence west to the village limits and south to the north half of Fig street. Precinct No. 2. All territory east of the tracks within the south half of North avenue to the north half of Elm street; west of the tracks, the south half of Fig street west to the village limits and south to and including the north half of Pine street and thence south to the north half of Elm street east from the east half of Lake street. Precinct No. 3. All territory east and west of the tracks within the south half of Elm street south of the north half of Willow street and west to the village limits. Precinct No. 4. All territory east and west of the tracks, within the south half of Willow St. south to the north half of Winnetka avenue and west to the village limits. The polling place in Precinct 1, of- fice of William Aitken, 1065 Gage street. Precinct 2, Room 7, Meyer's Bank building. Precinct 3, office of Bartz Express company, No. 2 Prouty Annex. Precinct 4, Indian Hill Inn. In marking your ballot it is im- perative that you mark FOR or AGAINST in the instance of each of the two propositions appearing on the ballot. You must mark for one and against the other proposi- tion. CALL THE "TALK" FOR ELECTION RETURNS Publication of the Winnetka Weekly Talk was advanced one day this week for the accom- modation of citizens who desir- ed to express opinions on the current school site question voted upon at the Referendum today. Provision has been made for the receipt of the complete vote on the school site question Saturday evening. If you are interested in the outcome of the balloting call the Winnetka Weekly Talk offices after 6:30 o'clock, Saturday evening. The phone is WINNETKA 388. Statement By Laird Bell It is unfortunate that a question so vitally concerning our children as the new school site has descended to the level of a village squabble. If there is any topic which should have the thoughtful, honest consideration of Winnetka, it is the question of its schools. It is also unfortunate that the plan for one of the sites was, perhaps ne- cessarily, made up in the heat of what has been from the start a rather bitter opposition. If the two plans had been before the village an equally long time, we believe there would have been less hue and cry. The fact is that the School Board itself started with plans for the Horace Mann site, and after extended consultation with competent advisers abandoned the plan in favor of the greater possibilities, present and future, of the Elm street site. The opposition first objected to the centralized upper grade school, and then accepted it, as the School Board had done. They next objected to play grounds; and then accepted them, as the School Board had done. They next objected to the site; and we believe that if they had given equally calm and thorough study to the site they would have accepted the Elm street site, as the School Board had done. From brushing away of the mass of figures and charges and conten- tions, these primary facts stand out at indisputable. The Elm street site is in the open country, free from the distraction of stores and the dangers of automobile traffic in the crowded center of town. The Elm street site permits our building and facilities to grow as Winnetka grows, for an indefinite time. The Elm street site will give our children as good facilities and sur- roundings as they could hope from the best private schools. This plan represents the fruition of ten years of steady evolution of our schools. We believe that, hav- ing supported a forward-looking school policy for all this time, Win- netka will not now turn back. $5 AND COSTS Mrs. E. O. Hirsch of Wilmette was fined $5 and costs in Justice Nelson's court this week on a charge of speed- ing. She was arrested by motor- cyclist Hanzelman of the local police department. i Bell replied: Board Figures a Deliberate At- tempt to mislead Characteristic of the school fight has been the fact that, as fast as one series of objectinns to the West Elm street site has v=: u.. ented to the village and answered by the Board of Education, a new line of attack has been chosen. Probably never before in Winnetka's history has such a flood of detailed argument appeared in the issues of the Weekly Talk ,in circular letters and by word of mouth can- vass. It may be said without fear of con. tradiction that the average voter has become somewhat confused, being unable to follow with clearness many of the minute and technical points raised in the controversy. A rep- resentative of the Weekly Talk, seek- ing an official statement concerning the Board of Education's final atti. tude in the matter of the school site issue, this week interviewed presi- dent Laird Bell. This statement ap- pears in an adjeining column of the Weekly Talk. Scores Opposition Methods When attention was called to the latest circular of the Winnetka School association, Mr. Bell said : "It is to be expected that up to the very last minute the opposition will seek to find some flaw in the Board of Education plan. The plan has been before the village for months and there has been ample opportunity for 2! reasonable questions to be presented. It is safe to say that any new material which may be sprung at the last moment, too late for the Board to answer, must be subjected to very careful scrutiny. Points out Economy When asked about the expense which the opposition claim is neces- sary to put the West Elm street site in shape for school purposes, Mr. "Our figures have been stated time and time again. The only assessment projected against the Elm street site aggregate $1,300, five hun- dred dollars for surfacing Elm street and $800 for sewers. It is not to be expected that the village will impose any unnecessary assessments on the School Board property and it is diffi- cult to see why any other consider- able improvements should be needed for many years. Any attempt to en- large these figures smacks of & deliberate attempt to mislead the voters. The land can be drained and diked against flooding for $2,500. These are Windes and Marsh figures, and they have specialized in Skokie work for a quarter of a century. The village will do enough filling to raise all or a portion of the low part above flood level free of charge. Asked about the figures for busses which the Winnetka School associa- tion supporters present, Mr. Bell said: "This is a simple unwillingness to face the facts. The School Board has reports from over 200 school busses in daily use and has based its figures on experiences of operation for from two to ten years. School busses cost $1,565 a piece and total cost of operation of three busses will not exceed $2200 per year. Busses of course are as necessary for one site as for the other. To insist upon the most luxurious and expensive busses made, as the opposition ap- pears to do, would add an extra $20,- 000 to its plan at the outset on top of the $65,000 to $75,000 which the extra land will cost if it can be secured." Sees Inconsistency "That, by the way, Mr. Bell con- tinued, "suggests one of the glaring inconsistencies of the Winnetka School association. They insist that work can be begun on Horace Mann site as soon as on the West Elm street site. But we have not yet re- ceived any assurance that the land can be acquired. The Board has been advised that all the options have not yet been secured." et coe el LICENSE CANVASS Patrolman Grocer Hendricks of the village police department is engaged in a house to house canvass of the village checking up dog, vehicle and horse licenses.