From The People

Dkthoít, Niiv. 25th, 1SS7. Editor Ann Akiiur Coukikh: - Ilaving iCHil a long artiele in the Register in regard lo the plans for the proposed high school building, I desire to cali attention of thosc who are Interwted Ui the subject to a few f:icts wliiili bflve heen overlookcd In ihis statement. On Bept. Wth, 1888, il meinber of jour "board of educatlon" adürcssed a letter to E. E. Myers & Son, architect! In ihli city, advUIng them t hat the board would Uit pleased to receive "prelltnlitary plans" for the proposed school building. The wilter proceeded at ouce to jour city, looked over the ground and conferred with several membera of the board, and waB referred to Mr. Ilarriïuan, chairman, upou whom he called and with whoin he li:id a conference. Mr. Harrtman informed bina tlmt the board had not yet determined hat they would do, and as.-iired him that wben a decisión should be reached, he would nform Meísrs Meyero& Son, deslring tbaí they ibould submit plans. Several mouths later the writer whs again in Anu Arbor and eonferred with niembers of the board and at this time Mr. llariiiii in again repeated hil assurance ibovc atated. LaU spring I learned i my rarprise, tlml a number of architecti had been invitcd tosubiTiit plans for the building, and that the board would reootve u.n.1 ... % .ip ... Umi., Uic f'. - win L day; tbough Messis Meyers & Son had received do notlce. I telephoued at once to friends and members of the schoc 1 board who assured me tlmt they would eodeHTOI to secure "fair play" in the matter; and through their etlorts two or three tlays' time was allowed na to prepare plans. At cach visit to your city I Informed the chairman of the board that should Mettr. Myers' ]lans bc adopted, they would enter intoa contract and furnish such bond as should l.c desired, guaranteelnji that the building desisrned by them should be perfect and tailtfactoiy in every particular, and should be built and completed without exceedlog the limit of cost prescribed by the board. A memoer had informeel me that in the erection of the Tappaa school building, the cost of the building greatly exceeded the architect's e?timate, and that the board was thereby embarasscd, and consequently dellrèd to avoid a repetitionof fuch experience. Messrs. Meyers it Son prpared sketches in the short time alloted to them, wluch the writer took to Ann Arbor and nresented at a special meeting of the board. The plans were well received and every requirementof the board was provided lor, and any security was ofiered which the board should demand, that the building should be lirst class and satisfactory in every respect and completed without exeeeding the board's limit of $24,000. Prof. l'erry urged two objections which he suggested were very serious in the Myers' plans - lirst, in the largc assembly roum the spcMker's rostrum was locatcd at the side of the hall- the nearest point to all the audieuce ; whcreas the architect he favored bod provided the rostrum at the end of a very long hall. Ilis other objection was that hard wood floors had been provided for, which he BHDred the bcard would be very objectionable, because persons walking over them would of hccessity créate mure noise than by walkimj on a pinefloor. 1 a ni iuformed that at the tirst ballot the plans submitted by E. E. Myers & Son and Donaldson & Meier each received the same number of votes, and that two votes which were given for a third set of plans, were subsequently cast lor the D. ét plans, living them a majority of ene vote, and that the award was conditioned upon thcir (illng tecurity like to that which was oll'ered by E. E. yiyers iV; Sou. If these are the facts (and my Informant are rel ia ble pecaoaaj I thinít your citizens wil] decide that there are two lldei to this iinc-tion. Yours truly,