Criticism Of Bond Opponents Debated

Charges by an informal Board of Education subcommittee that the Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber of Commerce were dishonest in their use of statistics and irresponsible in their negative responses to the Jan. 8 bonding proposal stirred a debate last night among varipus trustees. Trustee Joseph T. A. Lee, speaking for his subcommittee composed of Robert E. Doerr, Francés M. Felbeck and Harold J. Lockett, stated that certain "basic elementary errors (made by the organizations) are selfdeceptive and self-defeating in a community that prides itself on its school system." Lee's subcommittee urged that the two groups re-examine their figures and retract their charges. Both organizations have gone on record in opposition to the bonding issue. The subcommittee was referring to what it termed "inaccuracies" in the data used by the organizations when comparing average construction and per pupil costs throughout the state with the actual costs of Huron High School. Various tactics used by the groups exaggerated and misrepresented the costs of Huron High, according to the subcommittee. Various trustees rose to the defense of the two organizations. Trustee Paul H. Johnson said that he was "disappointed" to hear board members "impugning the decisions of tions that don't happen to agree I with us. We shouldn't question I the integrity" of the groups, he I concluded. Trustee William C. Godfrey I also commented Ihat he was I 'rather distressed by the Chamber of Commerce's opposition," and that they had made some "honest errors in a realm where there is almost infinite room" for mistakes, but that he understood some of the misgivings. Godfrey stated that he was sorry the Chamber does not now share his confidence in the building program, but that they are "honest men" and he would not make "disparaging remarks about their motives." School Board President Hazen J. Schumacher Jr. added his comments that he would not cali the organization "dishonest" or "irresponsible," but that he did question their procedures and conclusions. They (the Chamber of Commerce) did not follow "good procedures," he concluded, "For a group which is theoreücally responsible." After some discussion, Lee said that he and the subcommittee members would be most willing to delete any disparaging Iremarks about the organization, Isince their only purpose had Ibeen to correct certain wrong Ifigures and impressions. The Ifinal draft of the statement was modified.