Ilion High School - Class of 1964

Herkimer Evening Telegram - September 28, 1963

Ilion Vote On School Site Slated On Monday

Article 9

Ilion Vote On School Site Slated On Monday

ILION - Ilion residents will have an opportunity Monday to again cast their votes for or against a Board of Education proposal the school district purchase for $40,000 a 20-acre tract of land owned by Mrs. Frannie DeJohn, off Barringer Rd.

Voting at the Municipal Building will be from noon to 8 p.m. Four machines will be provided to facilitate voting.

If purchase is approved, the board plans to erect a new elementary school on toe site to provide classroom facilities made necessary when fire destroyed the senior high school in April, forcing use of the Weber Ave Elementary School for senior high school purposes, and transfer of many students to the West Frankfort School, use of which was loaned in the emergency.

School Board members, and those who support the DeJohn site purchase which has been endorsed by the State Dept. of Education, claim the emergency caused by the fire and the steadily increasing pupil numbers can best be met by the proposed new elementary school.

Those opposed, two public hearings held this week indicate, regard $40,000 too high a price to pay for the DeJohn tract. Some urge construction of a second story on the present Weber Ave. school to provide space which all agree is needed.

Monday's vote on the DeJohn property will be the second held. On July 9 the same proposal was defeated 470-374. Only one voting machine was used at that time, voting hours were limited, and many taxpayers later claimed they could not spend the time to wart in line to vote.

Petitions filed with the Board of Education requested a second vote. After conferring in Albany with state officials, toe board set the second vote for Monday.