Nisqually Valley News Thursday, June 26, 1941
Tuesday evening following the big fire which completely destroyed the Yelm High School member of the board of directors of School District. No. 204 met with School Superintendent O. L. Montgomery and County Superintendent Marvin Stevens to discuss plans for a new school building. With present costs of material and labor, it’s estimated that a now building with sufficient capacity to care for the present school population plus any increase would cost between $65,000 and $90,000. It will be almost impossible for the people of the Yelm School District to arrange for any expenditure as large as this so an effort will be made to receive state and federal help with the possibility of beign able to complete the most of this project this year.
Superintendent O. L. Montgomery made a trip to the new Clover Park School to see the type of structure and equipment that is being used and will go to Toledo within a few days to look over the new school plant there. Those two schools are reported to be among the best and most modern of the new high schools in the nearby territory.
Mr. Montgomery and County Superintendent Marvin Stevens made a trip to call on the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mrs. Pearl Wanamaker, in Olympia Wednesday and made application for help on the new building. This request will have to be acted upon by the State Board of Education and later by Governor Arthur B. Langlie, but every effort will be made to rush things along as fast as possible in order to have school in the new school by early autumn.
Notices for an election to be held on Saturday, July 12th, were authorized by the school board to vote on the question of building a new building and also for the authorization for the levy of 15 mills to provide finances to build with. This levy, together with insurance money and stat and federal aid will provide money for the new building.
It is also possible that an Olympian architect will be chosen to plan the new building so that he will be close to the state and federal authorities in making plans for the building.
In holding the election for this vitally necessary project, it must be carried by a majority of 60% and must have 10% of the voters who voted for governor in the last general election. This means that 40% must vote and 60% of those voting must vote favorably.
The local post of the American Legion Joseph Redberg Post through the new commander Dan Carew is so interested in getting plans carried out and a successful election that both posters and handbills will be made and handed out so as to have a large and favorable vote for this project on July 12th.