The Spokane Press

OLD RUINS WILL NOT BE USED

Entire New Set of Plans Will be Drawn.

Spokane's new South Central high school will not be rebuilt from the ruins of the old school building. This has been decided by the school board, as a result of the protests of leading citizens and the public generally, which objected to the erection of the new building under plans drawn by Architect L. L. Rand, these plans involving utilization of part of the walls of the old school building.

The board at a meeting this morning rejected all bids for construction of the South Central school according to the old plans, and ordered Mr. Rand to draw an entire new set of plans, providing for construction of an entirely new building.

It had been figured by the board that the city would effect an economy by utilizing a portion of the walls of the old school structure, but in order to do this it would be necessary to have some of the rooms of the new building not well ventilated and only partially lighted.

It was to this feature and in fear of the stability of the old walls that protest was entered.

Little attention was paid to the protest, however, until after bids for construction were opened, when it was found that while the board had figured that not more than $300,000 would be required for construction of the building over the ruins of the demolished structure, the lowest bid entered was $388,000, or nearly $100,000 more than had been expected.