The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-16
JERSEY CIrY,s SCHOOLS.
How the Money to Pay for Heating them was
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Asked.


When the announcement was made that
the Jersey City public schools would have to be-
closed for want Of fuel. there WIS u disposition
at first to blame tho Board Of Finance for Mig
gardlincss in its appropriations. Temporary
provision has been made to keep the schools
going Az under the city charter 1t is an indict-
ahlo offence for any OF tho city boards to make
expenditures in excess of the appropriations
made by tho Board of Finance. the question was
difficult one 10 meet. But II was solved by n
private undcrstan ding with Jabez Wakoman. n
contractor who furnished n large quantity OF
the coal used in the schools Last winter. and who
has gone through the form OF asking and re-
cciving permission to store coal in the school
vaults. from which tho necessary supplies are
drawn. Tho new fiscal year begins on the ist
OF December when of course. MIR Nnkeman's
bills can be provided for.
IL is this awkward adjustment Of the fiscal
year To which the financial difficulty is chiefly
attributable. Tho local boards are elected in
the spring and take Office in May. Their com
before them with such balances Of the appropri-
ations as thsir predecessors may have left them.
SO y was that when the present Board Of Edu-
Heating aud Ventilation found that Of the ap-
preparation OF 5000 made for those purposes
by the Board OF Finance in December. 1877. for
the year ending Dec. I. 1873, their predecessors
had spent In the first 1--WE months 81 .Sii a. lenv
ing tl56.T3 to heat and ventilaie the schools Tor
VIC oNfNh
amount Of t56.69 came In afterward. so that the
amount Of their credit was reduced to t99.04.
The appropriation made by the Board OF FL
nance for heating and ventilation of the public
schools for the fiscal year ending December /.
1877 was 81 1000; When the Board OF ,Ednca-
tlon elected in the spring OF 1877 took oiice.
there remained unexpended OF that appropria-
tion IS 22a.Sl. with n few unpaid bills yet to
come in. The Board of Finance. in the follow
ing December, in view Of the plight Of the city
finances. cut t3. 900 off OF the estimate for this
purpose for the ensuing year. leaving II $1,000
ngN n
An investigation Of the minutes Of last years
| Board dscloses the fact that the balance left
| over by their predecessors carried them hand
| somely through the year to December last. when
| the new appropriation OF $4,000 became avail
aPv % a, odn sn9 SoI i've coa ana vond he psmn
ing $500 WAS chiefly and nearly. evenly di-
| vided between hardware and plumbing. The
Board in 1877 consisted Of Director Parker Of
| the First District. Chairman. and Directors
| O'Sullivan Of the Second District and Pympton
| of the third. AS usual in such boards. the
| Chairman OF the Committee did the chief part
| Of its business. The Board was equally divided
| between the Republicans and Democrats, hut on
| this Committee only one OF the three. O'Sulli-
| van wus u Democrat
| some chandeliers and other lighting apparatus
| Tor the public schools. OF an expense of several
hundred dollars Some members Of the Board
| demurred but they were silenced by the aver
| ment that the principals OF the schools had said
| they were necessary. law was passed sew
| erAl years ago. when the necessity FOR economy
became evident. forbidding the use oi gasght
in any Of the public schools except No. s. 1t
| is suggested that II would be to the interest Of
| Jersey City TO so amend her charter as either to
make the terms OF her local boards cosqual
with her fiscal year or TO divide the years APP
| propriations into two parts. and conilne each
OF the boards that are 10 spend II to its own
| appropriation.
AZ the meeting Of the Board of Finance on
| Thursday night Mr.. Drohan offered the follow
| ing.
Wh,r~ In the printed minutes OF the Board OF Educa.
Of tile meeting OF Aprl ~, page %. Of isI1e, tho
Committee on Audit reported balance m the hands Of
the Treasurer Ol the Board ifon the year 1877 Of
| f2.f75. 10. and -
Hh,ren The present Treasurer did. Oct II. 1878,
pay the Treasurer out oi said amount o 81 40 10
The whole Of which amount should have been returned
to the city treasury only the sum Of o. s2s ihsretors
communicate with the Board oi Directors y Education.
asking them inform this Board what has been done
will the balance II said g. 47b TO- and why the whole
amount not paf into the city treasury. And also
how large amount should he n the hands OF h ir
Treasurer in year when the law he shall only
draw such amount will pay tie salaries Tor each
month
Mr.. Smith. in seconding the motion. made the
audience laugh 10y remarking that he knew the
answer would be that the money had been
spent in the purchase OF chandeliers for the
public schools.