The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-13

G0fVt~rofV u
The cities raise money by bonds, some of
which may be used for school purposes,
but / cannot ascertain what part of their
blondes debt, If any, WAS created in 1890 for
school purposes. These bonds do not, as a
rule, show on their face for what the
money was needed.
The salaries and expenses of the county
superintendent are paid by the respective
counties from the Gun funds, and do not
come out Of school appropriations.
No payments were made during the year
for scholarships in the State Agricultural
college.
The school census of 1880 shows the num-
Der of children in the state between the
ages of 5 and is years to be 409, 1872, an in
crease of 10, 40 over the previous year. OF
this number there were enrolled in the
public schools 234 ,012, being an increase of
1851 over the previous year. The number
of children attending private schools, as
near as can be ascertained, was AZ ,269, an
increase of 1,504 over the previous year.
The number Of children that do not at
tend any school is estimated at over 10000.
The schools will accommodate 223,o04
children. but the average attendance is
only 1922 5 This is a increased accom-
mediation for 1884 pupils, and a decreased
average attendance of 1886 children.
The following are some of the principal
expenditures during the school year ending
Aug. 81, 1890:
IeNLN%A
Fuel HISS SO
Building, repairing and furnishing
school houses. 5ss,oSs 70
Janitor's salaries, books, stationery,
taking school census and expenses. s41, SIS 20
Value of School Property.
The total value Of ordinary school
property. ......... S6,629, 43 %
The estimated value of state normal
and model schools. boarding houses
and furniture. Dncu W
Estimated value Of Deaf Mute school
and furniture. lVu,oVV W
There are AGA teachers in the public
schools, of whom So are males, receiving
| 3,642 are females, receiving an average sal
airy of s43.S2 per month.
There is great dissatisfaction in some
portions of the state in reference TO the
basis upon which the state school tax Is
raised and distributed among the counties.
The present basis is the school census,
! which, Il Is alleged, is unreliable. 1t has
been suggested that d fairer basis of rails
ing this tax and distributing the 10 per
cent. thereof among the counties would be
pom the average school attendance IN eacn
county instead Of the basis OF the school
census, so that regard might be had TO the
number of children educated In each coun-
ty. and not to the number of children
claimed to live there. The result would be
to radically change the amount returned
10 the COUNTIES D9 Tic riAtc- Auc CuahzC
would probably benefit the rural counties
atthe expense Of those having large cities.
unless the cities increased their school ac-
commodation.
The truant act should be amended so as
to provide for the payment of truant OIL
GERS in rrral districts. In cities the police
boards Fan detail officers to execute the
law, but in the country districts truant
officers should be appointed and paid
under some provision of law.
The law should be amended so as to in
/ crease the length of time which school
bonds should run when issuediby cities. In
the rural districts there is no limit; in the
cities the limit is ten years This limita-
ton should be removed, so that school
bonds in cities could be issued to run for
twenty or thirty years Il desired. l also
recommend that the interest on school
bonds be reduced to 4 per cent.
The trustees of the school fund always
the different school districts in
the state to apply to them to borrow money
on district school bonds. The policy Is al
ways (f necessary TO change Investments
from other securities into district school
bonds, so that cities, towns and other
school districts will be encouraged to build
new school houses wherever needed.
There are certain changes which l deem
wise, and / recommend TO the legislature
for consideration.