The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-10-08
DuARp OF EDUCATION.
[orr1cIAL ]

Present at roll call-PreSluent Voor-
hees, and Messrs. Kelly. Moran, GARRISON.
Plngsten, Reid and Muldoon.
On motion of Mr.. Moran, the reading
OF the minutes of The last regular meeting
was dispensed with and they We're APP
proved as printed in manual form.
PRESENTATION OF COMMUNICATIONS.
From Miss LIZZIE l. Girls void, resigning
her position us teacher in School No. 4. to
take effect September 10, 1891. Accepted.
From Mss Adele Weber. resigning her
position $ teicher i'll School, No. ~,
to take effect November l, 1901 Accepted.
From New Jersey School and Church
Furniture Company submitting II stud
ents' chain for the inspection of tne
Board.
To the Board of Education;-
GENTLEMEN: Some of you are
aware That l have for a
long time commended for a more practical
education in our public scnools-an edu-
cation that woull Enable the scholars to
work tleir own way IN the world, If need
be, when they leave school, that would
make them more useful members OF the
community, more independent and self
reliant in their Immediate surroundings.
and so cause them TO become more valu-
able citizens OF the State. That Is the
purpose for which money is raised to sup
port the public schools. Next TO personal
independence the glory OF tue several
States thatcompose this great Republic is
in their public school system. But we
must not lull ourselves to sleep in
Jersey City with the popular idea
that our own system Is perfect. 1t must
be remembered that this is Il world of
progress, aud that whatever does not
progress will fall behind. While we
have been struggling with the problem
Of how to provide for the absolute needs
of city government, we have not Kept
in toucn with the puulic school systems
OF other cities. We have been co intent TO
provide as well as we could for the Old
method and nave allowed other cities to
move on far beyond US IN their reach for
u more practical education. They teach
their girls to DO certain useIul tnlnxs.
They teach their boys the uss of the saw
and hammer, the cn!Sel and plane, the
square aud compass, the plumb line and
level, and thus they teach the application
of mathematics to che uSelul arts. The
girl can do something, and the boy can
make use Of his hands Ia a way TO
aid him in any position in life, whether
in learning a trade. following a profess
sion, or pursuing Il calling or business
after leaving school.
We are far behind in these respects.
Next to the proper Il correct use OF the
English language. we should teach all
scholars something of the use of their
own hands. 1t teaches them exactness,
absolute obedience TO fixed laws, the
power to think and act Tor themselves,
and gives them Il sort OF personal indie
pendence they can never acquire in any
other way. We a taken the first es-
sential step by teaching the use of pencil
and paper. If we did our whole duty we
should next teach every girl the princi-
ples that underlie good sewing, cooking,
starching and ironing; and we should
teach every boy the common and. ordin-
airy use of tools.
But as we, in common with all human :
- F.l1 -l.re .f n1r rnhnlaM dHtu ~
might at least teach the boys the simplest
things in woodwork. l would give a boy
pencil and paper with which to make his
w drawing, a work bench, tools aud
lumber with which to construct the arti-
Gle he has sketched. and | would give
him the article when finished to carry
home. This would compel him to make
his own measurements and calculations,
make him ambitious to do good work.
and give his mind q manly self re-
lance. The boy taught to do that Is
ennobled and lifted up in his W
estimation, and you would never mud
him standing aimlessly on the street cor
ners, a loafer and a nuisance, almost next
door to a criminal, he would have re-
spect for his own powers and feel that he
had within himself some foundation OF
value in the world. Iu the new school
buildings Nos. % and 2ia start could pc
made towards this practical industrial ed
n~cation. by giving classes an hour a day
of this useful training. The experiment
would cost but little. If your Board will
move promptly in the matter the Board
of Street and Water Commissions
ers can furnish benches and tools
for one or two rooms in each
building for about the same money
that seats and desks would cost. Our
able superintendent, who brings this sub
ject to my notice. says that the State fur
nisnes one-haif Of the outlay for such a
purpose in every city, and, as the actual
initial outlay in this case would be only
the cost OF two Instructors, the city would
in fact nave to pay for only one of them.
I am aware that there is no fund under
your control, applicable to this purpose,
but it is almost certain that the Board OF
Finance would be glad to make available.
out of its contingent fund In December,
the small amount needed for the first
year. Even Hoboken has established its
Industrial department., and 1t seems to
me time hat we made a beginning.
Very respectfully,
OREsTEs CLEVELAND.
MAYORS Office, Jersey City, September
On motion of Mr.. Pfngsren, the
| above communication was received and or
dered spread in full upon the minutes
and a committee of three, comprised of
Messrs. Ptingsten, Moran n Kelly, ap-
pointed to take suitable action. The
Superintendent reported. the schools in
excellent running order and all we'll
filled. Mr.. Phngsten advised the Board
of the wish of the Board of Finance to
meet our Board ut the City. Hall on Sep
tembeI 20, 1891, at eight p. M.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Finance by MIR. Moran.
Resolved, That the City Clerk be re-
ouested to draw and His Honor the
Mayor to sign warrants to pay officers.
teachers and janitors In the employ of
this Board for the Month of September,
1891, when due ON pay rolls duly certified
ny the City superintendent of Public
Schools.
The yeas and nays having been ordered
and taken on the call of the chairman,
the above resolution was adopted by the
following vote
Yeas-All the members of the Board.
Nays-None.
Absent-None.
Teachers salaries. &C., by Mr.. Garri-
son.
Resolved, That Miss May L.. Sheridan,
E.. Marguerite Toohev. Nellie B~uchanan.
hannah Creasey. Carrie Barro VS., Mary
+. Brady and Emma Campbell. be
they are hereby appointed teachers.
A seperate vot being ordered aud taken
each of the above received the votes OF the
entire Board, seven III number. !.
Resolved, That Mary e. Garry be and
she is hereby transferred from school
No. 3 to School No. 4.
Adopted.