The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-29
JERSEYS SCHOOL LAWS
State Superintendent Poland
Speaks in High Approval Of
Them in His Report.
Specialize the Jersey caty News.

TRENTON, Oct. 20. 1s9a.--Dr. A.
B. Poland. Superintendent of Pub
tic Schools. in the annual reporr Of
the State Board Of Education just is-
sued. has the following to say in regard
to the effect of the school laws passed
by the Legislature of 1884,
1T may safely be said nal no Legis-
lature for a quarter of a century has
considered more carefully all matters af-
fecting the educational interests II the
State. And no Legislature fol- q 1aalter
OF a century has done more to uplift
the schools of the State and plate them
upon a basis OF permanent growth and
efficiency "
The Superintendent then takes up and
discussesat length the Township act.
he says
Foremost among the many measures
intended 20 improve tile condition of the
schools was the Township act.
That abolishes all the existing school
districts of the STATE except those of
cities and %borou.shs. and provides that
township b~oroushs should hereafter be
the dividing line between contiguous
school districts.
II doubt whether any legislative enact
ment during the last two decades, what
wv AK RAbJCSt AtAdlCi III ltS afOWCo VIZ
ject. will be more -far-reaching and pro-
ductive of good than his radical re-
organized of the State school system up
on the township basis.'
ADVANTAGES Of THE NEW LAW.
The Superintendent of New Jerseys
public school system then discusses the
advantages of the new law. and con-
cludes:-
by the enlargement of the school
districts the cost of maintaining good
schools is considerably less to each tax
payer; the bringing of a larger number
of schools under one jurisdiction make
possible effective grading and supervi-
sion; the burden Of maintaining good
schools is equalized by bringing together
rural and village communities, and the
act affords free and equal school privi-
leges to all resident children of a town
ship, and by making the school trustee
a township officer it creates governing
school boards, who should take a broader
and more enlightened view of the pur-
pose, scope and results of public educa-
ton"
BY an elaborate tabulated statement
Mr.. Poland shows that just prior to the
enactment of the township law there
were seven school districts in New Jer-
sey having less han ten resident school
children of school age, and he averages
the enrolment in each Of these seven
districts at not more thai five children.
Upon the actual enrolment he then shows
that 1t cost the State under the old law
$40 per annum, Sb4 per child, for the
education of these children In the seven
districts.
AVERAGE COST OF EACH CHILD.
Under the new law the average cost for
90 h I fnr fhn Sf0fA OF a ~orn I e aIn God
by the Superintendent at s1S.12. There
were also seven districts having between
ten n fifteen children of school age
under the old law, and seventeen dis
tricts having between fifteen and twenty,
while twenty-eight districts had between
twenty and twenty-five children. In all
there were 278 districts each having less
than forty-fve children Of school age.
TIL article on the township law ends:-
II desire, therefore, to repeat that all
who contributed to- the reorganization of
~abundantly satisfied with their labors.
The passage of the Olcott Township
School bill of 1894 will stand for years
to come as one Of the epochs in school
For several years the reports of the State
school authorities ave called attention
towns of South Jersey it was a hardship
for the school children to purchase the
numerous books required by the local
free text BOOK law in his report, Super
%intendent Poland says
Next in Importance to the Township
the same Legislature, but as a separate
Measure from thu Township act" Here
after no child will be cut off from the
advantages of an education because of
it's cost. This is consistent: it is Just; it
is right. By no process of correct rea-
soning can taxation by the State for
will not also justify the supplying of
textbooks and supplies at h. ic cost"