The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-26


The SUPPLEMENTARY OF Schools
THE term of Mr.. Henry Snyder as
superintendent of Schools for this city
will expire in December Of tins year
Presumably he will be reelected oy tue
unanimous vote Of the Board of Edu-
cation. HE certainly should be if zeal ana
eficiency are worthy of reward ana en-
enlargement, Mr.. Snyder has now been
SUPERINTENDENT about two terms, and the
sarvices which he has done the city are
almost in~ca1culabIe- Under his able anu
progressive guidance. the course OF m
struction has been systematized ana
rnodernized. so that it is now on a plane
with those of other large cities Methoos
have been improved, teachers nave peen
stimulated to more advanced effort-in a
word. the schools have been elevated from
semi-rural conditions to a irst-class CITY
grade.
Another notable service which MI
SNYDER has done has consisted in ms
supervision over the planning and erection
If new schools. 1t is hardly an e~xaggera-
4,on 10 saw that his hand is almost as
much in evidence in each of our spiendio
new structures as that of the architect.
Mr.. Snyder has made a study OF puoilc
school building problems. He is an ex-
pert on all the modern features OF ligne'
heat. ventilation and safety He mas
given deep study to the plans and speci-
faeations of every school erected during
his term as Superintendent, and he has
watched their erection almost as closely
as the inspectors.
As we have remarked, there can be no
doubt as to Mr.. Snyder's reelection II
is not to be expected that any other name
will he mentioned. save his. But, in con-
nection with the beginning of his new
term, another matter ought to be attended
TO IN Justice both to him and to the city.
The salary of the Superintendent of
Schools in this city is, at present, absurdly
Inadequate. This is true without the least
regard to Mr.. Snyder's personality. The
once as an Office is absurdly underpaid-
Jersey City allows only $500, less than
the salary of a New York grammar
school principal, to the head of its entire
educational city, having supervision over
nearly thirty schools. and more than
twenty thousand children. The position
in Jersey City is. besides, a specially
laborious one. The Superintendent does
not SIT in mis- ONCE and receive reports.
lie has no assistant and no inspectors or
examiners under him, as is the case in
other cities. In fact he has to combine
the duties Of Superintendent and Inspec-
tor. He has to do the entire executive
work of the system from headquarters in
the City Hall, and, besides. he has to
travel from school to school. examining,
Judging. stimulating. endeavoring by his
personal influence to keep his subordinates
always at high wafer mark.
An act Of the Legislature, passed This
year, opens the door for the increase Of
the superintendent's salary to $500. It
Is to be hoped thai the Board of Educa-
ton will take advantage of this act. and
make the increase to take effect with the
beginning Of the new term, which is APP
prcximately coincident with the new fiscal
year. If this is to be done, provision
should be made at this time for the in
crease. The Board of Finance is now
framing the city budget, and 1t should
this purpose.
The increase should be made in the
first place as a record of Mr.. Snyder's
remarkable professional ability, as a re-
ward for his work in the past and in an
ticipation of what may be expected in the
future. But 1t should also be made in
the interests OF the city. It is simply
fatuous for us to pay less than other
cities are paying for special talent and
skill. We have had some bitter lessons
in this in our school service. We have
seen one after another Of our most eff
Gent people-as. for Instance, Principal
Haskell of the High school-taken from
us. and 1t is nearly time that we took
warning and protected ourselves. We
have no idea that Mr.. Snyder himself
c~ontemplates any change. or that there is
any instant danger of his leaving us. But,
on general principles, 1t is plain there is
always danger Of any efficient man, Of
steadily growing professional reputation,
being approached from outside and won