The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-27
OUR SCHOOLS.
President Mulvaney Tells
How Educational Pro-
gress Is Delayed by
Want Of Funds.
THE HIGH SCHOOL QUESTION
Wonderful Success of the City
Kindergartens = Play
grounds and Parks.
THE HIGH SCHOOL QUESTION
Wonderful Success of the City


sented to the Board last night and it took
precisely fifty minutes for Clerk Wiseman
to read it. Throughout the long review
of work done by the Board during the
past school year contained here and there
filings at the Board of Finance, which
body, according to the report INDUCED in
hair splitting, defining the distinction
Z" 'twixt tweededom and tweedledee," "
and being possessed of ears through
which they heard not, and generally fail
ing to give the Board of Education what
ever monies they chose to ask.
The sentiments contained in the report
evidently were in harmony with the ma
jority of the Board of Education, for they
applauded them vigorously. In part the
report was as follows:-
To the Members of the Board of Educa-
ton
Gentlemen-In accordance with a Gus
tom. established in 1888, have the hon
or to submit a report of the operations
of the Board during the past year, and
suggestions on such subjects as seem to
me important, for the coming year.
One constant hamper on The efforts OF
this department, year after year, mas
been the nsufficiency of appropriations
granted TO US by Boards of Finance. we
do not receive enough money 10 remain
as we are, to say nothing OF progress,
books. stationery, janitors' sppplies, fuel
insurance, repairs, all are kept far below
what strict economy calls for, with the
result that children must buy some OF
their own supplies, and janitors out OF
their meagre salaries are compelled at
times to buy cleaning materials Wmcn
the city should, but does not furnish
This condition of affairs seems TO arise
from mistaken notion, which possesses
the minds of the members OF the Board OF
Finance and other officials, that the
Board of Education, being department
of the city government, IS no more I'M
portant than any other department., ana
that its requests for funds should pc
treated in the same manner as a request
from any other department. rms norlo1
is not concealed. but frankly. avowed.
Not long ago high official of the city
said in his opinion the schools We're get
ting too high toned, and should be treat
ed the same as any other department.
Every year complaint is made or the
small sums set apart for the purehase- OIL
books and stationery for the children:
Every year the complaint falls on deaf
ears 'sThey have ears, but hear not .
Every argument has been presented
which could possibly be effective, but to
no purpose The needs of the schools. the
injustice to the pupils, the hardshlps OF
teachers. the plain command of me "a W
all are disregarded or are placed in the
shadow of financial impossibility.
During the summer just passed, exten-
sive repairs were made to all the oluer
schools. But here again difflcuity was
met in securing proper appropriations be-
cause (as alleged) of the citys hnanclal
condition. After competitive estimates
were procured by the members OF this
Board, we requested an appropriation or
$4,000 The power of the Board OF FL
nance to legally make appropriations Tor
some of these repairs was questioned,
and at their request our Finance Commit
tee separated the items asked for into
two classes, those falling properly with
in the term emergency repairs anu
those denominated "ordinary. :.
Tsha estimated cost of the "ordnary''
repairs amounted to about $4,000, and this
sum we asked the Board of Finance to
include in the appropriations made ma TO Us Us
for use during the fiscal year 1S99ol9oO. .OI
this sum they gave US only $4,000. For
the emergency repairs, costing s54,Ooo,
we asked an immediate. extraordinary ap-
propriation. We submitted our first re-
quest early in June; the discussion over
the distinction between ordinary and
s'emergency" repairs was prolonged SO
that action by the Board of Finance was
delayed until the end of July.
Aside from the legal hairsplitting IN
volved in the discussion. the main reason
given (that of financial expee9dlency) LOT loI
tweedledee" in the matter OF these re-
pairs, appears puerile when 1t is recol,
lected that if our request had been acted
on promptly by the Board of Finance, the
total amount bestowed upon us would
have been included in the amount to be
raised by taxation next year.
Our Board having in view the pronpt
and proper repair and renovation of the
scnool buildings, made every concession
and with good nature and ingenuity. ols-
tinguished and separated the items o.
work to be done into the classes desired
Then at the end of July, the Board OF
Finance without any inquiry Whatevei VIVA e
into the details, cut our request Ior OF
dinary'' repairs Sc, 600, and having made
mn the budget-and so postponed for a
year the necessity Of raising by taxa
ffon the amount wherewitn TO pay Ioi
the emergeneies.took rc;sa up our # feqqe5 abei,
wisdom refused it; 1t then looked as J. y
no repairs whatever would be maze ma te
the schools during the summer. rms I re,
fusal was made in face or the facl tnal
Then public opinion aroused itself ano
after time His Honor the May1r iad;r s'fp. ~
Board of Finance, to appropriate $So'Vo'
of the amount asked for; =
The action Of the Board OF FINANCE u
+. granting only portion of the amount
asked rendered inevitable the postpone
nent Of some absolutely necessary re.
pairs Next year you viii have TO asF
for an appropriation for these ana otner:
rendered necessary by ordinary wear ane
tear In making up our estimates vs.
had in view only such repairs as snoule
be made this year. exciudlng eyer eyerysnlHg ~ +
be met because of the delay In granting
the emergency" appropriation this year
on the ground that the amount granted
nave
of next year, as will also the amount
granted next year for ordinary repairs
and. if the appropriation for emergen,
cies is made promptly, the amount giyer
for them will have to be included also
1t will thus be urged that next year
tax levy will have to pay for three ap'
propriafions, and this will be. urged as
reason for again cutting the request
down If indeed an opportunity Is giver
for discussion at all.
The destruction of No. 20 School by fire
was a necessary and salutary illustration
Of the unwise economy which had there
fofore prevailed in the matter of insur-
ing our school buildings against loss by
fire We called the attentions of the
13oard of Finance to this time and time
again but were met by the statements
+iat not once in lifetime is school,
building destroyed by fire; every precau-
fjon is taken to guard against sucn q
Calamity: the risk is slight, therefore
what need to spend more than the small
estnnssible sum for insurance premiums
we were compelled to abide by the exer-
xrfse. Of the Financial wisdom and get along
as we could, in spite Of the fact that
schools do meet with accidents, the mos
An Old and Well TriedRemedy.
Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup fo
alxva q