The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-02-19
County Board of Education.


Superintendent Stees, the members of the
County Board of Education met at the
Court House on Thursday. There was
a good representation.
Jerome B. Grigg, President of the Board,
presided MIR. Stees introduced Hon. ]
B. Belts, assistant State Superintendent,
who gave talk on the subject of re-
apportionment of school moneys on
the basis of attendance, instead of on
census returns as heretofore. Mr.. Belts
requested questions on any points, when
ever they suggested themselves to the
hearers. This proposition was taken ad
vantage of and Mr.. Belts was frequent
ly interrupted, but was at all times able to
give ready and lucid answers.
He contended that while the country dis
tricts might, in few instances, suffer loss
from the abolishing of the census, in the
main they would gain. The cessation of
the census would mean the abandoning of
the census enumerator and the census
supervisor. The money paid these officers
would be saved. The cities would not
fare so well if attendance were the basis.
Several reasons were advanced for this
nearly always padded. There are, also,
in cities, many private schools, and on the
census basis the city schools receive por-
tion of the state money. to the disadvantage
of the country. His attention was called
to the fact that some counties are falling
off in the sums received from the state,
while others are increasing. Mr.. Belts
explained this by saying that this state of
affairs is due to the increase of ratables in
some counties and a decrease in others.
He favors the transportation of pupils.
He cited one case where all the schools are
to be merged into one graded school, and
the pupils are to be conveyed in carriages
to the school. By this means the pupils
receive better educational advantages, and
the township saves money.
There was a general discussion on the
possible good or bad features of the pro-
posed change. There were great many
who thought their township would lose
money if the census were abandoned.
They admitted they had children in
their district who did not attend school
but whose names appeared on the census
list, and for whom they received money.
If attendance were taken as the basis they
would lose One member cited a case
where, in some months of the year, but
five pupils attended school. He admitted
that it seemed to be fairer to get money
for five who really attended than to get
a sum for 80 who never went near school
house.
Prof w. Colon Cook, Principal of the
Mount Holly High School, read paper
on Demands for better schools" He ad-
vocated the consolidation of schools in
country districts, making one graded
school, This would necessitate the trans
portation of pupils. Such movement
would enable schools to get good teachers
at fair salaries where they are now com
PEELED to take inferior instructors because
they cannot pay salaries demanded by
those with better educations. One good
graded school in a township, he thought
would be great improvement over three
or four schools of mixed character.
The election of officers of the County
Board of Education for the ensuing year,
was held, and the following were chosen:
President, Joseph G. Kingdom, Northamp-
ton; vice president, Samuel S. Fort,
Springfield; secretary, Charles Conrad,
Beverly; treasurer, Nelson P. Greeley,
Burlington,