The Jersey City news., 1903-01-09

vantage Of the provisions of the new
school law, and on account of the In
adequacy of all other laws, 1t is not cas-,
to see how sufficient funds can be Sc
cured for erecting all schools which may
| be needed.
1t has practically been determined t.
use the license money for the coming
year for the erection Of new School No
IL. and as this is to replace an old build
ing it can be seen that the license fnnt
will not enable MS to increase the seating
capacity in any part Of the city. The
problem is not an easy one and deserves
your best efforts. as well as those of the
financial authorities oflthe city. In some
way funds must be secured for erecting
new schools. The sooner they are Sc
cured the better.
Last summer the Board of Finance
at the request of your Board, made a
special appropriation of $32. 700 for the
repairs to the schools. Under your direc.
ton and that of Supervising Architect
Rowland this sum was most economic
'cally and judiciously expended. From
reports which have been made concern
ing them, / am sure that the schools
profited greatly by these repairs, and
that they are therefore in very good con-
dition, in fact, in better condition than
ever before.
Ii must be remembered, however, that
the repairs made at that time were
urgent and were required by the condi-
ton of the buildings. No attention was
paid to the minor items of repair and
improvement ! am therefore sorry that
in making their annual appropriations
the Board of Finance found it possible
to allow only $1,000 during the present
fiscal year. 1t is apparent to all that
this win be totally inadequate for keep
ing the buildings in proper condition for
one year. 1t is certain that before a
long time has elapsed there will be need
of an additional and considerably larger
appropriation In the meantime it be-
hcoves us to devise a plan under which
the present appropriation may be ex-
pended in the most advantageous man
ner.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Owing to the general advance in prices
observable in all kinds of business, it
is probable that the other appropriations
will be insufficient This is particularly
true of the appropriation for fuel. Your
Board took the precaution to make a
contract for the months of December,
1902, and January, 1903, only. 1t will
be necessary for you to determine upon
some plan for the remainder of the fiscal
year. No matter what this plan may be,
the present appropriation will not suffice
for furnishing all the coal which may be
needed.
In no case were your wisdom and
zeal in promoting the interests of the
schools more evident than in your action
in continuing the present method of ap-
pointing teachers and principals in the
schools. You have acted entirely in ae-
cordance with the rules which you
adopted at the beginning of the year,
and in no case have you departed from
them in the slightest degree. You have
been influenced solely by determina-
tien to appoint those who presented the
qualifications required by your rules in
the order id which they stood on the eli
gible lists.
& 1t is not necessary for me to give ar
guments in favor of your action. The
advantages to the schools resulting from
your just and impartial action are evil
dent to all citizens who believe that the
instruction given in the schools should
possess the highest standing of efficiency.
A LITTLE SELF PRAISE.
The members haveS attended ALL the
meetings of the Board with remarkable
regularity and have performed their du-
ties promptly and punctually. The sew
eral committees of the Board have done
their work, great deal of which involv-
ed innumerable details, with unusual
faithfulness and industry. All the mem
bers have performed their committee
work promptly and successfully. 1t is,
therefore, not easy to make any distinc-
ton without danger Of unfairness. 1t is
only proper, however, that should re-
fer to the very careful work of that inn
portant committee, the Finance Commit
tee, and particularly of its exacting
chairman, Director Lewis. The Finance
Committee has managed the financial af-
fairs of the Board so successfully that it
has facilitated eur official transactions.
The Teachers Committee also deserves
especial appreciation 1t has always
acted most scrupulously and impartially
in all transactions concerning the teach
ers. In this connection feel that / am
but expressing the feeling of all the
members Of the Board when, 1 express
my regret that the professional duties Of
Dr. Egbert. who for several years has
been chairman of the Teachers Commit
tee, and whose term expires with this
year, require him to decline reappoint-
ment. His enthusiastic and conscientious
work has been of such great advantage
to the schools that we all must regret
that he will be connected with the Board
no longer.
1t is not necessary for me to refer to
the faithfulness and efficient work of the