Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-04-28


On our first page we publish the report Of
Prof Frey to the Board Of Education under
date Of March 25. This report is brief
record of the school work during Prof Frey IS
term as Supervising Principal, and its
accuracy is unquestioned. It is a record
that Prof. Frey, the teachers-individually
and collectively Board Of Education,
and the parents of Woodbury. can view
with unqualified satisfaction.
When Prof Frey was chosen as the
the Principal Of Woodbury. schools, they
were in about as demoralized condition as
it was possible for schools to get. There was
no systematic instruction, it was go as
You please arrangement all along the line,
and the Board of Education chief function
was settling disputes between teachers and
principal. There could be no such thing
as teachers meeting, because few of the
teachers were on speaking terms. Under
such conditions the money appropriated by
the people for school purposes was largely
frittered away, and worst still, the precious
time of the children of Woodbury. was
worse than wasted, because habits of idle
ness were engendered.
By happy chance the Board of Education
made wise selection OF principal in 1899,
and the gratifying results of that choice
are modestly set forth in the report above
referred to.
In spite of the wonderful improvement
in our educational system under Prof.
Frey's supervisor, the Board of Education,
by its own act, is now searching the coun-
try for his successor, and the chairman of
the Application committee, we understand,
is loaded down with applications from near
and far as he was seven and FIVE years ago.
Under most favorable circumstances the
selection of Principal is a hazard. 1t
is possible to improve, but the probabilities
are otherwise, because there are more poor
Or Indifferent principals than good ones.
The truth Of the last statement is vouched
for by leading educator in our STATED.
Within the past two weeks many, many
parents, patrons of our schools, have asked
slsse reason for the action of
majority of the Board, and we regret to
say that, while a member of the Board Of
Education, absolutely no reason has been
assigned by the majority for their vote ere
atihg vacancy. One of the new members,
in explaining his vote for Mr. Frey's re-
election said, Many citizens have impor-
tuned me to vote for and against Mr.. Frey,
and In every instance those who desired his
retention were heads of families, parents of
children attending school, while those who
urged his dismissal were either single men
or husbands without children"
Our public schools are closer to the peo-
pie than any other local institution; city
officials may make mistakes in the construc-
tion of water works, sewers or streets, all of
which are repairable; but errors in our edu-
cational system affect the life and prospects
Of every child of Woodbury. parents, and no
profession of regret or efforts to mend the
injury can be effective
In the light Of the facts that our schools
are now in condition to elicit universal
commentator; that they have been
brought to this state under Mr.. Frey's
supervision; that in character and attain
ments he is beyond criticism; and in view
Of the fact that his opponents are either
single men or childless husbands, while
those who urge his retention are heads of
families, 1t is natural that parents are mys-
titled and chagrined at the action Of the
Board in this matter
Trenton has debt of Sc. 100000.