Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-03-14

ciently early to permit of the use Of
the rejuvenated old part of the build
ing at the opening OF the schools in
September. The siX-room addition
to this building was completed in
December and Immediately occupied
When touching upon the advisability
of enlarging and making alterations
in No. /, last year, we said, 1t would
be a very questionable policy to de-
molisn an old building capable OF
being made reasonably safe and com
Portable at a much less cost than
new one That this building in its
entirety now meets very exacting
law Of this state relative to the CON
struction of school houses; that the
building is thoroughly modern in its
every detail, and that a number of
our most reputable local contractors
assert that not less than SIS, 200 was
saved by not resorting TO the demoli-
ton of the walls of the old building,
are all a justification of the plans
adopted and the policy pursued by
the board.
Are All Up-to-Hate.
"While there are so many remind
ers of the past TO be found in some
parts of the city, our school buildings
are certainly not one OF these. With
the exception of one of them, No. ?,
all eight are modern in every partic-
ular, and by the expenditure of six
or seven thousand dollars this build
ing, too, could be brought up fully
to present day requirements.
II doubt very much whether any
other municipality in this state can
show a building record similar to
ours, and feel that the governing
boards of the city merit the highest
commendation for the splendid pro-
visions they have made for our school
population at no small cost.
Attendance.
"From the statistics given at the
beginning of this report, it will be
noticed that 4,S37 pupils were en-
rolled during the year. This means
that about one-fifth of our entire pop
ulation is in the public schools alone.
'The percentage of attendance
during the year, 94. 9, is the highest
on record in the city, and serves
measurably well as an index of the
years progress. One Of the surprises
indicated by the statistical part of our
report is the fact that the schools in
the southern section of the city show
a lower percentage of attendance than
in the other sections. This state of
affairs cannot be attributed TO lack
of interest Of the teachers in that sec
ton, since their efforts to keep UP the
attendance have been quite as siren
nous as those OF the teachers Of the
other sections.
Truancy.
THE action taken during the year
relative to truancy doubtless contrib
uted somewhat TO the increased at
tendance. The police authorities
have responded as promptly as pos
sible to requests from principals to
look up suspicious eases, and as tru-
ant officials, have had most whole
some effect on pupils inclined to II
regularity in their school duties,
Employment of Minors.
"As in the past we have not en-
forced the law in cases where minors
are under fourteen years OF age. Our
efforts have tended largely to hold in
school children under that age who
were enrolled at any time during the
year. The name of some children Of
tender age were reported to me as
working in factories. In most of
these cases, after investigation, have
requested employers to discharge
those reported and have placed most
lf-nnfini.od on rua4S. "a