Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-05-10

We are glad the Editor Of the Democrat
admits that we have heart interest in the
welfare of the public schools OF our city
We have always felt that a heart interest in
such great institution as our public
schools, is preferable to the capricious mo-
tiges so often acribed TO the head Of men,
Then, too, we observe that it is 'humili-
ating' to Editor Carpenter to out with
the truth His views, however fail to
harmonic with the ideas of a majority Of the
members of the Board of Education, and it
seems to US as passing strange that the Edi-
tor-Educator stands so prominently on the
side Of progress, while his colleagues, all
intelligent, progressive citizens and BUSH
rtss men, are content to permit the stan
|dard of our schools to be very Iow.'..
THE CONSTITUTION does not desire to
use the public schools of our city as the
subject of newspaper controversy, but it
is constrained to answer the above quoted
paragraph briefly, in justice to the members
of the Board of Education and our tax
payers generally. lConsbitution. J /"
We take it for granted that every citizen
has heart interest in our public schools,
but we must admit that our neighbor Of the
Constitution has not heretofore evinced a
great interest in them as neither in person
nor by representative has be attended
meeting Of the Board Of Education since be
became a resident of the city, hence his
knowledge of the advancement in our
school conditions is gained from "inter-
esteds sources.
Six years ago Woodbury. schools were
placed on what is known as the list Of APP
proved High Schools Of the State. This
distinction gives graduates therefrom many
advantages, among them admission to
standard colleges without examination, and
enables them to graduate from the normal
school in two years after entrance. To
maintain that distinction a certain stan
dard must be maintained land our Board has
had official notice that our standing
among Approved High Schools Ct the State
has fallen very low; that the supervision Of
our school is Lax and inefficient. How
eyer, they have not yet reached a point where
a recommendation to removal from the APP
proved list is warranted
No fault is lodged against our teachers,
nor our system, but against the supervision.
Our city is expanding on its school system
a very large amount Of money annually
enough to easily maintain good standing
among such towns as Hammonton, Had
donfeld, Moorestown, vineland and Mill
vile, and yet we are officially told that we
are not in their class at all. But rather in
class with Salem whose schools are among
the poorest in the State, but improving,
under present management.
The State Board Of Education has done
well to inaugurate system by which it
may be kept informed Of the exact condi-
sion Of the schools which it certiies as of
approved standard, and it does we'll to
inform Boards Of Education when the stan
dard OF the schools Of which they are trus-
tees is being endangered from any cause.
The Woodbury. Board has had such notice,
and as we view it, one Of che duties Of the
public press is to inform the people, those
who will suffer most, OF the true conditions.
For the present condition we assume our
full share Of responsibility, humiliating as
is Is, but while our duty as member OF
the Board Of Education probably ended
with our vote to change the current our
duty as the responsible head Of public
press will not cease until every taxpayer
and every parent knows the whole truth.
II Mr.. Albright is sincere in his state
ment that he does not desire to use the
public schools Of our city as the subject
If newspaper controversy, we may ask
bis reason for his editorial paragraph inau-
xurating such.