The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-04-27
SUpT. BAXTER ON
HIGH SCHOOLS
Head Of the States Educa-
tional System Says Chill
dren Should Have !
Chance to Learn
NO TRANSFER or PUPILS
ONE DISTRICT CANNOT EDUCATE
AT THE EXPENSE OF ANoTH
Err. SO ALL SHOULD HAVE
THEIR OWN INSTITUTIONS


THEIR OWN. INSTITUTIONS
State Superintendent Charles ]. Bax
ter issued a circular to school offieer
and taxpayers concerning the scope o
public education. II is an argumeu
showing the legal justification for th
high school and was called forth by con
ditions existing in certain school district
in the State. Professor Baxter says il
the Introduction
ITO insure a safe and intelligent citi
zenship it is the purpose of the law I,
make suitable school facilities ayalab,
to every child in the State If a pupi
of any grade is remote from school il
his own dis rict. such district is unde
legal obligation either to provide trans
portation. to establish school that Is no
remote. or else, through the agency o.
10 DodAu VI SUuSdllon, 10 dEFduSe lSF M
tuition in an adjoining school district
Under the present law county super.n
tendents are rarely justified in issuint
transfers giving pupils a legal right [,
free tuition at the expense of districts o;
/ which they are not residents No distric
holds mortgage upon the finances
any other district, or has any right t,
its school facilities, unless it shall rende
it service similar in character and equiv
alent in value. or shall pay therefor
reasonable rate of tuition
In regard to the high school he says
when a pupil has fully comp ete1 II,
elementary course of study of the schoo
. near his home and it is not deemed prac
ticable to extend such course. if frthe
educational advantages are needed an
these is no convenisnt public school 0
higher grade in the district and no avail
able union graded school, then the boar
of education is under both legal an& 1nor
| al obligations either to furnish him fre'
transportation to a school of suitabl
grade in the district or, with or withou
transportation. as circumstances shall re
quire, to arrange for his tuition in an ad
joining school district.
at is with the discretion of any board
TO employ whichever method it may
deem the most expedient and to contrac
with the particular district or districts
and design the particular school ol
schools in which graduates from its owr
course of study may receive free in,
stluction. The convenience of the pupI
and the standing Of the school selected
should. however, in each and every case
be given due consideration. When suita
Bile school facilities are available nc
board of education is warranted in send.
ing a pupil to an inferior or unsuitable
school because or its low rates of tuition
In such event it would be the duty Of
the parent to appeal from the action o
the board.
FAN children of school age have in
alienable right to free instruction in the
public schools, and the law does not con
template the possibility of even one child
growing up in ignorance or with but q
partial common school education, be
cause adequate school facilities have moi
been provided. Lack of funds is not
valid excuse for inadequate school ia
cilities. Therefore, when board of edu-
cation is confronted by such exigency
there is no alternative but to call meet.
ing of the legal veters of the school dis,
triet for the purpose of authorizing tai
for the amount found to be necessary"