The Jersey City news., 1906-07-09
STATE PAYS FOR
!. SCHOOL SCRAP
Row Over the Architect to
Build the Normal College
Costs Public Money
UNCERTAINTY STILL EXISTS
REASONS FOR DELAY IN BEGIN
MING WORK GIVEN BY THE
SPECIAL COMMITTEE

mItfee on normal ScnoOl mas DeeH uHaAi
mbnsly adopted by the State board OF
education. This contains a statement of
the work so far as it has gone.
The report is designed not only for the
information of the members Of the state
board, but to place itself on record as
regards the recent agitation which there
has been over the selection of an archi-
tect. This and the selection of site,
together with some comments on the
general needs for additional normal
training, comprise the bulk of the report,
which says
in 1902 a joint resolution was passed
requesting the state board Of education
to inquire into and report to the next
legislature as to the necessity and the
cost of a new normal school in the north
ern part Of the state. A special com
mittee, consisting of Messrs. Russ, Col
by. Scott, McCutchcn and Bevier, was
appointed by the president to make the
inquiry. This committee had many con-
ferences throughout the state and re-
ceived communications from other states
and made an elaborate report in writing
showing the conditions of other states on
the question of normal school accommo-
dations. The information gathered was
rather surprising.
st was ascertained in the first place
that New Jersey was woefully in want
of trained teachers; that while there We're
at the time about 5000 teachers ip the
State, 70 per cent. had received no pro-
fessional training and that tn eannual
deficit from one cause and another was
about 800, and that the supply of train
ed teachers was 200 from our own Nor
NAL school at Trenton and such as could
be secured from other States. 1t was
also ascertained that about 65 per cent.
of the ratables and population were in
the northern part Of the State; while that
within a radius of 10 miles from the
Normal school at Trenton there was a
population of 100000 to draw from,
within ten miles from the center of popu-
lation in the northern part of the State
there wa sa population of nearly 1,O00,-
900, and that New Jersey. in the amount
of normal school accommodations, in pro-
portion to its ppulatin and in the appro-
priations for the maintenance of normal
schools. was far behind ether and some
poorer States.
This report was submitted to the
State Board of Education and by it was
unanimously approved and submitted to
the Legislature in 1903. Whereupon the
Legislature passed an act authorizing
the State Board Of Educas ion to pur-
chase a site, subject TO the approval of
the Governor, to employ architects. engi-
neers and superintendents of construc-
ton and to erect a new normal school
in the northern part of the State, at a
cost not to exceed $3O0.O0O, no expense
| to be incurred until the money was ap-
propriated in the annual appropriation
act.
"In 1904 the legislature appropriated
| $25, 600 for the purpose of a site. This
same committee Of the state board Of
education was continued, and advertised
\ in all the principal papers in the north
| ern part of the state, requesting that
suitable sizes be offered. Over so replies
were received. All the plots offered were
| visited by the committee. BY process
of elimination, one plot after another
was rejected, until about half a dozeI
available and attractive sites remained
| These were visited repeatedly by the
| committee and other members of the
board, and after much discussion the
plot at Montclair Heights, which seemed
| to satisfy all requirements, was selected
and approved by. Governor Murphy.
"Thereupon 1t was purchased for the
| $4,000 appropriated. The plot consists
of 25 acres. It's market value at the
time it was purchased was more thar
the price paid, and it has since increased
| in value. In 1904, Immediately after the
purchase Of the site the board, with ths
approval of the governor, employed Mr.
Borie Of the firm Of zant. Finger & Bo-
RE who visited the site selected, ana
with the committee. and at its sugges
tion and direction visited the Norma
school at Providence, r. l., as this was
declared to be one of the best recently
erected in the United States, and as com.
ing within the amount Of our appropri-
alton.
"This visit determined the fact thai