The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-06-27
Adjourned Meeting of Board of Education


An adjourned regular meeting OF
the Lambertville Board of Education
was held on Monday evening, June
25th.
All members present.
President Stockton stated that the
meeting was held for the considera-
ton of the charges of incompetency
and inebriation ON the part of Super
wishing Principal A. p. Kerr as pre-
scented to the Board at its last meet
ing.
To bring the matter up IN proper
shape, Mr.. Bayard moved that the
application of MIR. A. p. Kerr as SUI
peryising principal of public schools
be balloted for. Carried
The Secretary read report of the
investigation committee that was APP
pointed at the last meeting to inyes-
tigate the charges against Mr.. Kerr.
The report stated that the commit
tee had interviewed every teacher OF
1
that they had never seen Mr.. Kerr
under the influence al liquor but a
| few OF the teachers said that they
smeled liquor on him when he visit
ed them.
On motion the report was received
and filed.
The following communications were
read as follows:
Lambertville, n j., June ~, 1906.
| To the Board of Education OF the City
of Lambertyille
Gentlemen:
| understand that representations
have been made and are to be made
which are designed to show that there
should be Il change III the manage
ment of our city schools, aud | wish
to be permitted to say n word in this
direction.
1t has come To my knowledge that
persons who are competent To Judge
of the matter have declared
emphatlcally that our schools are
very far behind the times in mat
ters of organization and systems of
instruction and this seems TO be SUP
ported by the fact that so many of our
citizens are unwillingly compelled
to send their children to Trenton
schools, because our own are incom-
petent to give them the training and
instruction which the parents as tax
] payers have right to expect
The heads Of our schools should
certainly be able to make use of such
advanced methods as will interest the
pnpils and instruct them in the best
way, III the necessary branches of
| knowledge, aud, IA of almost greater
Importance, be able to set before
them snch example of high moral
excellence as would have far reach.
ing effect III the formation of charac-
| ter aud good citizenship in our young
| people, our future citizens, and thus
raise our city to IA higher moral plane.
After full trial, for many years.
the present management has not
brought about these desirable eondi-
| tions and 1t seems plain duty to
make change.
The selection Of persons to conduct
| our schools is IA thing of such vital
| importance that 1t cannot be suppos-
| ed that IN choosing a supervising
principal, the question of personal re-
gard, or even relationship, il any
sueh should ever exist, could weigh
| against the interests of those who
must depend upon the schools for
| their instruction. The essential OBJ
| leet would seem to be to secure one
| whose record IN some other field has
shown that he possesses the requisite
knowledge and experience to put our
| schools in first class condition and
| that he has the excellence of charac
| ter to exert the best influence upon
those under his care.
am aware that such selection Is
not without its difficulties. Persons
| of the kind described are not numer
Gus, and to be able to Judge of the
qualifications of an educator requires
| the training of which few business
men can boast. 1t cannot, however,
| he difficult to obtain information and
advice from those who have given
| their lives to the study of the practi-
| cal problems pertaining to the organ
| ization and conduct of schools. MANY
| parents are looking anxiously to your
| Board, Mt this time, hoping that you
will see it to be your duty and priyi-
lege to take such steps as shall secure
for our young people the mpch need
ed guidance in the ways of learning
and of true manhood and woman
hood.
If | speak p'aiuly and earnestly on
this matter II * because | am thor
oughly impressed with ITS importance
as affecting the future we'll being Of
our city and its people, and with a
sense of the responsibility resting
upon your Board az tho representa-
tiyes of those so deeply Interested.
One of the highest boasts of onr
country is its common school system,
whereby child may secure, at the
public expense, such education as
shall fit him for the active duties of
life. No one objects to the expendi
ture necessary for this purpose, aud
there seems to be no reason why the
citizens OF Lambertyile should be
satisfied with anything short of the
best in the state.
Yours Respectfully,