Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1907-03-02
Principal Of Schools Gives
the Various Critics Food for Thought

We need more modern system of
retiring rooms The present system
might have been all right % years
lgo, but at the present time 1t Is
wholly out OF date. Not only are
Dur present retiring rooms menace
to the health OF our pupils, but they
IRE also breeders Of vulgarity and
tmm ,rality. They are disgrace to
my intelligent community, and no
tDubt would meet the condemna-
ion OF any wide awake board Of
health.
List years school attendance
,howed an increase OF 13,463 days
over that Of the previous year. This
increase was due rather to the en-
forcement OF the Compulsory Educa-
tional Act than to the Increased en-
rollment. This year we are not
quite as successful in securing the
regular attendance OF pupils, due
chiefly to the laxity Of our Justice of
the Peace In carrying out the provls-
ions OF the law. OF five arrests and
trials there was not single convic-
tion. yet In each instance there was
plainly shown to have been a agro6s
violation OF the statute. During the
month OF December the total enroll
ment OF our schools was $50 while
the average daily attendance was
only 459 showing an average daily
absence OF $50 pupils. At least one
half OF these absent children could
have been in school without Distress
ing any one. believe some improve
ments would be made In the atten-
dance. If this Board would adopt q
rule requiring each child to furnish
the teacher with written excuse,
signed by the person In charge OF it,
stating the reason for every absence
from school. 1t is also worthy OF
the Boards attention to consider the
employment of ianitor BY the
calendar instead of the school year.
There is enough work to keep q jani-
tor employed during the summer
vacation. The buildings and furni-
ture need repairing, fences need
painting, and the yards should be
kept free from brlers and weeds, It Is
rather question OF how much q
man can do In the short vacation,
than it is OF the work to be done.
There is still another matter that
cannot help but mention. This
Board has often been uniustly criti-
cise1 Tor the appearance of one or
our school buildings; while the build-
Ing may not draw great deal of
attention for its exterior beauty, its
most adverse critics must neyerthe-
less admit that 1t is good substan-
tial building. The class-rooms, halls,
furniture, heating and yentilating,
all of the most modern, and meeting
every requirement OF thoroughly
up-to-date sch0o building.
1t is of q great deal more conse-
quence that we have good schools
rather than artistic school build
ings, and when economy is neces-
sary 1t should not be economy In
the cost OF teachers or Of books
which are the tools with which they
do their work. President Garfield
said that IL be had a school house
with puncheon floor and q slab
bench, but with Mark Hopkins on
one end as teacher and himself on
the other, he had all the university
he could wish for.
rather than the brick OF the build
Jugs that count In the education OF
the youths, and we cannot be too
liberal In our compensation OF the
thoroughly competent and conscien-
tious teacher.
have submitted this report with
conscious realization Of the most
urgent needs of our schools, feeling
that our united efforts viii be needed
to bear them over this one OF the
most trying periods In their exis-
tence. 1 feel sure that you will give
due consideration to the foregoing
suggestions and recommendations.
III. L. MARsTELLER.
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