Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-31
BOARD OF EDUCATION ]

~ UUiillU vi LUUUuliUiy
The regular meeting of the City Board Of
Education was held in the Academy last
Thursday evening with all the members
present. At the conclusion OF routine
business, a number OF citizens present were
given the privilege of the floor. 4 petition
from citizens, whose names are contiguous
to the Matlock lot, recently chosen as q
school site, protesting against its selection,
was read \ Messrs. VIM. Speakman, John
Frazee and Warner Cooper, then addressed
the Board, on lines of the petition. Mr.
Carpenter, of the Board of Education, then
reviewed the efforts Of the Board of Edu-
cation to procure site on which to erect
school house that should meet the needs.
-four school rooms, accommodating 200 pu-
pills, are now maintained outside our school
buildings, and conditions in the high
school are far from being what the law re-
ouires. In our efforts to do what the people
desire we have appealed to special election,
and even there were foiled in our purpose
by well-meaning, though misdirected citi-
zens.
The Board of Education must provide
proper school buildings, or lose the State
money. The past year this fund amounts
to about s., 900. Next year this sum will
be doubled, perhaps threbled. Personally,
Mr.. Carpenter said he preferred another site,
bus he was in no position to move recon
sideration Of the previous vote.
Mr.Burkett then moved that the vote by
which the Matlock lot was selected as a
school site be re-considered, ,aud was carried
by a unanimous vote.
The Board then went into an election for
members of the Board Of School Estimate
and Mr.. Parker nominated Messrs Carpen-
ter and Underwood, who were elected.
The Board then went into an election to
select a school site.
Several ballots were taken with Liver
more lot /, Wick 2, Manley /, No lot 2.
Finally the Wick lot received 4, no lot 2,
and was declared selected as the site for the
proposed new school house.
Mr.. Carpenter said the minority now
had an opportunity to be as gracious as the
minority was two weeks ago, and suggests
shat one of the ssno lot voters should move
to make the vote on the Wick lot unani-
nous. Mr. Underwood said he would never
vote for the Wick or Manley lot; that this
selection would never get any further than
the Board of School Estimate. He said
that be would vote against it in the Board
of School Estimate. President Madden
took the position that it was Mr.. Under
woods duty to represents the Board, not
himself on the Board of School Estimate,
and he thereupon rendered his resignation
which was accepted, and DR.. 7. E. Parker
was elected in his place. 90
PRINCIPAL DIxoN's REPORT
Ia his monthly report TO the Board, Prin-
cipal Dixon said
As was indicated TO you in my first re-
port the matter of elective studies needs to
be charged somewhat, and we have done
something toward it. but it will take con-
siderable time to do all that we ought to
do. A few years ago elective studies were
put into many high schools and it was
thought to be fair thing to haye them
there. The system appealed to practically
everybody. The people were attracted by
it for it looked as if everything were being
done in the high school where it announced
the long list OF studies to the public. Is
appealed TO teachers for they could ride
their special hobby to their hearts con-
tent. 1t appealed to students for they
coald take what they wanted and omit the
rest. But experience has demonstrated that
such a system is not an unmixed good, il it
can be called system and denominated
good at ALL And it is being discarded or
greatly modified nearly everywhere. IN
checked election does away with courses OF
study, and even when some checks are held
election tends to do away with them.
As we see it a course of study should
haye beginning point, definitely in some
direction and reach some definite end. Ii
the student intends to pursue his education
beyond the high school, in some more ad-
vanced institution of learning, then be
should be prepared for entrance to that in
sttution so he may pursue his course prof.
tably. If he go to some college then col
| lege preparation is necessary; il to some
technical or professional school then the
preparation required for that should be
given; if into business then the school has
the obligation Of preparing him, as far as