The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-31

nAIAuN DOuIASf III AK AAAAoot VI -
eism which was often unjust, and OF dis
couragement always, they have sacrif1ceo
time, energy and leisure to build up ouI
school system.
In regulating the old system of select
ing members of the School Board by ward
election the people did not by any means
nor did they intend II, / am ~sure-detract
whatsoever from the well-earned honors
Of the many noble men who have com
posed our School Board and administered
It's. affairs In the past. Whatever successes
may be attained hereafter by incoming
boards will be conditioned in no small de-
gree by the achievements Of past boards
who, whatever may be said OF their short
comings. have laid splendid foundations.
DR.. Poland, In q history Of the move
Iment in the country in favor OF sfnaiier
boards of education, offers Tor the conslo-
Grafton of Newark's body tabulated statis-
tics, and tells Of the school ADMINISTRATION
throughout New Jersey.
In Boston, owing TO the fact that the
purchase OF school sites and the erectlon
of new buildings is In the hands OF a sep
arate' commission, independent OF the
school board, no school architect ia con-
sldered necessary. Under the New jersey
school law boards of education are charged
with the purchase of sites and the erection
OF new buildings; hence, 4 school Doard
architect would seem to be necessary here.
The smaller size of Newark ana the con-
sequently smaller aggregate or expendi-
lures would seem to make the employ
ment of a school auditor unnecessary with
us. The duties of auditor could be per-
formed by the secretary Of the board ana
his assistant.
Organized somewhat as aforesaid, the
business of the schools could be conducted
in -,oh a NM &C m secure the mQSI
effective, as we'll as economical, service
without taxing too extensively the time
and energies of the small board or OF Its
individual members. By formulating a
thorough and comprehensive system OF re-
ports, to be printed or typewriter and put
into the hands Of each member OF the
board several days before its regular meet
ings, the closest oversight could be Kept
over all the operations of heads or de-
partments and over the general admins
tration of the schools.
In a discussion of committees and their
functions, the superintendent has this to
say:
All powers are vested originally In the
board created by State law. The board
may delegate certain of its powers TO
committees of the board; but the powers
so delegated should not. in general, be ex-
ecutive powers or such as connict with
the powers delegated to the executive
heads of departments. Executive heads OF
departments should derive their powers Ill
rectly from the board. These powers should
be, so far as practicable, expressed In It's
standing rules and regulations. Executive
officers should be held directly account
able to the board, and not indirectly ac-
countable through committees of the
board.
During the past few years great improve.
mems have been made in the character OF
the school buildings planned and erected
These improvements relate not only TO oct
ter construction but to size Of class rooms,
to lighting, to heating and in a few In
stances to ventilation. In general, better
provision, though Still Inadequate, has beer
made for toilets, for drinking water and
for court Fairgrounds. In most new build
ing. erected during the last three or four
years provision has been made for an audi
torium, q workshop INT a kitchen; In one
or two instances for a library and reading
room. In one school a complete gymnasium,
including running track, shower baths, ETC.,
has been provided.
The Burnet Street School, when com
pleted, will, In my opinion, be much the
best of any of our r~ecently-built schools; 1t
Ill rank most likely with the best in the
State. 1t will contain, besides class rooms,
dl duultUIluiuy d ~ LhhacihhJ q ms
for boys, a kitchen for girls, a library and
reading room for pupils use and for gen.
eral use. The liberal appropriation made
for this building (S2S7, 0O0) has made 1t posi-
bic to erect a model building.
1t is to be hoped that no engineering
defects, such as have characterized several
of our buildings, new and old refer to
artificial ventilating system-may be dis
closed when the building is completed. De-
footiyo md In eomp inqfanaQ1 uGQlpas uQnfi.
iating systems have been Of altogether too
occurrence. Either 1t is impractica-
BILE to devise a perfectly working ventilating
system in a modern school building, or the
engineers, or some Of them at least,
have been singularly unfortunate.
DR.. Poland recommends that In future
more careful attention be given to the 10.
cation of toilets in new school buildings,
to the character and location Of rooms In
courts, to outdoor Fairgrounds and santa
ton.
There IL q long discussion of the factors
hi make a good school In the course Of
which such subjects as teachers and their
training, the Board Of Education anc
others dealing with those responsible fol
the pupil are treated.
1t is recommended that a class be organ
lied in Hamburg Place School for the &C
comnfodation of those already employed In
the trades, say between the ages OF IA anC
is. Instruction In freehand and mechan
ical drawing. pattern making and meta
work is suggested for the proposed techni
cal school experiment.
The Hamburg Place proposition Is uset
to lead up to the arguments used In previ
GUS reports in favor Of the early erection
of the technical high school at High ant
New streets.
In his proposed experiment, the cours'
of study would be changed to include thu
mechanical studies-and the school day ex
tended to seven hours for those taking TIL
course.
The city superintendent, in discussing
the drawing school, shows that 929 stu
cents are enrolled in its thirty-1ve classes
The most serious evil arising from thu
School is that OF large classes, especial!
in the first year. Good work can rarely b'
done in a high school class that number
more than twenty-five to thirty pupils.
The organization and administration o
the High School unde Principal Stearn
is excellent An every way. No man coul'
existing conditions.
ton in the schools, DR.. Poland recon
a medical man, be appointed. He suggest
that several school nurses be engaged.
Glasses for the mentally defective ar
urged.
Physical exercise and systematic trainin
along that line receives no little attention
1t is pointed out that 1897 has seen tn
Ananfu. - AAN Aruf attvy oahnOl UNI II. ~