Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-29
GOV. FORT ASSAIL5
SYSTEM Of PUBLIC
SCHOOL EDUCATION
continued from FIRST ragc-,

English and geog Apply, chill
dren cannot b. taught a Knowledge OF
cooking manual and physical training,
drawing, music, nG+ure study, Latin,
Greek. psychology, astronomy and aSrl-
culture at the same time. OF course
these latter things may be studied with
advantage, but the chhd that sleaves
school thus earl should be grounded
in the rudimcnis rather than permitted
to be moved into what might be called
the advanced branches. II manual
training is t. q e. II viii have TO
come as a side study. along with the
practical work which the child enters
upon in his or her business in life.
This must largely be by the night
school. Industrial education in Ger
many and other parts of Europe has
made great strides, but it has advanced
by special training schools rather than
in connection with any course of study
in the school room. ] L lieve in man
ual training and in industrial educa-
ton and that the State will he COM
pelled to take it up as a branch by it
self, and | INK it should be so taken
nm, distinct and Independent of the
free public school system. to be taken
biz those who r1ay need it and to be
specialized in special localities.
"The public schools of our state have
increased both in attendance and in eX-
panse very rapidly in the past few
wears. on every sid the %schoolhouse
has been going up. At the end of the
school wear of 1901 the value of school
buildings was about 81 500, 900. and they
had increased at the end of the SCHOOL
year of 1909 to about $34, 100000, being
an increase in value of $16,50o,Ooo in
eight years, and represented by 2,oo2
school buildings. l question whether
anv other State in the Union can show
such a remarkable increase In school
property.
'aThe children in our public schools
numbered 322. 600 in 1901. and numbered
497.0 900 in 1909. or a gain of 10000
scholars in eight years.
Zig High school Increase.
"Our high school attendance increased
from $4,000 in 1901 to 5000 in 1909, being
Sc per cent. within eight years.
'The number of teachers in the State
in 1901 was $500; in 1909. 10, 7oo, being an
increase of 5000 teachers in that time,
And one of the gratifying conditions is
the fact that the teachers were PAID
81 LOO 900 in 1901 and IS, . 1000 in 1909. an
increase of about $4,000, 600, the aver
age salaries of eacners in 1901 being
S543. while in 1909 it Vas s749, which IS
an exceedingly gratifying statement.
'sTo show the increase in the public
school expenditures in the State it IS
only necessary to take three periods:
For the school year in 1901 It was
about 81, 500, 900.
'"For the school year in 1905 it was
about $10.0 00,G coo.
For the school year in 1909 it was a
little less than ST., 600 coo.
IF these figures are correct, and ]
have every reason TO believe they are,
the moneys expended for public school
last year exceeded 80 per
cent. of the entire amount of all
moneys raised for local purposes in
this State.
TT is questionable whether any state
in the Union has made the rapid
strides which we have, II it becomes
us to examine with the greatest of care
and learn where we have obtained for
all this expenditure the many results
that we should. 1t is easy to Increase
expenses, but it is not so easy to get
advantages which should always come
from the increase.
This is neither the time nor the
place to suggest notifications OF laws
or change in system, but there are
changes. in my Judgment, In
school system which can be made
to advantage. 1t is top-heavy. There
is a lack of concentration of respon-
sibility. Boards Il bodies are toe
large and should be reduced in size,
both in the State and locally. 1t may
be wrong, but there is a feeling exist
ent among the representative men in
the State. in the Legislature n else
where that improvement can be made
in many directions in our public school
system, which will give us better re-
suits for the expenditures we are MAX
ing thar we are now receiving. An
o~utcropping of this feeling is repre-
scented In the Senate committee, which
is now ~inquiring into the public school
system and it's operation, with a view
to suggest corrections and to promote
its efficiency. Have we not too much
supervision with the State Board Of
Education, State superintendent, coun-
ty superintendent. High School in
spectors, supervising principals, prin-
cipals, vice-principals and the super
visors Of various branches? mould
not the supervision be left rather to
the localities than to it's being forced
by statute, or by powers higher up?
Would 1t not be more desirable If the
teachers were called together, more par
ticularly in u larger cities, and con-
ferred with and their opinion obtained
and their influence felt? II h teach
ers felt that there was no risk in their
gathering together and presenting
their views to their local boards of
education. and If in the doing SO they
differed with their supervisors, that
no harm would come to them, do you
not believe that better results would
be obtained? No system Of education
win be satisfactory which does not
leave the teacher in every department
and in every grade of the school free
to express his or her opinion and to
criticise without fear OF any personal
results to follow, in ase the opinion
expressed was not in accord with that
OF the higher official. The strength of
the public school system is in the
teacher and not In the official that is
over him.
Besides interesting the teacher as
such we must interest all people. par