The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-17
KEARNY SCHOOLS
ARE TOO CROWDED,
SAYS DRESSED
Superintendent Tells Board Of
Education of Inadequate Pros
visions for Pupils.
GREATLY Numbered IN
THEIR WORK, HE DECLARES
Arlington Trade Board to Con-
duct Arbor Day Essay-W Writ.
ing Contest.

Superintendent of Schools Herman
Dressed, jr., of Kearny, in a commune
cation to the Board of Education o
kearny, read at a meeting last night
told of, the need of new schools in the
town, and pointed out that all of the
Institutions were crowded to their ut
most capacities. He said that con
ditions at present are detrimental tc
health. The following is a copy of the
communication:
Il desire to CALI attention once more
TO the crowded condition Of our schools
and to several detrimental results aris-
Ing therefroIn.
"Insthe first place, we have mid year
promotions, which means that our
grades are half-yearly grades. This is
much better for the pupil than a year
grade. because, If he fails to complete
the allotted work satisfactorily, he re-
News only the half year and loses only
five months in his progress; again, it is
easy for bright, d-working pupils
to gain a half-year grade, but almost
Impossible to gain a year.
The disadvantages of our present
eVSlCih VI Bldo1iiS al Olty lIOll Jul
lack of classrooms. For example. at
School Nc. o we have a teacher who has
a section of a first-year grade and a
section of a second-year grade; another
having a t~hird-year and q four-year
grade, and n having partly fourth
and fifth-years. Such combinations
/. make good work exceedingly difficult
for teachers who have specialized for
ears in a particular grade and who
must now take a section of a lower
= grade. because we have not room
enough to devote to each grade. Again,
q teacher should have, at the beginning
of the school year, a class beginning u
certain years work. She should carry
that class through two half years anu
In June promote it to another room.
The child thus has the benefit of the
teachers personality for a year, and the
teacher has better opportunity to study
and understand the child.
I'VE are forced to move our classes
every h%alf-year and often we must
transfer an entire section from one
school to another. This was the case
at No. Z, also atNo. s and No. ?. The
people should understand these condi-
tons SO that they may know why we
Are forced to send pupils a mile, in some
Instances. to a certain school, because
we have no higher grade in the he
leaves.
Our school buildings are crowded
now: in April we shall enrol about rs
more beginners. No. 8 is too small, and
has in fact Seven teachers for six class
rooms. No. I is crowded. The question
which confronts us is: What shall be
done next September with the usual in
crease of about 800 pupils, when even
now we cannot accommodate our grade
pupils as we should n when our rap
IDLY growing High School is demanding
more ROOM"
None of the members of the board
made any comment on the letter. 1t
was merely received n ordered
>noted.
The Arlington Board of Trade asked
that it be given permission 70 conduct
an essay contest on Arbor Day among
the pupils of the schools, and stated
that it would give prizes for the best
essay. The trade board also suggested
that several changes be made in the
present program of exercises. Com
missioner Fleidner said that the sug
gestion of the trade board was a good
one and that the school board would
work in harmony for any project that
would be of advantage to the pupils.
Arrequest from Mrs. Marion G.