Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-10-12
WILL PROVIDE
POOR SCHOLARS
WITH CLOTHES
Board of Education Dis
cusses Plan for Helping
Needy Pupils.
COMMITTEE is NAMED
To Secure Cooperation Of
Local Societies--Supp
Food Also.
IN VOGUE ELSEWHERE
Supt. Shull and Commission
er Fletcher Tell Necessity
for Action.
IN VOGUE ELSEWHERE

Reallz1ng that there are many
children who attend school improper
ly clothed and fed, and as many more
who are compelled to sacrifice even
r the rud1ments of public school
education because their attire will
not permit, the Board of Education
took steps at their meeting last night
to properly clothe and nourish stu
dents who come shivering and hungry
to school this winter. After lengthy
talk by Commissioner Charles r.
Fletcher and Superintendent S. e.
Shull, committee was appoint I'd to
enlist the cooperation of all local
agencies to aid the board in doing all
In Its power to raise the standard Of
the pupils both mentally and physi-
cally.
Every great uplift of humanity
has been preceded by great physi-
cal rise" said superintendent Shull
IN urging the board to adopt a means
OF physically bettering the condition
In the schools. fThe purpose of edu-
cation is to develop men and women.
knew from observation that we
have hungry children in this city at
tending school; some underfed, some
improperly clad, others who can't
come to school because they have no
clothes.''
During the past week an investiga-
ton has been going on in the schools
concerning the wardrobe of scholars.
Some, in fact many, were found to
possess seant attire, with little pros
pect OF securing more as cold wealth
s'er became more severe.
Physical Welfare Committee.
Mr.. Fletcher proposed the appoint
ment of a committee to be known as
the Physical Welfare Committee. !"
Following the words of Mr.. Fletcher
and Superintendent Shull, President
Sneehy appointed as the committee
Commissioners Fletcher, Christian
sen, Urbanski and Klein.
n speaking of the boards authori-
ty to take steps toward the better
ment of pupils physical welfare, Mr..
Fletcher said, In this city, as In
other large cities, there are children
attending school under -nourished
and under-cIad. They are mostly
children hungry for education. but
often they remain in their seats
through q session with hunger of an
other kim forcing it's agonies upon
them. Others attend shivering with
S~NN~, oOSNhSS laval pliChtc A1Rc uOl
provided and can not provide for
their physical welfare when it in
wolves the expense incident to the
purchase of warm clothing.
"Now, / think 1t is lust as much
within the province of the board to
care for their physical as we'll as
mental welfare Therefore, would
move, Mr. President, that a commit
tee be appointed TO enlist the CO.
operation of all agencies in this city
to help US do all in our power to
raise the standard of our boys and
girls both mentally and physically"
Conditions are Defined.
Before the committee was desig-
mated, however, the superintendent
was called on to tafl Of conditions.
The problem is a iarge one," said
Mr.. Snull, "and intensely interesting.
1t is a problem that is now engross-
Ina the attention of educators
throughout the entire land.
In the present day system of
schools, pupils are roughly divided
into two classes, the good and the
bad; stupid and clever. Now this
division is all wrong, it should be
the strong and weak; the fed and the
unfed."
Referring to humanity in general
Mr.. Shuli continued that every great
uplift had been preceded by an equal
iy as great physical development
He cited racial instances, going back
to the early days of Europe.
''Sixty-seven per cent. of all crimi-
nails, added the superintendent,
ARE physically abnormal Now we
want to get at that sixty-seyen per
cent. and reduce it So far as we are
concerned locally
II know of one teacher who per-
sonal1y took two lunches to school
one for herself and the other for
hungry child | know of another
teacher who paid an expert to exam
fne the eyes of one of her poor pupils
and then out Of her own pocket paid
for glasses for the child.
Continued on page 80