Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-03-28

ABOLISH STATE
SCHOOL BOARD
Report of School lnyestigat-
Ing Committee Makes Start
ling Recommendations.
CRITIZes EX-GOVERNOR
E. C. Stokes and His Broth
or Howard G. Stokes Are
Severely Condemned.
CRITIZEs EX-GOVERNOR
Special to snA EvENINo NEWS.

Special to the EVENING NEWS.
Trenton, March 28:-Severe
criticism of former governor of
New Jersey and the abolition of the
State Board of Education are only
two Of the many features of the re-
port Of the Senate School Inyestigat-
i.lg Committee, which was submitted
to the senate this afternoon. In all,
the committee, which has been at
work more than a year and which
has uncovered many big sensations
In public school matters all over the
state, makes twenty-nine radical
recommendations One of them is
that the legislature should adopt a
concurrent resolution proposing an
amendment to the state Constitution
which will permit women to vote at
any election for the purpose of
choosing elective officers for school
boards.
The committee recommends, also,
that the school law should be amend
ed so that where members are ap-
pointed to constitute school board,
women shall be given representation
upon il.
The report points out and insinu-
ates that the Mercer county grand
jury, because of political influence,
refused to indict those who disobey-
ed the summonses in the subpoenaes
issued by the committee. 1t will be
remembered that school conditions
particularly scandalons were uncov-
cred In Hudson county. The COM
mittee removed Its sittings to the
State House for the express purpose
OF giving Mercer county grand jury
jurisdiction over the Hudson county
witnesses who refused to obey the
mandates of the subpoenaes. The
failure and disobedience was Official
ly referred to Prosecutor William j.
Crossley, Of this county, for refer
ence to the grand jury, but no In
dictments followed. No indictments
were ever found in Hudson county,
either
Men for Prosecutors.
The committee calls upon the
governor to see that upright and
courageous men are appointed to the
office Of prosecutor Of the different
counties In order that politics shall
not figure In the administration Of
Justice.
OF the public school system In New
Jersey IN every branch. IT tells of
the corrupt practices found existing
In many school districts and goes SO
far as to brand some OF them as
criminal.
The severest criticism is adminis-
tered to the methods used In the
sale of bonds to the trustees of the
State School Fund by Howard X.
Stokes. One of the trustees Of the
fund was former Governor Edward
c. Stokes, brother Of Howard X.
Stokes.
The recommendation for the abol-
ition of the State Board of Education
Is the twenty-fifth, as follows.
'The State Board of Education
should be abolished. The offices OF
state superintendent and assistant
state superintendent should be abol-
ished. The office of Commissioner
of Education. Such commissioner
should be selected without regard to
whether his place of residence is
within or without the State of New
Jersey. He should be appointed by
the governor for term of five years,
commencing July /, 1911, at an an
nual salary of about $4,000"
Those ON the Committee.
The committee is composed of
Senators Joseph S. Frelinghuysen
of Somerset; William j. Bradley, OF
Camden; George s. Silzer, of Middle
sex, and the following members of
the State Board of Education: Will
liam G.. Schauffler, Lakewood; Will
liam H. Morrow, Belvidere, and st.
John McCutcheon, Plainfield. The
senators and Mr.. Schauffler signed
the report as approving all the
recommendations, but Mr.. Morrow
and Nr. McCutcheon, each dissent,
with the following explanation.
II assent to all of the recommen-
dations except the twenty-fifth. |
do not agree to it because | believe
the State Board Is efficient and be-
cause feel that IL it had the powers
proposed in the other recommends
tions, 1t will be able to administer
the school affairs of the state as well,
II not better, than commission, as
suggested In the recommendation. /"
The report deals with every phase
of the public school system, from
Janitors to the investment Of the
state school funds In all, ffty-two
school districts have been publicly
investigated, and In most all of them
omplaint was made that the state
was guilty Of undue delay in the dis.
tribution Of the school funds. The
committee holds that the idea is not
we'll founded that the sources from
which the state derives the funds
which 1t distributes for school pur-
fContinued on page %
Notice-You are cordially invited to
attend oar Graad Spring Opening in
Millinery, Tuesday evening, March 31st,
and Saturday evening April 1st.
J. KREfELSHEIMER & SON.
l33 Smith 81.