Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-23
SHIFTING BLAME IN
SCHOOL TRANSFER
Board Disclaims Responsibility
for Sending Peshine Ave. Pu-
pills to Bergen st.
BELFATTO SAYS ORDER
SHOULD. BE REVOKED
Parents Declare They Will Con-
tinue to Boycott Educa-
ton System.

SIdutb III lne resHiut AfcAuE uplic
School to the Bergen School did not
meet the approval of their parents,
who made an emphatic protest to the
Board of Education against it's ac-
ton.
Several parents appeared before the
building committee yesterday after-
neon and declared they would con
tlnue the boycott IN the educationa
system that required the little chill
dren to walk for half an hour 70
leach school.
Considering the fact that the
Peshine Avenue School is new the
parents were Arm In their objection
to making the children pass the build
ing and walk from a mile to a mile
and e half to Bergen street.
Commissioner Gaetano M. Belfatto
insisted that the committee grant i'm
mediates relief and acknowledge its
mistake. Other members of the COM
mittee were inclined to shift the blame
on the shoulders of the su~perintend-
ent of schools, Addison b. Poland.
Would Affect Chiidren's Health.
That the health of the children.
particularly in stormy weather, would
be effected by the long trip to and
from Bergen street and the baneful
effects every day Of boiling food at
noon were the reasons for the boycott,
the parents explained. The transfer
command was given about ten days
ago and while many parents at once
refused to obey orders, others a week
ago found that the long walk was Sc
riously ~effecting the scholars and at
n detained them at home and tho
agitation was on. A petition was
circulated and a committee named to
appear before the building committee.
Otto T. Vogeler, of IS Renner ave-
nue.. who headed the delegation, pre-
Esnted a petition signed by twenty
five parents and explained that he
could have obtained a hundred more.
but thought twenty-five would be
sufficient to convince the committee
OF the merits of the protest. Fathers
and mothers then began a shower of
complaints.
The petition stated tina hardship
was being worked upon the young
sters who. beside being fatigued by
the hurried journey to Bergen street,
had barely twenty minutes to eat
their lunch and even while taking this
short time to hurry their meal would
worry about being late. Opening of
the annex and heating it was then
demanded.
Postmaster. Book Protests.
Postmaster Frank j. Book, who was
among the protestants, reminded the
committee that when the Peshine av-
A,.~ I.s1lt.~ =
gave warning that 1t would be mad
equate. He said 1t was very evident
that the Bergen street school was
made too large and Peshine avenue
too small.
The people in the section are
paying higher taxes, and they ex-
pect school accommodations. at least"
said the postmaster. Many of them
established their homes in the district
because a new school was being con-
structed, only to find now that there
is not room for their children, al
though the school has been in use
but two terms.
"The Board of Education is not
justified in jeopardizing the health of
the children to effect the saving of
1000 which the heating of the annex
would cost"
about fifty children were trans
ferred," said Mr.. Vogeler. and not
one of them was able to travel the
distance and keep we'll" He said his
own child. was kept at home because
of the injury one him physically,
and that the order had resulted in
parents keeping their children at
home rather thar expose them to the
danger of physical harm.
Its Depressing Eject.
Edwin C.. Bonneau, of Is SHEPPARD
avenue, dwelt upon the depressing
to the tots when they
were compelled to walk past the Pc
shine avenue building and see their
playmates enter while they we're
compelled to trip along for a mile
more to Bergen street. He asked why
Peshine avenue had filed so rapidly
and why half sessions could not be
given the kindergarten pupils and low
grades. so that boys and girls of eight
years would not be deprived of edu-
cation they really needed and which
ought to be provided without requir-
Ing sacrifices.
Mrs. William Miller, of 496 Jelliff
6NEllbt ohSetoLIA tioA w 49,
in the annex il the heating system
was considered as expensive. Mrs.
Joseph Elsman, of AZ Mapes avenue;
Mrs. Harry Hoesiey, of II Leigh av-
enue; Mrs. William Martin, of 10
Watson avenue. and Mrs. Henry
Bethel, of 42T Badger avenue, were
Others who effectively registered their
disapprovaL.
Heating of the annex was hen dis
cussed and it was agreed to take up
the matter at the next meeting
of the board, on October 81. In
the meantime Commissioners James
Taaffe and sTompkins urged that the
children be allowed to attend Bergen
Street School, but some of the parents
present openly showed that they
would not acquiescc. while others
shook their heads significantly.
After looking over the situation Or.
Poland said this afternoon that the
children In the 7B class who were
transferred from the Peshine Avenue
school to Bergen Street were old
enough and strong enough to walk
to the Bergen Street school, and
that thet smaller pupils OF the 2B
grade who We're also transferred do
mt live farther than ten minutes
walking distance TO Bergen street.
He added thai there were but twelve
ia the 2B class.