The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1913-07-29
HAROLD F. BIDDLE
WANTS new BUILDING.
Draws Lessons from the Recent
New York School Inquiry.

| AiA6h oShOOi lOT MOTIlSiOBn~
"A reading of the interim report
OF the committee on school inquiry
of the beard of estimate and, appor-
tlonment led to the following article
as based on. suggestions contained in
that report No attempt has been
made to be critical or conclusive but
simply suggestive.
"The question of the need of a
new high school in Morristown is
question which should be settled
on the basis of local needs, and not
because Madison or South Orange
have good buildings. If local needs
are such that new high school is
unnecessary, then it would be waste
of good money to provide better IA
cilities. If, on the other hand, local
conditions are such that the young
people of Morristown are not getting
the best that Morrisown can afford
to give, are not getting what they
actually require for the severe com
petition of the present age, then
Morristown should look to it that
these needs are supplied, and quick
| ly.
"Overcrowding in any organization
is undesirable. The very word signi-
| fies an unsatisfactory condition; yet,
those who are acquainted with the
facts know that the Morristown high
school is very decidedly overcrowded-
1t is commonly known among those
who have studied school affairs that
classes of over thirty members can
not do satisfactory work; that classes
OF forty have been absolutely con-
demned; yet, through lack of ia
cilities, the students of the Morris
| town high school are compelled to
congregate in classes larger than
this undesirable size. On the other
hand, because of improper facilities,
some classes are too small. This
small class Is as much a waste of
teachers time and the city's money
as Is the large class, an unnecessary
drain ON the physical and mental re-
sources of the student and teacher.
with no adequate return for money
spent.
Looking at it from another angle.
this lack of room compels the pres
ent teaching staff to teach about
thirty-five periods per week. This
computation considers the afternoon
session as one period, though IT.
might be considered as two, and It
also includes the period occupied in
study hall supervision. The super
intendent of high schools of New
York and the committee on school i'm
quiry of the board of estimate and
apportionment agree that the maxi
mum teaching week should be TWEEN
i ty-five periods. This includes actual
teaching time, care of study hall, ETC.
1t will readily be seen that at the
present time the teachers in the
high school are doing about 40 per
| cent. more teaching than is advised
as the maximum by school author
tiles. Also. because of the lack OF
room, the principal of the high school
Is compelled to use time for teaching
and other work which should be and
could be more profitably used in ad-
ministrative work. The classroom
work Is further hindered by the fact
that study pupils are admitted to
classrooms where recitations are GO
ig on, because the accommodations in
the chapel are such as to be a posi-
tive menace to the health of the chill
dren. Then, too, the whole at
mosphere of the high school equip
ment evidences a temporary condi-
tion which is highly undesirable, be-
| cause 1t is an established fact that
where such temporary conditions ex-
ist too large percentage of the pu-
pills become discouraged and drop out
4 without completing the course. This
means an economic loss to the COM
munity of Morristown which has
spent so much in aiding incomplete
training.
"As stated above, assembly room
1 conditions are such as to be a posi-
tive menace to the health of the pu-
pills. The lights are kept burning
through the day. Who can figure the
cost in money and eyes of this per-
nicious practice which is compelled
through present conditions? Look
with me into the future, if you will.
and see the present generation grown
into manhood and womanhood. a
generation with weak eyes and weak
bodies, all because you and l might
wish to save a few dollars. Then
again, this assembly room should al
low for the congregation Of the pu-
pills one period per week throughout
the year, for purposes of moral in
struction. Morristown numbers among
its population and very frequently
entertains some of this country'a
most noted citizens. Most of these
would be very glad to give a help
full talk before the high school IL
the facilities were adequate. This as
sembly room should also be used for
public functions, such as lecture
courses. public hearings, etc. It must
be acknowledged by those who. at
tended the lecture course last winter
that the present assembly room Is
in no way adapted to the purpose
and decidedly lessons the pleasure
and profit such an evening should al
ford.
"With the beginning OF the new
school year manual training is to be
introduced in some of the grades
If room existed this manual WORK
could and should be offered to every
. high school boy, one year of which
; should be required. In this connec
, ton should also be offered two years
I of domestic science work for the girl.
, one year of which should be required
for graduation. Under the present
conditions these courses are impos
sible, yet they are fully as desirable
and beneficial as anything in the pres
ent curriculum. because they teacf
work, and he who has learned how
to work has learned how to live.
, "There should also be facilities fol
definite musical instruction. At tn,
present time the high school stu
dents are being ably trained in chora
singing, but there should be work o
] q moro dQffnifa uafura Morrfcf<.uu,