The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-03-11
Dedication of high school Buildine.

t Dedication of High School Building
Thursday was day of great interest tt
the pupils of the Mount Holly schools, al
well as to their parents and friends. The
new school building on Brainard street
, was dedicated, and the occasion was 8
pleasant one to all.
t, The afternoon was devoted to the pupils
!, The auditorium was given practical test
as to its capacity and strength. The au-
dience, which was composed mainly OF
the pupils from all the grades. with their
teachers and few friends, numbered over
J 900, and there was not much spare room
left.
: The program consisted of music and
recitations by the pupils, with addresses
} by the president of the Board of Educa-
tion and members of the Board. The ex,
ercises occupied over two hours and the
order maintained and the interest shown,
by the little ones especially, was very
gratifying and spoke well for the dis
cipline maintained in the school.
In the evening the seating capacity of
the auditorium was taken up by about 700
adults.
The exercises were opened with prayer
by Rev. r. II. Baker, of the Baptist
church, followed by piano solo by Miss
Frances Worth, and vocal solo by Miss
Annie Grigg.
Samuel A. Atkinson, president of the
Board of Education, delivered an address
in which he referred to the transactions
relating to the building of the school
house and formally dedicated the building
to the use for which it was intended.
The High School girls, under the leader
ship of Miss Margaret j. Ross, rendered a
chorus, which was greatly appreciated.
Jerome g. Harris, who is showing
promising ability as a soloist, gave a Sc
lection which was generously applauded.
County Superintendent Stees was next
on the program, and he gave talk that
was replete with excellent suggestions
and food for thought in connection with
ideas for the conduct of schools.
| A solo by Miss Marcello Oatman gave
evidence of wonderful vocal ability, and
the young lady was heartily applauded on
the perfect manner in which she perform
ed her part of the program.
John W. Harris read paper on 'The
New Building" In which he recited the
trials, tribulations and final triumph in
the erection Of the building. This paper
gave some ideas that were entirely new to
many of our people, flew of whom had
possibly ever given more than passing
thought to the matter aud took it as one
of the things that happened, without seri-
ously thinking of the obstacles that were
overcome, or the time and anxiety spent
on the matter. The paper was so clear on
this point that we think it worthy of pub
LEGATION and give it in full below.
Next came a song by the Grammar
school pupils, under the direction of Miss |
Eleanor Kahn. The result showed that no
pains had been spared on this part of the
education of the children.
Hon. Calvin N. Kendall, State Commits |
sioner of Education, delivered an address
In which he paid glowing tribute to the
schools of New Jersey, and also praised |
the new building In Mount Holly. Prior
to the exercises Mr.. Kendall inspected the
building and expressed himself we'll |
pleased with 1t In every detail. His talk
was along educational lines, and he told
the people many things of value to the
system andIwhich they should study and
carefully consider. He impressed upon
them the necessity of working in
harmony with the school authorities and
aiding them to do the work to which they
devote their time
Four Grammar school boys gave song,
and the audience sang America" after
which the exercises closed with the bene-
diction pronounced by Rev. James Stod-
dard, of the Episcopal church
The paper read by John W. Harris
follows:
cat this meeting Mr.. Atkinson repre-
senting the Board of Education, Dr. Ken
dali speaking for the state and Mr.. Stees
appearing for the county, have spoken or
will speak of our new building from the
educational viewpoint This is the pri-
mary object but there is another point of
view that Is always of interest to the citi-
zen-I refer to the financial consideration
''The Board of Education, having had
charge of the projecting, negotiating, con-
tracing, erection and completion of this
building for over two years past, has dele
gated to me the task of giving a short &C
count of our stewardship. For several
all 49,
be provided additional school room and
facilities to meet modern conditions, COM
pliance with the school laws and the
proper housing of those children who were
in our care. 1t may not be known to all but
the fact Is that there was serious condition
confronting US more than two years ago
Every room In the buildings on Brainard
and ButtonwoOd streets was crowded to
its limit The old Heard property which
stood on part of the plot which the
present building occupies, was crowded
with three classes and the kindergarten.
In the little building down Brainard street
there was another class, and both of the
buildings were known to be unsanitary in
every way.
In addition to all this we had about $50
children on the streets or not attending
school because we could not enforce the
CompulsoTy euucdLlOu law IOr lack OF
room to place those who should be in
school. We took up this proposition and
on January 10. 1911. appointed COM
mittee to investigate the subject of sites.
Then our troubles began. This question
of sites was one that caused all sorts of
complications. One site might suit Jones
while Smith would think it absolutely
undesirable, but his suggestion of another
would meet with strong opposition from
Brown.
However, that was part of the game,
and getting back to facts we found as one
proposition that we might use the small
properties adjoining the school building
on Buttonwood street, in conjunction with
a part of the school yard, and that it
might be possible to acquire the property
belonging to the Orthodox Friends lust
above those mentioned. What came of
this ? We got an option from the owner
of the houses, as we supposed for 81, $50,
but awoke the next morning to discover
the price had advanced to $4,000. The
Friends, after long thought over the mat
ter, offered us 80 feet on Buttonwood
street, with small lot In the rear, for
81 900, with the proviso that we should
move their meeting house at our own ex
pense, to the north end of the lot.
Then we tried to get the property of