Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-09
COUNCIL WATCHES
EDUCATORS MOVE
Next Step for High School Site
Is Awaited With In
terest.

Special 10 the Evening Star.
SUMMIT. Dec. 9.-Just what Will bt
fhe next move of the Board of Edu-
cation in connection with its efforts
10 acquire the tract of land owned by
fhe Summit Home Land Company, in
Maple street. for a high school site
IS puzzling members of the Common
council and those who have en-
deavored to keep in touch with the
proposition for the school site pm
shase.
That President James W. Cromwell
If the school board, nor the other
members of the board have had no
conference with the members of the
Common Council at which assurance
Gould have been given of the inten-
.ion of the council to pass the or
dinance providing for the approprla-
;ion of $4,000 through n bond issue
with which to purchase the school
site, was learned last night.
IN making his announcement that
negotiations are pending for con-
tract between the school board and
She Summit Home Land Company
Tor the taking of title by the board
Is the proposed school site at a date
tAfEI IMAM 1EtNAlAUEA 10 ti4A HiAAAlA liz
Bption held by the board viii expire.
Mr. Cromwell informed Commissioner
Eranzlin d. Peale that he had ascer-
tzined that the negotiations for a
contract are satisfactory in quar-
sers higher up" This was understood
TO mean that Mayor Francis II.
Bergen. one of the council members
Mho have held up the apprpriation
for several months, had agreed To
provide the necessary 100000 for the
land purchase by adopting the or
dinance for a bond issue. President
= X Corbin. of the Common Goun-
all, declared last night that no con
ference of the council and school
board had been held. nor had he
beard of any assurances having been
given the school board president or
he members of that body as to what
would be done by the council in the
matter of the bond ordinance.
President Corbin seemed at loss to
understand just how the school board
can legally negotiate a contract bond
ing the Board of Education or the
city TO take the proposed school site
Without having the appropriation for
such purpose at its disposal The
council president, when asked If he
regarded Mr.. Cromwelrs statement as
an indication that the school board
Contemplated legal action to force
council to provide the appropriation
MS certified is necessary by the board
III school estimate, that Mr.. Crom-
well may develop something
Councilman Edward 6. Pringle,
chairman of the law and ordinance
committee. declared he knew nothing
al any assurance having been given
The school board that the board ordi-
rance will be adopted, and he. too,
didn't quite understand how the
school board can legally proceed to
acquire title to the proposed school
Site without first having the purchase
money in hand.
/ ''Of course said Councilman Prin-
gle, 81 presuce the school board has
egal advice. and / would not pretend
% so into the legal points involved at
his time"
Mayor Bergen is absent from the
lily, and win not return for a few
lays, but it Is not generally believed
hat the city executive has personally
eiVen any assurance thar the school
board might go ahead with the de-
aiis of acquiring title on the guaran
ZEE that the $4,000 appropriation is 10
pe made after January /.
The general opinion is that even
hough such assurance has been
siven by any official, the school board
acks legal authority thus 70 negotiate
contract for taking title to the prop
,rty without having the purchase
unnpV in hand