The Penn's Grove record., 1914-06-05
PASSED Under The Rod"
CONGRATULATIONS

| nlgnt When D5U,UUU were voted IOr a
new school house was as spiritless and
solemn as the sentiment at a funeral.
The twenty EIGHT votet cast against
the appropriation for a new school
house vas not with the purpose Of not
needing, nor not erecting one, but was
the progressive vote in favor of a larger
school. ground of four acres. Many of
those who have been persistently voting
against bonding for a school house aud
acting under the leadership of those
who said a school house was not need
ed and did not have to be built were
not present.
Those who favored a larger school
site were sober because they knew their
sentiment of progress and optimistic
hopes OF Penns Groves future growth,
| development ana needs were not to be
approved.
The sentiment of those who voted
for the $50, 900 was sober because they
realized that they had to vote that to
overcome the vote for a lal ger site, but
more SO from The fear of the legal lord
above, that, if they did not do SO, there
would be no state money with which to
run the Borough schools next year. 1t
was more sober and sad for those who
vJted for the $4,000, voted themselves
into bondage from which the Borough
will never hereafter be free for the
next two generations, because their
sentiment and votes were reversed from
what it has been toward those whose
| foresight saw tile need of it three years
ago and presented the SINE proposition
two years ago.
They are TO be congratulated that
their hind-sight has reached the FORE
sight of others.
Two years ago when the same propo-
sition was presented TO the voters it re-
ceived only 10 votes and SO votes
against The proposition was vicious
and the asking tor $4,000 for a new
| school house was considered preposter-
| Gus. If the super visor and members of
| the board of Education who advocated
it could be gotten rid of such a vast
| debt and expenditure would not exist,
as it was only in their minds and not
in the minds or others.
So vicious was the opposition that
| four new members of the board Of edu-
/ cation were elected and the supervisor
who advoted il was gotten rid of quick
ly. Last year two new members were
elected. The only old one elected Was
he who after being elected three years
previous to maintain the high school
reversed himself by voting before his
term was out 10 abolish the high school
to keep in line with sentiment so as to
hold cheap official honor.
Still the proposition for a new school
house, like Banquo's ghost. would not
uOWHS UuV COhO4HuVO w uiOooOuI anu
bloom i'll the happy faces OF a bundled
more little children arriving at the be-
ginning of school to he educated, not
withstanding so believed Penns Grove
had its growth, the powder mills might
shut down and the Borough might be
a deserted village with vacant houses.
Two years ago the superintendent
three progressive members of the board
said another teacher was needed in the
high school and that two were needed
a year ago. But others thought it only
existed i'll tl.eir minds and if their
minds ere voted out of the board OF
+ education tile facts would not exist be-
cause others did not have it in theirs.
1t took eighteen months for tie fact to
become fixed in the minds of others, at
a loss of $500 state school money the
past year a loss of $400 more during
the two years previous when two teach
ers were employed and The loss of $500
more for the next school year, $I400 in
six years, because teachers were not
employed March / instead of Septem-
Der l.
The board is to be congratulated on
the progress made, OIL the fact that
their hind-sight is a great as others
foresight. The taxpayers are to be
congratulated on their benevolence in
paying it SO serenely when it might
have been drawn from the state school
fund. 1t meant only IA cents more
tax on 500.
When the proposition to raise $50,
600 two years ago TO erect a building
OH the lot now proposed there was all
architect and contractor who declared
that a 10 room building with an audi
forum could have been erected then,
but are they. who will say so now. All
eight-room building with AL auditor
um is the most hoped for now. The
VOCeTS ahu taxpayers are 20 Do cOngrat-
ulated if they get that, because of the
advance in labor and materials.
Since public affairs are being run on
such great hind sights, the next ten
years will reveal whether it would be
best TO buy four acres for a school
ground now, and make provision for
future developments of the Borough
and growth in population. The in
crease i'll past years has been eight
teachers in eight years, four teachers
the past four with all increase OF 200
children of school age. Including next
school years the increase will be ten
teachers in nine years. Are those to be
congratulated who believe Penns Grove
has reached its growth and that there
will be not as much nrOpl asS in fha