The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-06-16
School Matters.

State School Commissioner Kendall
has issued letter to Boards of Educa-
tons, which reads as follows:
''The purpose of this letter is to urge
you to purchase early theschool supplies
that will be needed in the schools under
your jurisdiction for the school year be-
ginning next September. Better SER
vice, better prices and better selection
will be had if purchasing is done early.
School supplies include fuel, text
books, seat work material for primary
grades, manual training equipment,
stationery, maps, crayons, ETC., which
the laws require school boards to furnish,
and which are absolutely necessary if
teachers are not to be hindered in their
work with children. Some boards of
education save money by purchasing
supplies in quantity, and in this way
otter secure wholesale rates or prices.
Not only is it advisable to purchase
these supplies early, but it is necessary
to see that they are in the schools before
the opening in September. The order
ing of supplies in the spring or before
the first of July should insure their de-
livery at the schools before September
first. Many school boards are already
doing this, but other school boards post
pone ordering until August, or even I'M
til September, with the result that orders
sometimes are improperly or carelessly
attended to, owing to the rush during
the period Immediately before the
schools open. | regret to say that in
some schools the supplies are not de-
livered until long after the schools are
opened. Teachers in such schools, being
without the tools for work, are dis
heartened, and the children suffer. No
manufacturer would think for moment
of putting workmen in factory without
equipping the factory with tools and
machinery. No farmer would hire a
man to work on his farm and then neg
lect to supply him with tools with which
to work.
81 also urge that necessary repairs to
school buildings be taken up promptly
at the beginning of the summer vaca-
ton. Every blackboard should be put
in good condition for work. Every
schoolhouse should be thoroughly
cleaned. Every outbuilding should be
made wholesome and sanitary, as the
law requires, and all school grounds
should be put in good condition. If
such repairs are attended to early in the
vacation they are likely to be completed
before school is opened, and the teacher,
provided she has the requisite supplies,
can begin to do good work from the very
first hour of school,
If these two matters, the providing
of necessary supplies for the use of chill
dren, and the making of necessary re-
pairs, could be attended to promptly in
every school district in the State, the
efficiency of New Jersey schools would
be greatly increased. 1t costs no more
to attend to these matters early; the
chances are that it would cost less.
In few schools of the State children
are still seated in such way that they
face the light. Under no circumstances
should this be allowed a single day.
This is to adopt the policy of requiring
children to attend school under the
Compulsory Education law, and then
injuring their eyesight. If the seats
cannot be rearranged, the windows in
front of children should be closed OIL
screened"