Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-05-11
WOULD ELIMINATE
WASTE TO DOUBLE
SCHOOL CAPACITY
lrvington Board of Education
Looks With Favor on Prin-
cipaI's Recommendation.


Following an explanation of how
the pupil capacity of the Irvington
public schools can be doubled, the
Board of School Estimate of that
town last night refused its approval
of another school site on Grove street
The site was also condemned for
other reasons by Mayor William l..
Glorieux, who declared that the loca-
ton is not proper place for school
and the price of the plot, $1i 500, is
too high. If another school is abso-
lutely needed in that section, the
Estimate Board advised that the
Board of Education seek a site along
the Speedway, where, Mr.. Glorious
pointed out, one can be had for 81 500
less.
A plan broached by Robert l..
Saunders. principal of the Florence
Avenue School, who claimed taht a
reorganization of the teaching system
will double the capacity of the
schools, impressed the officials very
favorably. The, principals remarks
led Commissioner David H. Greene
to declare that he would not vote for
another school site this year, though
later he asserted that he might do so
if he were convinced of its actual
need.
Mr.. Saunders explained how his
plan would work out in the Florence
Avenue School, who claimed that
about $500 for equipment and said
that he believed the same plan is
applicable to all the other schools, if
they are constructed at all like his
school. In the Florence Avenue
School the principal said that the
halls and basement courts comprise
one and one-tenth as much space as
that now used for instruction pur-
poses, and that this waste space is
in use only a half hour each day.
Continuing, he said
add to this hall and court space
that other waste lot of surface space
in the form of a playground, in use
but few minutes day, and we find
that three-fourths of the entire school
plant is doing nothing. 1t is evident
that If we can utilize all, or nearly
all, of this waste space throughout
the entire day, the pupil capacity of
the building can be doubled, because
at present the pupils are stationed
nearly all the time in the classrooms,
and the playground and the courts lie
idle.
Il argue that we can utilize this
waste space in this manner. One of
the front basement courts should be
equipped for manual training for the
boys, while the other front court
should be equipped with cooking ap-
paratus for the girls. The boys rear
court and the girls rear court
should each be converted into gym
nasium and room for teaching physi-
cal culture, calisthenics and hygiene"
Mr.. Saunders then asserted that an
auditorium ought to be made from
fur Cla in the school and
with this change the pupils could be
divided into four groups, the first
group to be placed in the classrooms
studying the common branches OF
education, the second to be in the
basement courts-girls learning cook
ing and sewing and boys manual
training-the third group in the au-
ditorium learning reading, singing or
history, while the fourth group would
be out on the playground or in the
rear basement courts being taught
physical culture, calisthenics and n.y.
giene. BY this method the principal
argued that the whole school plant
would be in operation all day long by
changing the pupils from one place
to another at the necessary intervals
Can Accommodate Twice as Many.
The advantages OF this system, the
principal contended, would be that 1t
enables the school to accommodate
twice as many pupils; it makes the
pupil really enjoy going to school
through the constant changing from
place to place and the interest Gre
ated in the scope of the subjects
taught; it turns out pupils who have
a broader knowledge of the demands
of business life; 1t enables the pro-
motion of pupils by subjects instead
of grades; brings the school closer
to the home; it gives more rapid prog
ress of the scholars and consequently
provides a more efficient school.
The best part of the plan In the
minds of the town officials was that
it eliminates the need of building
more schools and can be put into
practice with only a small outlay OF
money, the cost to the Florence Ave-
nue. School Mr. Saunders estimating
to be not over $500. Answering queries
the principal declared that the plan
is in operation in a score of towns
and cities throughout the country.
The Board of Education had favored
the project and had included sum
in the school budget for the purpose
and invited Mr.. Saunders to explain
the matter to the estimate board.
The budget was not acted upon last
night, but it appears very likely that
| Lilt liOiiCy Witt ~ NfFA ORN NeefN~ -
the board.
AS a result of the talk the estimate
board voted down unanimously re-
quest for an appropriation for s11,50O
to buy plot on Grove street near
Brighton terrace for another school
site asked for by the school board on
recommendation of DR. Albion G.
Christian, chairman of the new build
| ing committee. Mayor Glorieux and
Commissioner Greene both declared
that Grove street is no place for an
other school,
Mr.. Glorieux said that the street
will soon become business section,
| with a trolley line and stores and
| tenement houses. He also said that
the price is altogether too high for the
| site selected. He suggested a site
on East Speedway, which he believed
can be bought for $1,000, a saving of
| "a, 500. Even then the mayor was not
sure that site is needed In view
of the plan offered by Mr.. Saunders.
| Mr.. Greene thought the project could
be put into operation in the present
Grove Street School where there are
half-time classes now and an audi
torium that is not used except for