Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-06-23
SCHOOL BOARD
To INVESTIGATE
GYM APPARATUS
Probe May Result in Entire
Change of Elementary School
Equipment.
Mr.. TAYLOR AGAINST
Mr.. WARDEN'S REQUEST
Declares That Apparatus Is Too
Large, Heavy and Cum
bersome.

An investigation will be made by
members of the Board of Education
committee on buildings, grounds and
supplies to ascertain if the gymna-
SUM equipment in elementary
!, schools is practicable. Commissioner
| Gaetano M. Belfatto. chairman IN
the committee, at a meeting yester-
| day was authorized to appoint a sub
committee Of two to investigate the
subject. This action was taken as q
result of a request for additional
| gymnasium apparatus, presented to
the committee at its meeting.
Randall d. Warden. supervisor of
physical training in the public
schools, commended the purchase
of fifty seven pieces or gymnastic
apparatus for use in the McKinle. j,
and Robert Treat schools. Samuel
| Gaiser, superintendent of supplies,
placed the recommendation before
the committee for action.
Members of the committee ex.
pressed doubt as to whether the
proper equipment is being used at
| present. 1t was said that present
equipment includes heavy, cumber-
some and unwieldly play toys, which
elementary schools. If an investiga- =
ton shows the present equipment 10
be impracticable it may be decided to
reorganize the entire public school
gymnasium system.
81 don't think we ought to au-
thorize any such purchase" said
Commissioner Charles p. Taylor. sit
is well known that In some schools
we have large, heavy, cumbersome
gymnastic equipment which the small
children in the school find useless,
They have iron rings which the chill
dren can't reach and apparatus too
heavy for them"
Other members of the committee
agreed with Commissioner Taylor
that more care should be taken in
supplying this equipment for schools.
1t was decided to have the chairman,
Commissioner Gaetano M. Belfatto,
appoint a committee of two to in
yestigate the subject. In the mean
time the request for additional gym
nastic equipment is Laid over for
further consideration"
A recommendation that the board
purchase thirty-five feet of property
on Richelieu terrace, adjoining the
Lincoln School. will be made at the
regular meeting of the board tomor-
row night. The building, grounds and
supplies committee of the board yes
terday decided in favor of buying the
additional property.
Charles Meyer, counsel for the
board, reported an agreement as to
price has been reached by the board
with John j. Linck, owner of the
property. Mr.. Linck is willing to part
with his land for 81 200.
A month ago the board purchased
sixty five feet of property on Rich
elieu terrace from the Real Estates
Associates of Newark, for $2,210.
When the Linck property has been
acquired the board will have avail
able site with an area of 100X135
feet adjoining the Lincoln School.
The 100 feet represents the frontage
of the property on Richelieu terrace
and 1876 feet the depth.
VIII Be Used as Play ground.
While members of the committee
did not discuss the purpose sof buy
ing the additional land it is known
that such deals are in accord with
the boards policy of acquiring needed
ground as playground as soon as
possible. At present the new pur-
chase will be used as a playground
for the children of Lincoln School
In a few years it is expected the
growing population of Vailsburg will
necessitate building an addition to
board a much. larger sum to acquire
the land than is being paid at pres
ent.