Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-12-18
LECTURES IN
CITY SCHOOLS
ARE POPULAR
Supervisor Balcom Reports
Yearly Attendance Is
Above 10000.

Above 10000.
That more than 10000 adults and
children attended the free public lee
lures under the auspices of the Board
of Education during the past year Is
set forth IN the annual report of Ar
thur g. Balcom, supervisor of lee
fures. Mr.. Balloon says in number
nf Instances during the last two
courses the lecture rooms have been
niled to the limit and doors have been
closed before the time of beginning,
IN order not TO over-crowd the rooms
we have been considerably eriti-
cised for allowing so many young peo-
pie to attend the lectures" says Mr..
Balloon. The extent to which young
people and children attend varies
among the centers. For the most part,
the lectures are attended by people
whose means are limited. and where
there are several children in the fam
ily It is not easy for the parents to
attend without bringing some of the
children.
The children who come and sit
with their parents seldom, II ever,
give any trouble. / have strong con-
yiction that any movement that has
for its object the imparting of in
struction to the masses which does
rot have due consideration for the
young, falls far short of its possIbili-
ties"
Continuing, Mr.. Baleom says that
161 lectures were delivered during the
FIRST course. The average attendance
was 416 people, the aggregate attend
snee was "a. 433 and the cost was IS,
b36.55. During the second course Mr.
Haleom says 1874 lectures were deliv-
cred. the average attendance was AIS
people. the aggregate attendance was
19.f00 and the cost was S5,505.95.
In her annual report Miss Louise
Westwood, supervisor of music, said
The work of the music department
for the past year and the results OBJ
tanned have been most satisfactory
The new phases of work in the va
< rlous grades have been successfully
Introduced and with closer supervi.
sion the development will be carried
70 brilliant accomplishment"
Hugo B. Froehlich, director of thu
department of manual arts, in his an.
nual report, makes the following rec
ommendations:
That the efficiency of the manua
training department be increased ant
enriched by the establishment of a
least one eighth grade,printing outfit
the equipment to cost not more thar
$3.50
That instruction in sewing be made
continuous throughout the seventh
and eighth years of the elementary
schools.
That instruction in cooking bc
given in the sixth year grade anc
continued without break in the sew.
enth and eighth years of the elemen-
tary schools.
Manual Arts Department.
'sThe establishment of departmental
teaching In the art department, such
teaching to be confined at present to
- seventh and eighth year grades,
% to be begun in few of our
krgest centers."
According to the annual report Of
George w. Knight, supervising engi.
neer, considerable time has been spent
during the past year in giving janitors
special instruction in the operation oi
their plants, with the result that the
plants In some of the buildings are
being operated with greater efficiency
at the present time than ever before
For the ensuing year we have
planned to carry this special instruc
tion somewhat further by lectures de
Hvered to the janitors at the meeting,
Of their association and by actua
demonstrations at the buildings say
Mr.. knight.
The manner in which the janitors
y have co-operated with us in following
out our suggestions and ideas has
been very gratifying.
( 1T might be interesting to the
members of the board to know that
I, the Janitors' Association has APP
4 pointed several committees, with the
object of improving their efficiency
For instance, they have a visiting
committee, whose duty it is to visit
the schools periodically and exchange
ideas for their mutual betterment
The standardizing and system
izing of our work, which has been
going on from year to year, has nat
Z uTdfiy feSuileu III material cutting
down of the force necessary to handle
same. 1t is notable, therefore, that
the work of the past year has been
carried on by a remarkably small
force of employees for a department
OF this kind.
Tt is notable, also, that the salary
{ increases for the past several years
have been almost negligible, and that
this is due, in a large measure, to the
departments desire to turn out bet
ter work and as cheaply as possible.
The work this year has been. for
the most part. of a very difficult
character, being composed principal
/ " of additions TO old buildings
Usually speaking. about twice the
amount of time is required on this
character of work as is required or
new buildings"
According to Mr.. knights report
Z the repair department for the year
ending June, 1916 has completed 81
K repair jobs in the public schools
aggregating $S,6359s. Also the de
partment has supervised 435 jobs or
which the work was done by con-
i tractors. The cost of this work
aggregated s18,15161.