The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-04-17
Public Safety Activities

\. Public Safety Activities
i Capts. w. s. Gale and NJ. E. Mat
lack are forming home defence guard
that promises to be quite an efficient
body. A call for recruits was sent out,
to meet in the high school auditorium
on Tuesday night. The response was
gratifying, as 1913 men were enrolled
and given the first instructions in
military training. Weekly drilling
will be held. After the meeting at the
Auditorium, Capt. Gale and his assist
ants went to Red Mems hall and in
spectsd the uniformed rank OF three
officers and forty men of the Jr. o. U.
A. M. These young men are equipped
with full uniforms and rifles, and have
offered their services for home defence.
The committee on home gardens
urges all citizens to cultivate every
available plot of fertile ground. The
food question probably will be the
most serious of the war problems.
Plans are being formulated to have
boy scouts and school children cultivate
lots that otherwise would not be farm
ed. Particular attention should be
given to crops for winter use, such as
white and sweet potatoes, string and
lima beans, turnips, onions, etc.
A day and night guard is patrolling
the reservoirs and pumping plant of
the public water supply.
Parent-T eachers' Association.
The audience in the high school
auditorium, Thursday evening, at the
monthly meeting of the Parent
Teachers Association, was rather
larger than on former occasions, but
there was scarcity of men, not more
than six being present. The meeting
opened with selections by the high
school orchestra, which is rapidly i'm
proving.
The pupils of the Samuel Aaron
school were present and those from the
primary department gave an exhibit
ton of the training they had received
in folk dance and in vocal music.
They did their work well and were
heartily applauded. Following this
came the same exercises by the pupils
who are further advanced and while
they performed their parts very credit
ably they did not outstrip the younger
ones very much. Both are to be given
great credit for their work and for the
enjoyment they added to the evenings
entertainment.
Miss Smith, the president, announced
that the annual meeting will be held
on the tenth Of May. She appointed
nominating committee, which will
take charge of proposing candidates
for the Offices to be filled at that time. |
Miss Flynn reviewed the work OF last |
year in connection with the public |
playground. 1t was a popular place,
but, unfortunately, just as it was getting |
into firstclass shape, the infantile para
lysis caused the grounds to be put I'M
der quarantine. 1t was thought that |
the grounds the present year, would |
prove very popular and it was decided
to open them immediately following
the sessions of the Chautauqua Asso-
citation. Several articles for the amuse-
ment of the children were purchased
last year, but were not used, so that
they are as good as new now.
The next number on the programme
was the reading Of papers. The first
was by Mrs. A. S. l.. Doughty, her
subject being the school system of
Gary, Indiana. Mrs. Doughty read
some extracts from the reports OF the
school authorities of Gary which recised
the wonderful work done in that place,
not as large as Mount Holly, but which
is doing great things for the children
of that town. The reader enumerated
the various departments that had been
brought to attention and her paper was
decidedly instructive and interesting,
bringing forth many ideas that those
who were very attentive to the reading
will find of benefit to them when con-
sidering educational subjects. Il
Professor William G. Sullivan was ,
the next speaker. He referred to the ,
work being done and the needs of the !.
schools of Mount Holly. He said there
is urgent need of an additional teacher [
who will relieve the work of the depart {
ments that are now obliged to divide
their labors and would give more time
and attention to studies that are now
hurriedly carried on. He referred to
the fact that there is necessity for new {
teachers in the primary department
and he said he knew that members of
the Board of Education are being i'm
portuned to elect persons who are being
pushed forward by personal friends.
He thought that all who urged the
election OF teachers should first ascer- {
tain whether the applicant is capable
OF teaching rather than using personal
favOritism as a motive. He admitted {
that election was within the province |
of the Board of Education but, he said, 6
that body is the servant of the people, Ii
He greatly favored the idea that par
ents should take more interest in l
school work and visit the schools, re- |
citing incidents where some parents,
after visiting, had said they did not
have any idea that such good work was
being done. Professor Sullivan spoke
in very earnest and energetic manner
and his remarks were right to the
point.
The last paper was read by Joseph
G. Kingdom. 1t touched on the good
that had been accomplished by the Par
Association and what
may still be done.