The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-05-29
School Buildings

l OGAOOA cummings
WithIthe interest of the schools a
heart the Parent-Teacher Association
held special meeting Thursday even
ing to discuss matters concerning tn
proposition to provide proper accommo
dations next year. The first thinl
lspokeniof was the new law which pro
vides that certain portion of the day
must be devoted to physical training
AS the laws have not yet been distrib
uted and the school authorities do no
know the exact provisions of the sat
ute in question, it was not possible t.
give this subject strictly intelligent de
Liberation. Some parts of the day arr
now devoted to physical exercises, bu
the idea seems to prevail that it is the
intention to introduce military exer
cises in the schools. This Of course
seems to be impracLicable for thelowel
grades, where there are children rang
ing in age from to years, but it was
thought some provision should be
made whereby pupils would have more
room to exercise than is required now
A committee was appointed to wait on
the Business Mems Association and
ascertain whether it was still in thu
notion Of aiding in fitting up the gym
nasium.
The next question taken up was the
proposition that may soonlbe presented
to the voters, whether a new school
house shall be built, bought or rented
One idea that had been advanced was
that the auditorium be converted into
a schoolroom. This brought forth a
vigorous protest. 1t was shown that
the auditorium is an indispensable
room. 1t is the only place in town
where public meetings can be held. 1t
has been source of revenue from per-
sons who have rented it, and it has
saved the township at least $45 year
by being used as the place for holding
the school commandments. The
teachers institutes are held in this
room, and the annual meeting of the
County Board of Education is also
called for this place. The farmers, too,
are granted the use of the room for
holding their exhibitions. 1t was gen.
orally conceded that there would not
be the slightest justification for doing
anything that would impair the use
fulness of the auditorium.
To build or not to build, to buy or
not to buy, were the next subjects. 1t
was acknowledged that more room is
absolutely necessary. With the high
prices of building materials and labor,
and with the uncertainty of what will
happen in the future, there was much
scope for discussion on both the above
topics. The impression prevailed that
it would not be wise to put up new
building, thereby increasing the tax
rate, which is already high enough.
Another suggestion was that in some
OF the rooms there be half day sessions.
1t was shown that in order to retain
the state moneys it would be necessary
to open such rooms at eight o'clock in
the morning, and keep them open
later in the afternoon than is now the
custom.
In order to give expression to their
ideas, the association adopted the fol-
lowing resolution, and directed that
copy be sent to the board of education:
Resolved, that it is the sense of the
Parent-Teachers' Association that the
interests of the schools of Mount Holly
will be best served by renting build
ing whereby two additional rooms may
De secured. With the present con
1itions of war confronting us, and with
the uncertainty of what the expense of
conducting the goyernmsnt-nationa
and local-may be, we feel it would
not be wise to purchase or build new
this year. Neither do we
,hink it will be for the good of the |
schools to have pupils divide their |
lime by some going in the morning |
md others in the afternoon of each |
lay. We suggest that building be |
ented for one year at least, and at the |
expiration OF that period conditions
nav be such as to warrant other action.