The Penn's Grove record., 1920-12-10

based on the number of pupils present,
was SO tents a day, or approximately
6R cents an hour for each child. Com
menting upon these facts, Commits
sioner Kendall said:
while the aggregate amount is
large, in terms of the actual individual
child, SO cents seems a moderate cost
per day, particularly in view of the
very high cost of living. which affects
the conduct of schools as well as the
lives of individuals.
How many parents, especially
mothers, are there in the state who
would not be willing to contribute SO
cents a day merely for the c%aretaking
of their children for five or five and a
half hours per day, to say nothing of
the benefits received by the children
from the positive influences of educa-
ton? Such is the effort of the state,
however imperfectly carried out, to
obey the mandate of the Constitution"
During the year 1920 the current
expenses for operating the schools
amounted to $30,S54, 795. This was an
increase of S5,403, 7S1 over the preced-
ing year. More than S20.000,000 Of
this amount was expended for salaries
Of teachers, superintendent and prin-
cipals. Salaries of janitors and engi-
neers cost 81, $3.50. 10S and of attend
ance officers S22S, 739. Fuel cost ST.
172,0 The expenses of the depart
ment of public instruction and the
State Board of Education were S110,-
$50, or about one-half of l per cent of
the current expenses.
Of the 623,2S4 pupils enrolled 31,4S6
were in the evening schools. In the
day schools were 299,S15 boys and
POI 1888 girls, a total of 591, 79SJ This
was an increase of 2O,364 in the day
school enrolment.
Decrease in Kin%dergartens.
Of the total enrolment 40,2S2 pupils
were in the kindergartens, a decrease
of 146 from the preceding year. There
were 276,49S pupils in the first four
grades, known as the primary schools.
The total number of pupils in grades
five to eight, inclusive, was S1,S64.
The total number registered In high
schools was 55,243, an increase OF
1884 for the year. In 1914 the high
school enrolment was $500.
The total number of pupils enrolled
in one room rural schools was 1895,
an increase of 41S. The number in
two room schools vas 1924, an in
crease of 1908. There was a decrease
Of 81 in the number of teachers In n
and two room schools. These figures
were referred to by DR.. Kendall as in
dicative Of the progress Of consolida-
ton of schools in the state.
The average daily attendance in day
schools was 453,946, an increase Of
1,459. The average absence Of pu-
pills was II days, or one day less than
the preceding year.. There was an in
crease of men teachers In all Of the
schools of the state of 800 and an in
crease of women teachers of 557.
The reported valuation Of school
properties increased during the year
from $50, 100000 to $102,000,000. +,
School Needs Outlined.
Some of the needs Of the schools as
outlined in nine recommendations
made by Commissioner Kendall were
as follows An increase in the salaries
of assistant commissioners from So
900 to $1,000 a year; establishment of
an Americanization bureau, with an
appropriation of not less than $780,
900 for maintenance; establishment Of
a state attendance bureau and q cen
sus Of school children; erection Of a
soldiers and sailors memorial build
ing housing the department of public
instruction, using as a nucleus 1884,
321 contributed for that purpose
through the schools and from other
sources; suitable and decent" quar-
tiers for the department Of public in
struction an additional normal school
in the northeastern part of the state,
preferably Hudson county distribu-
ton by the state to the local districts
Of more money, to be obtained by in
creasing the present state school tax
from az mills to 6 mills; establish
ment of a state university, either as a
new institution or by enlargement of
an existing institution distribution Of
the reserve fund by the State Board of
Education to townships rather than to
counties.
In advocating establishment of
townships instead of counties as the
unit for distributing the reserve DR..
Kendall said that under present condi-
lions rich districts as we'll as poor
ones receive aid. although the rich
districts do not need it. He cited ex-
amples of districts so poor in ratables
as to be unable to maintain adequate
schools for the children.
The general plan proposed by DR..
Kendall was that the state school ap-
preparation should be distributed by
the State Board of Education upon
recommendation of county superin-
tendents, ratified by the commissioner
of education. In this way, DR.. Ken
dali said, it would be possible to equal
lie more nearly the advantages of ed
ucation for all children in the state.
w. : - h. 49, IL -