The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-12-07

buildings, and the sum of $372,3S2.94 7as been appropriated by the board
 # appOrtionment and taxation for the anne purpose, making total of $2,- 2S2,00O.94 for new schools during my -erm of office as mayor. The Salar- .es of the school teachers have been
 increased about 100 per cent during he same period, and this has insured competent teachers without which our schoolhouses would be vaIueless.
 "I believe that a encouragement of the curriculm in our schools should De made so that all of the educational facilities offered within the walls of each building may be so alternated
 hat the pupils may get the full bene- it therefrom, and this would relieve great deal of the congestion which some allege to exist at the present
 ime. The board of education has never reported to the common coun- cil any of the facts and conditions re- !ating to the so-cal1ed congestion. Such information as any one has is largely due to irresponsible claims made by different individuals. some with the color of authority but as a matter of fact not having the sane ton of the full board. The playground system should be more closely allied with our school system so that the re- creationa1 Tours of the school chill dren may be properly supervised un- der suitable conditions. With a great CT diversity of vocational training
 
 the men and women of tomorrow will be better equipped to enter upon their life work.
 s"I firmly believe in providing educa- tional facilities for all the school chill dren of our city and that money should be wisely and judiciously spent and the recommendations should be based upon an actual careful investi- gation. l further believe that the ques- ton of schools is being raised at this time for the purpose of detractng at tention from the extension of Broad street which. as we all know. has been advocated for over genera ton and is one of the greatest needs of our city today. Some Of the prop aganda against this improvement has been to the effect that prices of mate rial are now at their peak, when, as a matter of fact, we all know that the peak has long since passed and that we are in the midst of an indus trial depression and that the city will be called upon to aid and assist many, not through the desire of the 1ndl- vidua1 but from necessity arising from the condition of unemployment in our city. By carrying through this inn provernent many would be provided with work during the coming hard months, and the city. on account of the prices of materials, will not be forced to pay as much at this tune as | in the spring or thereafter.
 There is no reason, however. why this improvement may not go along at the same time with the building oI chOOlS. One is not a substitute for the other, for the amount of money that | i':Enas been intimated is necessary for 1 schools can only be raised by increas- | ing our debt limit, whether Broad l street be extended or not. If Broad | street is not extended you will find | that the retail district will suddenly | leave it's present channels and go else l where to the detriment of other To-
 calities and probably to some Of the
 residential sections of our city. | If the Plaza as 1t now exists. IS
 not to be used as public market
 place. which many of our citizens
 have desired, but which can exis
 only by the willingness of the pro- | ducer to provide and the consumer
 to purchase, at such place, then i believe 1t would be perfectly right and
 proper for the city to seii. if 1t is | possible for it to do so. the property | not needed for the extension of the | streets as they now exist. It WAS very | neeeasafy to extend these streets as l they now are and the widening and 1 extension would have eiathtled as | much cost had the city not taken al | the property, for most of the build | ings would have been so destroyed a: | to make them untenantabie and no1 lowing their present lines. however, | believe this property would return tt l the city all the cost it has been pu | to from the action of your honorable
 body in establishing the Plaza,
 T know that you gentlemen are al actuated by a desire to serve the c1t1
 faithfully and to do your utmost to
 ward solving the many pFeb1sh1
 which may ceme before you durins | term of Ottlc6,'