Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-18
SCHOOL URGED
BY ASSOCIATION
Western Improvement Body is
for New Building as Soon as
Construction is Possible.

The Western Improvement Asso-
citation has sent to the EVENING
NEWS a letter explaining their stand
on the proposition of building new
grade school ON the Hall avenue
property now owned by the Board of
Education for that purpose. The as
sociation is in favor of this building
being erected as soop as the Board of
Aldermen may see their way clear
to float bond Issue of sufficient size
TO cover the cost. The improvement
association Is of the opinion that II
the new school is built to provide for
the teaching of pupils In all grades.
the present crowded conditions at the
high school, grammar school and
schools Nos. s. s, and will be re-
lieved. The letter follows:
March II, 1920.
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
"Kindly permit me through the
columns of the EVENING NEWS 10
express our views on u subject of
great interest to the people of this
city, the question whether a new
school building shall be erected on
the Hall avenue school tract.
There is no doubt but that a
school building in which all grades
can be taught is much needed in this
part of the city. 1t Is certainly not
reasonable to require that children
in the grades living near Inslee street
shall attend school in the high school
building on State street as is now the
case. If building conditions were any
where near normal and the financial
conditions of the. city We're such that
the money could be appropriated
without interfering with other needed
work there would be only one an
swer. Build the school at once. We
must. however, take conditions as
they are.
1--WE understand that even IL the
work was commenced now the build
ing could not be completed for use
next year. To attempt to erect sub
stitute elsewhere and delay the erec-
ton of the large building Will not
give any relief next year. Under the
present conditions, and nothing start
ed, even O smaller building could not
be completed for use next year. at
least not before toward the close or
the school year. Therefore, we think
the Hall avenue school should ne
erected as planned at the earliest
possible date.
THE question will then be: How
soon can this building be erected and
what can be done to take care OF the
children of school age until such new
building can be completed? As nei-
ther this nor any other building can
be of any practical use next year, ar
rangements must in either case be
made to take care of the children
next year. This we think should be
done with the present buildings IN
the best manner possible.
THE proposed new Hall avenue
school has been estimated to cost
about $450. 10000. But as the cost
of building has increased about one
third since the estimate was made
and there are other heavy expenses
II n a
cost will be much higher This
amount of money can not, we under
stand, be raised by bond issue this
year. However, the building Is both
needed and wanted.
I'VE therefore think that as much
money as could reasonably be raised
for this purpose without interfering
with other needed work this year
should not be raised by q bond issue
of this year but withheld and raised
with next years issue. The issue for
next year could then possibly be made
largo enough to cover the cost. We
understand about 100000 to $780,
900 could be raised this year. III
proper arrangements are made Tor
comm encing erection of the building
at the earliest possible date under this
plan, the building should be COM
pleted for use at the beginning of
the following school year. This Is
about as early as 1t could be COM
pleted even If part of the work was
done this year.
'Tt Is also a question whether 1t
would be possible this year under the
present conditions to get the building
erected at reasonable cost at all.
There is, Of course, no guarantee that
the cost Of building will be materially
decreased. but there Is hope that the
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