Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-27
Cost OF Construction

1OSt VI DttrN uNttot
Mr.. wester states that in 1918 the
average cost of a school building was
less than $1,000 per room easur
ing 25 by 80 feet. Today he figures
the csot of building would be about
$11, 900 per room. Thus, according to
Mr.. Wester's estimate, the eighteen
rooms necessary to provide accommo
dalton for 700 more pupils could be
added to school No. 8, only a few
blocks away from the Hall avenue
site, for the same amount of money
that the school board would spend
this year on merely making a start
on the proposed new building with
out solving the problem of construc-
ton next fall at all.
Mr.. Wester, with the sole idea of
providing school accommodation for
The children of the city, says he would
gladly vote to issue bonds for $500 600
for school construction If he could be
assured that the money would be
spent in building this addition to
school No, 3. But he is aware that
once the money is turned over to
the Board OF Education 1t is their
privilege to do with 1t as they see
fit and as they are inclined to use
1t to start the new building at once.
in spite of the cost of
everything, the alderman-at-large
hesitates to give his consent especially
as he fails to see any relief in such
a program for the congestion in the
schools that will confront the school
authorities next fall.
Mr.. Wester says he wants it dis
tinctly understood that he is not try
ing to block any constructive pro-
gram for the city's school system. He
merely is trying to loo at the matter
from every angle, he says. He wants
to provide ample room for all the
children of the city to secure an edu-
cation; at the anne time he wants
to a the taxpayers as much as
possible. He says he has an open
mind on the subject and Is ready to
be convinced that he is wrong, but
as matters stand now ho cannot
agree to any such elaborate program
as the Hall venue project calls for
at this time.
Thus the matter now rests In the
Board of School Estimate with every
effort being made. to win Mr.. Wester
over to the school boards way of
thinking. The alderman-at-large Is
nxiou to have the whole matter laid
before the public. so that he may
get the sentiment of the taxpayers
on the subject. The Board of School
Estimate is to meet again at the call
of its president, NJ time has yet
been fixed. Several sessions ave al
ready been held without arriving at
and conclusion. The meetings of this
board are In private.
This Is the proposition as 1t now
appears before the Board of Estimate.
This board Is composed of two MEM
bers from the Board of Education,
two members from the Board of AL
dermen and the mayor. Those rep
resenting the school board are John
X. Sheehy and Victor Main. The al
dermen are represented by John N.
Wester and Christian Anderson. In
this body the balance of power rests
with Mayor Dorsey.
1t is understood that Mayor Dor
sey, while being opposed to issuing
bonds for the entire amoun needed
for the new building at his time,
is inclined to side with the representa-
tives of the Board of Education in
their request for half that amount
now and the remainder next year. !
But even though Mayor Dorsey voted
with the representatives OF the Board
of Education in favor of q $1,000 0
bond issue this year., 1t is still up to
the Board of Aldermen to comply
with this request or not, as the alder |
men may see fit. ,
1t is here where the influence OF
,Alderman-at-large John N. Wester is
felt, Besides being president of the
Board of Alderman and a member
OF the Board of SchOol Estimate Mr..
Wester is a prominent contractor In
this city and Is as well posted as any
one can be in these uncertain times
as to building conditions. Mr.. West
er is not yet convinced that it Is wise
TO even start the proposed new struc-
ture this year.
What Wester Thinks
In a statement made today Mr..
Wester declared that he was heartily
in favor of the now school in Hall
avenue and that he fully approved Of
the plans that the school board has
adopted. He says that the best is
one too good for Perth Amboy, es-
pecially in the way of education. The
idea of a civic center such as the
proposed new building provides also
meets with his approval and he be-
lieves that when the new building is
constructed it should be along exact
ly the lines that the school board
has adopted.
But Mr.. Wester says that the cost
of building is almost prohibitive at
the present time. He argues that
If 1t was estimated hat the proposed
building for Hall avenue would cost
$3.50 900 last November it will cost
considerable more now as building
materials of all sorts ave gone up
fully thirty-five per cent, since that
time. The alderman-at-large feels