Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-27

NEW SCHOOL BUILDING.

GAitNAabb III AA&'
ance. There seems to be a difference
q. OF opinion among the city officials
who awe to decide the matter. Some
Of them have appea.ed to the public.
Elsewhere In today's EVENING
NEWS Is set forth the complete facts
in the case. The site has been bought
end graded at a total cost of $4,000.
Plans for the building have been ac-
cepted. The estimated cost of the
structure last November was $450,OOO.
NO one doubts that this figure would
be considerably increased at the pres
ent time, It Is plain that the project
will cost the city over half a million
dollars,
Some may think that this Is a great
deal OF money to put into a single
schoo, building. 1t is. But provided
there is no waste. the money cannot
be spent q more worthy cause. A
city cannot afford 10 bubble when 1t
comes to providing an education for
the coming generation.
But this building would be more
than q school house. 1t would be a
civic center. With all the facilities
that the plans call for the entire com
MUMMY would be served. 1t is just
Sc such q building as is needed in the
aorthern section of the city. 1t should
be built without The curtailment OF a
single feature. ii seems that nearly
everybody is agreed to this.
The hitch comes over whether the
building should be erected at the pres
ant time when the cost Of building is
so high. Construction everywhere is
rapidly coming to a s|tandstill because
of the mounting expense Brick
hollow tile, lumber, cement, nails
everything that goes into a building
are all hut prohibitive and the end
does not seem TO be in sight. Along
with al this has gone the price of
labor. The great majority Of people
who have contemplated building have
postponed operations until prices are
more reasonable.
But in public works, especially
+ where education is affected. 1t is
impossible to walt. The children must
be cared for. Here again everybody
concerned In the problem now con-
fronting Perth Amboy seems to be
agreed. The one desire seems to be to
provide adequate accommodations for
1.-The children In a way that viii be the
least burdensome on the taxpayers,
Aldorman-at-Large Wester. whose
views are set forth In great detail In
today's issue, would meet h situa-
ton temporarily by building an ad-
dition to school No. 8 located in the ex-
trame northern section of the city be-
yond st. Mary's cemetery. The plans
for the new Hall venue building he
would put aside for the time-being
until conditions are more favorable
President John K. Sheehy. speaking
for the school board. says an addition
to school No. Q would not solve the
,esngestion problem. He says the dis
4fance the children would have to
walk In order TO attend No. 8 school
would be too great. There Is no
doubt that members of the Board OF
Education, In whom the people have
the utmost confidence. have gone into
This question very thoroughly and
46ave excellent reasons for their
position.
MIR. Wester. however, contends that
No. 9 school Is only -four or five blocks
Further north and that any pupils who
could walk to the proposed Hall ave-
,aue building could easily complete the
distance to No. 8. The advantage OF
she addition to No. 8, Mr.. WEBSTER
claims Is the fact that the pans fol
No. . building provide for such ar
addition as he favors n that sucl
addition could be built practically II
sinae for the fall opening for the sam'
amount OF money-s200 00O-whicf
Nae school board desires in order Il
start work on the Hall avenue struc
Gure.
The fact that the members of thu
Board of Education say that an ad'
Aitlon to school No. Q would be prec'
Ideally useless even after 1t is built be
esuse Of the distance the school l!
from the children who would be ex'
pected 10 use 1t. at once puts a differ
snt Hight on the situation.
But tAere is still another doubt tina.
enters into the consideration of tn
matters. win it be possible to FIND
any bidders for h big Hall avenue
fob at this time should the money fol
It's construction be made available
The Board of Education of Boonto
ran against this snag in their effort Il
erect a new school there at an est
mated cost of $4,000. When thu
time arrived for awarding the contrac
not a single Arm had submitted a bid