The Lambertville record., 1921-02-18
NEEDS OF THE
HIGH SCHOOL
EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN
VESTED IN IT NOW WILL PAY
A MILLION DOLLAR DIVIDEND
IN THE NEXT GENERATION

L spent two hours and half at the
Lambetville High School Tuesday. |
went there to see for myself the things
others had been telling me. | meant
to stay but half an hour. For it seems
that / have more than my share of
work, night and day. But when l met
j. H. Herring, and heard his plans, his
problems, and saw the splendid work
he and his teachers are doing with
such limited equipment, l did not be-
grudge the time.
| am sincere in my solicitude for our
schools. lam not interesting myself
for the want of something to do. l
invite any one to stop in at the Record
Building at any time between seven in
the morning and twelve at night if he
doubts that have enough to do with
out meddling with other peoples
affairs.
But the problem of our schools are
my problems. They are the problems
of every citizen of the town. I like
the town, or / would not have come
here. l like the people with few
exceptions). l have come to stay. And
l am going to do what | can for the
welfare of the community and the de-
velopment of its future citizens.
Those future citizens are the chill
dren who attend our schools. They
are the ones who will take up the work
of those who are leaving off. And my
prediction is that when the present
students of Lambertville's schools
have stepped into their majority of
years and responsibility there will be
no need to make appeals for the well
fare of the schools.
There are approximately 300 stu
dents at the High School. There are
but twelve teachers-two of them on
part time. The assembly room of the
school accommodate but 180 people. 1t
is impossible to have all the students
at chapel exercises or to use the room
for school functions.
Every class room is overcrowded. In
the science room, one of the most i'm
portant departments of training in
the educational system, the students
have to sit on the window lodges and
stand around the walls. In the type
writing department there are fourteen
machines. The room is so small the
students are crowded in at these
machines until their elbows jostle to-
gether. There should be twenty-four
machines to accommodate the students
who desire to work. No one will deny
the practical value of this department.
The machines are hammered every
hour Of the day, and still lack accom-
mediation.
The manual training department has
already demonstrated its value. Every
one remembers the splendid exhibit
staged IN the town last spring showing
the splendid work done by its students.
Such work demands elbow room. There
should be sufficient benches to allow
freedom of movement. Some of the
classes are so crowded that the in
structor cannot move among the stu
dents without josthng them.
The Board of Education has already
provided for a domestic science de-
partnent But there is no room for
It. NJ. Herring is beseged by the
girls themselves with requests for this
department. And surely no sane man
will deny the need of the growing girl
for the knowledge of household duties,
cooking, sewing and home nursing
Thousands Of divorces would have
been prevented had such things been
taught all wives. Mr. Herring is
cudgeiirg his brain in attempts to
shift clasS rooms back and forth to
provide room for tbs work. 1t is
dire need.
When Mr.. Herring came here there
had been not the slightest attempt to
provide any athletic or gymnast.c edu-
cation for the schools. There was three
hundred dollars in bank which was to
provide for some form Of athletics.
This 8Ir. Herring used to provide two
tennis courts on the school grounds.
But it was necessary that the boys do
most of the work emselyes-grad-
ing and terracing, erecting posts and
netting. Some people even criticised
this. They said it deprived the boys
of their studies! No child with grow
ing energy and animal unrest is going
to learn well in IA stuffy room without
proper exercise.
Mr.. Herring has demonstrated re-
markable adaptability in developing
athletics. His football, baseball and
basketball teams have been winning
teams. He has donned suits and played
with ghem-teaching them not only
the ethics of sport, but the ethics of
self-control.
One of the most notable Incidents
know n the annals of school athletics
is the story have heard dozen times
since | came here of the letter wit
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