The Penn's Grove record., 1921-12-09

Meut never adyprtiSeS a contract for
patented pavements unless unpatente0
~pavements are thrown in competition
with it. The New Jersey County act
ut the present time, not only does not
compel competition with an unpatented
type where Il patented type is selected
by the Board Of F~reeholders, but it
actually forbids competition and allows
the Freehelders to receive bids on no
other type. The New Jersey County
act is the most pernlciOus and I'M
American road law in the country.
"Mr. Uhler states that the Penn
sylvania Highway Department cOnsid-
ers the unpatented types equally as
good as the patented types. He says
that the Pennsylvania Department fire.
quently throws reinforced concrete in
competition with bituminous types,
which includes the patented pavements,
and the award is made TO the low
bidder irrespective Of the type bid on.
The open specifications nill, which
| intend to introduce at the coming
session of the legislature, is not de
signed to drive the patented pavements
out of existence. 1t is merely to COM
pei competition between them and the
non-patented type along the lines so
successfully followed in the great road
building state of Pennsylvania.
THE patented paving ring in their
fight ON my open specifications bill
have claimed that the patented paw
Ing types were so superior to the nom
patented types that it was unfair to
compel them to compete with inferior
and therefore cheaper types. Mr.. Uhler,
who is an engineer with al experience,
in road building work, which has been
equalled by but few men In the
try, says that as a result Of the expert
ence and knowledge OF the Pennsyl-
vania Department that there is no
doubt in their minds as 20 reinforced
concrete, asphaltic concrete or sheet
asphalt, three non-patented types, be-
ing equally as durable and desirable
as Notwithstanding, the best known
of the patented types.
From January l, 1919, to october
/, 1921, Mr.. Uhler states that the Penn
sylvania Highway Department has
awarded cts for 1879 miles Of
road. OF that amount 1,121 miles were
for reinforced concrete, 175 for bit1m-
nous surface on concrete base, 65 for
bituminous surface on stone base, IS
for brick and one and one-fourth miles
of plain concrete
Schools Too Well Filled
High schools throughout New Jer.
sey are o~vercrowded, Commissioner of
Education Enright said at the annual
convention of the State Federation of
District Boards of Education, held in
the Assembly Chamber. He insisted,
however, that this condition should
be regarded as an encouraging M
rather than as a source of discourage
ment, as "education of all the people
to the fullest possible extent should
be looked upon as the cheap defense
of the state and the nation" One OF
the departments principal problems,
he said, is the difficulty of getting
trained teachers.
In the past year there have been en-
rolled in the schools of New Jersey
$4,000 boys and girls, an increase
Of 10000 from the year before. Sixty
five thousad were registered In the
high schools, the increase In the
elementary schools being about 3 per
cent, while in the high schools the in
crease was about Is per cent. The
number Of teachers employed was 49,
IA, an Increase of Oil. The current
expenses of the schools, not including
new buildings nor the payment of ma
turing bonds, cost $3S, 100000, an in
crease of 49, 1000. The per capita
cost on the total enrolment was
$63,82, an increase of SLIGO.
School Boards Reflect Officers
Reelection of officers of the State
Federation of District Boards of Edu-
cation marked the conclusion of the
annual convention. The officers re-
elected are: President, Wilbur Zim-
norman, Ventnor; vice president, 1.
w. Harper, Peapack-Gladstone treas
urer, William NJ. Mitcham, Hacketts-
town; secretary, Herbert N. Morse,
Trenton.
Among the speakers at a luncheon
which preceded the closing business
session Was Mrs. Seymour Cromwell
of Mendham, a member of the State
Board of Education, who spoke of h
needs of rural schools. Describing her
investigations she said that while she
had found many cases where the con-
solidation Of schools would prove
beneficial, there were others in which
she believed consolidation should be
avoided.
The effect Of the housing bill ex-
empting dwelling houses from taxa
ton for a limited period, was discuss
ed on the ground that it is diverting
money from school purposes. The leg
islative committee, of which John Y.
Dater of Bergen is chairman, was re-
auested to make an investigation.
Jersey constabuIary Patrols
The state police force, organized un-
Ia. lauy naSSod last winter. began