Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-08-08
SGSaD
TIME FOR PARENTS TO ACT.

Parents of the children who attend the public
schools of Perth Amboy ought to be particularly
interested in the report of superintendent shull
which was published in the Evening News
Friday. Mr.. Shull sets forth conditions in the
public schools exactly as they are. 1t is not
for him to say when new schools are to be
built, how much they are'to cost or where they
are to be located. although his advice on such
matters is extremely valuable. 1t is his duty
to use such equipment as is given him by the
Board of Education for the best interest possible
of the children of the city in an effort to give
them q good education.
In his report the city superintendent tells In
a clear and matter of fact way exactly what the
CITY is up against. Naturally, if the parents are
Indifferent as to the conditions under which
their children are taught, If it makes no diff
fernce to the parents whether their children
are compelled to sit the greater part of the day
in what amounts to a cellar of a school building
Or are huddled together into school rooms that
are intended only for half the number of pupils
that are crowded into them, or IL the children
are put on part time, thereby receiving only a
part of the attention that they are entitled to
II the parents are satisfied with such conditions
we say, why should the city superintendent
be concerned?
OF course he is concerned. Parents may
express their horror of such a situation one day
and forget all about it the next-or, at least
forget about it until their children are taken
sick because of the insanitary conditions under
which they are being taught--but the city
n1perintendent and the teachers who are con-
fronted with such a state of affairs every day
cannot forget. The conscientious superintendent
md teachers are anxious to do good work, but
,hey find that the conditions under which they
have TO work do not permit good work.
who is to blame? To whom are the parents
of the children who are thus imposed upon to
look for a remedy Of such a disgraceful stua-
ton? Perhaps it is the fault of the parents
themselves, for not insisting on more school
room.
T.s Board of School Estimate. which has the
matter of financing the schools in hand, is made
np of five members only two of whom are from
the Board of Education. Two other members
are from the Board of Aldermen, and the fifth
is the mayor. The aldermen, who have control
of all city finances, are compelled to appropriate
for school purposes whatever amount the Board
of school Estimate decides is necessary for
school purposes.
The Board of Education has been fully aware
of the condition that confronts the school
authorities and the two members from the
school board who sit in the Board OF School
Estimate have presented their case in a most
effective manner, urging the necessity of more
room. The school board members, however,
are in the minority. The two members from
the Board of Aldermen have refused to vote
for the bond issue or additional appropriation
that the school board deems necessary to relieve
the congestion. The mayor, who has the de-
Gliding vote, has stood with the aldermen as
against the school board members. Here we
have an unusual state of affairs. Some fault
has been found because the school board is not
elective and thus not responsible directly to
the people. But in this case it is the aldermen
who are elected by the people who are prevent