Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-07-11
200 Children In Rooms
Contrary to State Laws,
Relief Promised Here

in the public schools being received
showing that there are enrolled at
the present time, ,213 more pupils
than allowed by law in the rooms
available. A. Clayton Clark, of the
Board of Education, also presented
an opinion given State Commissions
er of Education Enright by 5. At.
torney General McCran stating that
money issued for bonding schGels
is outside of the municipal deb-
limit and does not affect it. a.
As the city's debt statement will
not be available until the aldermanic
meeting next Monday night, it was
impossible for the Board of School
Estimate to take any action in the
matter of a new school but it was
discussed in full. all angles being
considered, the general concensus
of opinion being tnat the Hall ave-
nue school is essential at this time.
All of the board members were
presented at the meeting. consist
ing of Mayor Wilson, Alderman-at-
Large Calvin, Alderman Mcclure,
School Commissioners Clark and
Sellers, and Clerk Crowell.
The opinion of the attorney gem
eral seemed to settle a question
which has long existed in the minds
when the matter of building the
school came up there was differ
ence of opinion between members
of the school board and the alder
men as to how the expense of tins
work would affect the .city,s. deRt1
limit. The school pioro n y :.
maintained that the apbftbsr i
would not act against the debt limit
and the comptroller held that the
expenditures would go against the
municipal debt limit.
A canvass of the schools was made
by the school board in order to de-
termine exact conditions now pre-
vailng. This report showed the
number of rooms in each building,
the amount of floor space available.
the number of pupils allowed in each
school by law and the number ac-
tually enrolled the number of pu-
pills going half-time and the nurl-
Der of cellar rooms used together
with the number of pupils in the
basement classrooms.
There are 1872 rooms in the ten
grade schools, grammar school and
high school, the report shows, giving
a total floor space of 123SSS square
feet. The law allows 6,949 pupils in
this amount of space. There are
S.162 pupils enrolled, an excess OF
1,213. There are 473 pupils at
tending half-time sessions and eleven I
cellar rooms are in use in which TAB
pupils are quartered.
Only three of the twelve schools
in the city are within the terms OF
the law as far as seating space is
concerned, the report showed, these
schools being the high school, gram
mar school and School No. at
Maurer.
In the high school the law allows
1.O17 pupils and there are 917 en-
rolled, giving that school margin
of 100. In the grammar schooi tne
law allows 40 and 1,313 are at
tending. making it possible to admit
n more pupils and still be WITHIN
the provisions of the law. At School
No. 3. the law permits of 90 puplis
and there are SO, giving margin
of I. ~.
citv is No. School. In this build
ing there is an excess of 334 pupiis'
The law allowing 552, whereas there
are enrolled S66. Other schools are
far in excess of the enrolment With
in the Jaw.
The matter of erecting the new
Hall avenue school has been hang
ing fire for several years. Steps
were taken before the war 10 erect
this building but all operations We're
discontinued when the war broke
out. Last year an effort was MADE
by the school board to have the
new school built but without sue
cess.
The prospects for the new school
building are now brighter than they
have ever been and another meet
ing of the Board of School Esti-
mate will be held shortly. probably
next week, as the city's debt state
ment will be submitted to the alder
men Monday night by the treasurer.