Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-09-18
SCHOOL REPORT
IS SUBMITTED
Special Investigating Com
mittee Makes Report to
Mayor Chase

SOUTH AMBOY, Sept. 1S.-The
committee. consisting of Paul w.
Puather, Mrs. j. Arthur A~pplegate.
Mrs. e. H. Eulner and Mrs. ]. d.
Van Pelt, named by Mayor Chase to
investigate the public school system
in this city and compare it with that
of other schools in the state, has
completed it's investigation and filed
its report with the mayor.
The local school system is
ed with those in eighteen other cities
whose enrolment is about the sane
as that in South Amboy and in adj
dition a comparison is made with ten
cities having a population practical
ly the same as this city. The figures
obtained by the committee are for
the school year ending June, 1922.
According to the report, South
Amboy has an assessed wealth of
~S5,81S.01 per pupil which ranks 1t
fifth in the list of nineteen school
districts among which the COMPARE
son was made.
The report says:
I'm total tax rate of 5000 we stand
second. In school tax rate we stand
sixteenth with a ate of 1926 and in
rate for other local purposes, we
stand first with a rate of $3.50.
l 1922 and 1923 we spent
S6.943.21 for schools and $~9S,976.13
for other purposes. That is, we
spent about Al per cent. of our rev
enue for schools. Only one city of
the nineteen, spent a smaller pro-
portion. South Amboy ranks fourth
In total cost per pupil, with $S0.67.
We rank fourth in salary cost per
pupil, in the elementary school, with
$54.18 per pupil and the same in
high school with $106.71. Admins
ltration takes $3.50 of the total cost
per pupil, instruction $66.9O; opera
ton $lO.25; maintenance $3.50; aux
mary agencies so cents and miscel-
I%laneous. Is cents.
Administration includes the sal
aries of the secretary, custodian, ex-
penses of board and SUPERINTENDENT
and cost of compulsory attendance.
Instruction includes salaries of SUI
perintendent and teachers, with cost
OF books and supplies. Operation
includes janitors salaries, fuel. light.
etc. Maintenance is upkeep of build
lngs and insurance. Auxiliary agen-
cles are libraries, medical inspection.
lectures and recreation. Miscellane-
GUS includes all other expenses.
FROM tf.ese figures it is seen that
our schools pay substantial, but not
excessive salaries. The
commends this policy in that it en-
ables our schools to hold their teach
ers and not be afflicted with con-
tlnued designations. However. in
view of the financial condition of the
city, the committee recommends that
no further general or blanket in
crease in salaries be made. but that
a system be worked out whereby the
mere service of time in our schools
will not be reason for increase of
pay but increases be granted to
those who show themselves TO be
better teachers as time goes on"
The report goes on to\
the cost of local schools with those
of ten other districts. whose popula-
tlon is about equal to that of South
Amboy. The tables presented per-
nit the same conclusion, as those of
the tables comparing South Amboy
with cities whose enrolment is of
the same order of magnitude. Much
adverse criticism has been directed
to the supposed failure of the high
school graduates to continue in high
er institutions of learning. The
committee has found, however, that
nearly 80 per cent of those who en-
tered schools or colleges in the ten
years 1913 to 1922 inclusive, have
passed through them, or are pass
ing through them at the present
time. The report goes on to say:
THE committee did not feel quail
fed to give IN expert opinion on the
pedagogical efficiency of our schools,
but in conversation with people
throughout the state, who are able
to judge, it heard most favorable
comment upon our schools. The
general opinion is that South Am
boy is well above the average. This
Is confirmed by the fact hat our
schools are designated by the state
authorities as a practice teaching
center. for normal school students.
Only the better and more progress
sive schools are so chosen"
A number of copies of the report
have been made and are available
for distribution to the public. The
complete report occupies twenty
one typewriter pages. 1t contains
a number of tables showing various
costs in twenty-nine school districts
of the state. 1t is proposed to sup
ply each of these tw%enty-nine dis
tricts with a copy. Anyone desiring
a copy of the report will be supplied
upon request by Paul w. Prather,
$50 Parker avenue