Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-06
LOCATION OF THE NEW SCHOOL

The Board of Education is determined to go ahead with the
new school in Hall avenue. Being responsible for the education
Df the children Of Perth Amboy they are justified in doing
everything possible to provide. adequate facilities. That the
school will be built eventually there is no doubt; in fact, any
financial legislation that may be enacted for the benefit of Perth
Amboy must necessarily include the new school project.
But before any further steps are taken toward the actual
erection of this school careful attention should be given to the
= preliminary report of the City Plan Commission in reference to
ae school sites. We have already heard some complaints from the
Is tpeopIe in the northern section of the city about locating a school
t M Hall avenue. This thoroughfare is to North Amboy what
asbmith street is to the downtown section of the city. Suppose
7 some twenty years ago when all that section of Smith street
from State street westward to the Central railroad was vacant
land, the city had bought a plot in the vicinity of Madison ave-
hue on Smith street and erected a public school thereon. We
can realize today what a mistake it would have been.
Hall avenue, twenty years hence, will be an important
business thoroughfare all the way from State street to Amboy
avenue. To have one of the city's most important school build
ings located on that avenue would be a detriment in the devel-
opment of the avenue and a danger to the hundreds of children
who would be thus drawn to such an important business artery.
The city plan experts have indicated on the map which ac-
tompanied their preliminary report two sites for new grammar
schools in the future. One of these proposed sites is on Eagle
avenue which forms the southern boundary of the city's park
property in that section. The site for the school is actually
within the park although on the very edge so that the park itself
D. not injured while the surroundings for a school are ideal.
Eagle avenue is four blocks north Of Hall avenue and the
city plan map shows a proposed connection between Easton ave.
nue. and Eagle avenue across the railroad tracks so as to make
the proposed school accessible to all that section north of Hall
avenue and east Of the railroad.
This is a matter that ought to receive serious consideration
before any further steps toward actual building are taken.
This is exactly what a city plan is for. It enables the officials
to look into the future and plan accordingly. An important
business thoroughfare with all the traffic and congestion that it
brings is no place for a school building. How much more ideal
would be a location where the building would be surrounded by
q park.
The fact that the city already owns the Eagle avenue site
even though it is set aside for park purposes, would make I'M
necessary any further outlay for land on which 10 build the
echool. 1t would simply be necessary to go through the formal
Rties Of transferring as much of the property as is required for
the school to the Board of Education. At the same time, the in
grease in the value of the land on Hall avenue which has been
bought for the school site, will enable the city to get back the
4 money it has invested there within a few years.
The city plan is already beginning to prove its value in the
development of the city and it is only a preliminary report that
I'VE have to work on so far. With a real comprehensive city plan
for the guidance Of the city officials in making public improve
trents, all kinds Of serious mistakes that would become so glar-
Eng in the future could readily be avoided and the city would
grow in a systematic and permanent manner.