Palisadian., 1923-02-09
Mr.. Venables Gives
Views On School
Conditions
February 1, 1928


Cliffside Park:
At the first meeting called to talk
over our allowing the Board OF Edu-
cation to spend s439,OOO for land and
new buildings, l tried to show that
vote of the people said the same
thing
At the meeting in the High School
on January II, 1923, with handful of
people present, | told what other
places were doing when they needed
more school room. will repeat it now
and add what | consider a building
program, if the people do not wish to
economic as the wealthy cities do.
Jersey City is running the Dickinson
High School on double sessions, some
pupils going to school at 8 a. m. and
leaving at about 1890 Others come
at about 12.45 and leave at or $50
p. m. They have time for conference
with teachers outside of their school
hours. Newark, Paterson and New
York City are following about the
same plan. They do not like it but
believe that it is the best that they
can do at present. Their tax rates
are not over six Many other towns
are saving in buildings by using them
more.
The Borough Hall School was not
closed by the County Superintendent
of Schools at the close of the last
school year as the State Building In
spector and our local authorities say.
| suggest that the publishers of the
Cliffside Park School News give us
the entire correspondence with the
County Superintendent and the au-
thorities at Trenton before the next
school election.
The Borough Hall School can be
placed in condition at cost of about
$1,000. If the light is bad we have
plenty of electricity in town. Build
the small fire escapes so the children
will not have to jump from the first
story windows. Fire doors can be
placed to shut off the basement and
boiler room from the main exit. Fire
proof the beams, etc, near the smoke
pipe If the ventilating system is cut
off or not working, whose fault is it?
Make it right. Give the children
full day in school if possible. One
thousand dollars is cheap rent for two
or three years This will do away
with most, if not all, the part time in
the Cliffside School kindergarten
classes on one session are not count
ed as on part time, as they need only
one session of school. For this
scheme no vote is needed by the peos
pie, unless the Board wants an extra
$1,000.
If the people do not like the above
and can afford to build, believe room
for all pupils for full days school
ing for the next three years can be
obtained at cost of from $4,000 to
$1,000 When Hoboken needed more
room in the high school it built
a fourth story. Why can we not build
third story on the parts of our High
School that are now but two stories?
Remember that part of our High
oCHOOl is HOW tII6c oIOIicS. vi VIC
might build a nine or ten room addi-
tion without buying more land.
If the people want an athletic field
it is up to the Playground Commission
or Town Council to provide it.
believe that we should aim to
make the Cliffside and the GrantwOod
schools two large centers containing
all grades from the kindergarten to
the end of the eighth. 1t is not nee
essary, however, to build for this for
some time if the addition or third
floor is first placed on the High
School.
My advice is vote at every school
election, vote Yes" or "No" for every
appropriation.
Remember there is such a thing as
getting your moneys worth in educa-
ton. You can pay too high price.
Big business would not run schools as
they are generally run. You can get
land for school purposes at reason
able price at any time. Land bought
now costs about twice as much if kept
nine years because of interest and
taxes.
GEO. N. VENABLES.