The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-10-07
NEW HIGH SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY


The majority of the Common Council of the City of
Peasanve has acquiesced the demand OF the Board OF
Education for additional school accommodations Inc
Council first approved Of bond sale to raise funds to
purchase the ste Also Monday evening the council by
Of four approved Of bond sale to raise funds
with which build 100000 high school on the site.
The Importance these cannot be underestimate
There many people in the city who have not been con-
WINGED that this is the time to assume an lndeDeohesS
this size
Edward T. Stephenson leader of the Common Council,
who has always stood for progress and improvement OF the
city, acted upon the courage OF his convictions IN favorg
the high school proposition and to him belongs credit tor
the of the ordinance before the counc1men W.T.
Stephensons efforts on behalf Of bigger and better
Pleasantve are outstanding in the development OF the
city, His efforts and farsghtedness underestimate
today.
However. Mr. Stephenson will not build the high
school The way and means having been provided the
responsibility for high school construction rests with the
Board of Education.
The people Of the city now look to the Board Of
Education to build the structure equip and 10 operate
it with the high efficiency and success that SoooOoO
institution should have
We feel that the Board of Education is competent anG
ready to accept this responsibility before the community
appears that certain precautionary steps are being taken
the preliminary requirements OF sound and sats
factory building This shows good judgement and is a
demonstration that the responsibility for the new high
school is well placed
If every year there should drop Of the United
States city of the of Buffalo, it would stir up the
entire country This practically what happening in the
church today. Fully 100000 members, with all their
resourcesmental, physical economic and spirtua-arc
lost to the Churches and nobody very much con-
cerned about it,
The average person will Immediately blame the
preacher for the failure of the Church. whereas its admins
traon in the hands of business men, who duly elected
and presumably fully qualified to handle the affairs OF
religious institution At any rate they are usually the
best business in the community
Why do they conduct the affairs of the Church in
sIiphod fashion? One is that they to have
conviction that it is necessary to apply business
the work Of the Churchhat somehow the organization
will go endessly of its momentum because Of
mystic power.
For example, with regard to advertising the Church
the public, well to its membership, these
business fail absolutely to apply the same laws OF
psychology and which they relgousy apply
their business affairs And the appeal OF the
Church both indifferent outsiders and uke-warm IN
siders is much difficult to get over than is the
advertising of any other commodity for which there is so
obvious need
Furthermore, the process of education, for which
these business largely responsible within the
Church. and upon which much depends in holding the
interest of its members disregard most of the principles
Of education for which they would strenuously fight in
administering the affairs of the public school and the
public library.
One of the chief reasons why there was loss last
year of 100000 members of the Protestant Churches
that have made it too easy become member of the
Church. Every possible nducement is offered to the
outsider in though he frankly admits that he
prepared for Church membership and though
the officers of the Church well of this fact Ii
is not much question of conduct it is OF con-
viconand when the Church is not thoroughly sold to
the outsider he should be over-persuaded to become
identified with it.
This, of course, does refer TO that hungry soul
who feels the need for spiritual guidance, but who the
same time realizes his weakness-to such every
encouragement should be given and every assistance
rendered which will make him stronger in the Faith and
devoted to the Cause.
On the whole the fact that 100000 people left the
Church last year may not be great disaster
imagine to be- The pruning process which has been
responsible for this, while sometimes very painful
operation in the end results lin a stronger, sturder
healthier growth And when the Church itself becomes
more yirile, challenging, and offers program
which will really attract men and women who want to do