USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Woodbridge > An Educational History Of The School District of Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey 1666 - 1933 > Part 14
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The affair had become quite a burden, and the classes had increased in size to such an extent that the church was overcrowded, very little space being left for inter- ested parents and friends. The step met with approval from every one.
Once again the call for increased school accommoda- tions came in from Port Reading in the form of a petition which was laid over for consideration later.
The local Red Cross had been much interested in Child Welfare work in the township, and an offer to supply a car for that purpose was made by it to the Board if they would pay for its upkeep. The Trustees accepted the offer on the understanding that they should have full control of the car.
The death of the attendance officer, Mr. John Thomp- son having recently occurred, the secretary of the Board, Mr. E. C. Ensign, and the supervising principal were ap- pointed a committee to draft resolutions of regret on his
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demise. These were presented at the next meeting of the Board and adopted unanimously.
However, Mr. Thompson is worthy of more than these expressions of regret. His title was that of Attendance Officer but he was more than that. He brought to his work a deep sympathy for his fellowmen that endeared him to so many families, particularly the children. In his visits to the various homes, he went in the light of a family friend, ready to hear their troubles and help them to bear them. Many a time he was known to go to homes with legal papers to serve, but although he would perform his duty, he would leave them with food on their tables or shoes on the feet of the children.
Good natured at heart, he hid this by a bluffness of manner which, although impressive to a stranger, the child- ren and all his friends saw through and discounted.
In his younger days, he had been a saddler by trade, be- ing noted for the excellence of his work and the honesty of his dealings with his customers. The advent of the automo- bile sounded the death knell to his business, but at last, fate and friends stepped in to his assistance, and in the employ of the Board of Education he fitted into a niche that seemed to have been made just for him. His memory in the township is still green.
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Up to this time, although domestic science had been a part of the eighth grade course of study on the north side of the township, it had not been offered to the eighth grades on the south side. The action of the Board now taken to provide a full equipment for this subject at School No. 7, Fords, was therefore much appreciated. This was done largely through the efforts of Mr. Melvin Clum, the president of the Board and member from the Fords sec- tion.
Mr. Louis Meyer resigned as member of the Board of Education and was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the Attendance Officer, Mr. Thompson.
Mr. Fred Shotwell, having resigned as principal of the high school, Mr. Lee Woodman was elected to fill the position.
Another petition for additional school facilities was received by the Board from the residents of Colonia and a committee of three, Messrs. H. R. Valentine, Benjamin Wall- ing, and E. C. Ensign was appointed to meet with a delega- tion of citizens from Colonia at Iselin school, Monday September 26, to discuss the situation.
The school year of 1921-1922 opened with a continu- ance of the school building boom. Resolutions were adopt- ed at the December 10 meeting calling for an addition of
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four rooms to the Avenel school and for a meeting of the voters to be held November 14, 1921, for the purpose of authorizing the Board to erect the addition and to pur- chase the necessary furniture and equipment at a cost not to exceed the sum of $55,000.
Another notable event, was the election of Mrs. Sadie B. Gardner of Fords to the Board to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Louis Meyer. She was the first woman in the history of the township to fill such an office.
When the special election was held for the Avenel ad- dition, 44 ballots were cast for the proposition and one against it. This added another $55,000 to the bonded in- debtedness of the schools.
The policy of the Board in relation to an allowance to teachers for college extension work was voted to be con- tinued.
When the School Board met on January 16, 1922, reso- lutions were introduced by the committee on the Colonia pro- position calling for a meeting of the legal voters of the township on February 14, 1922, for the purpose of voting to authorize the Board to purchase a suitable lot in Col- onia upon which to erect a new schoolhouse and to secure the necessary furniture and equipment at a total cost not to exceed $53,400, also to erect an addition to the Hope-
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Roy Anderson Jas Filer Alex. Walker Berij. Walling Supt. J. H. Love M.P. Junigan Anna Belle Baker Pres. Melvin Clum Sadie B.Gardner E.C. Ensign, Secy.
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Borra of Education Woodbridge, 1924-25
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lawn No. 10 School, to cost, with necessary furniture and equipment, $55,000.
Mr. J. V. Burke, principal of Keasbey, resigned to take a principalship in Perth Amboy and was succeeded by Miss Elsie Wittenbert.
The health work of the schools was extended by est- ablishing a health clinic at School No. il in coopera- tion with the Health Department of the municipality.
Miss Margaret Lockwood had been appointed as princi- pal of the new Sewaren School and Mr. James G. Catano was the choice of the Board for the position of janitor.
Great interest was shown at the February elections, because of the appearance of several lady candidates for the Board vacancies and also because of unusual interest in the propositions to be submitted. All appropirations were carried and the following persons were elected:
Mr. Melvin H. Clum 3 years lirs. A. Gardner ... 3 years Mr. Roy E. Anderson. 3 years Mrs. Anabelle Baker . 1 year
On March 20, 1922, Mr. H. A. Tappen, president of the Board since the death of Mr. William Edgar, announced his intention to retire from the Board. In a brief speech he thanked his fellow members for the loyal support and co- operation he had consistently received and for their un- failing kindness during his term of office. In the retire-
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ment of Mir. Tappen, the community lost the services of a valuable Board member, whose sole object throughout his connection with the schools had been the development of an educational system of which the township should be justly proud, and the comfort and happiness of children and tea- chers.
Mr. Melvin Clum succeeded Mr. Tappen as president and Mr. H. R. Valentine was elected to the office of vice-pres- ident.
A new salary schedule was presented to the Board by a special committee that had been appointed to draft one and was unanimously approved. The schedule follows:
"Kindergarten and Elementary
Grades.
Minimum $1200
Maximum $1800
Kindergarten Assistants Certified.
1000
1500
Special Classes.
1500
2000
Special Teachers
1500
2200
Elementary Principals -- up to
11 teachers
1600
2300
Elementary Principals -- 12 to 20 teachers
1800
2600
Elementary Principals -- 21 teachers and over.
2300
3300
High School Assistants.
1700
2400
High School Principal
2600
3600H
"Elementary teachers' salaries to be based on a minimum base of $1200, allowing $50 per year for experience within the township and $25 per year for experience outside the township with an extra $100 for teachers of the 8th grades. A super-maximum is allowed for elementary tea- chers in the township for 20 years or more. "
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A change in the health department was made by the appointment of only one physician for the whole township, Dr. B. W. Hoagland, at a salary of $1500. This was done at the suggestion of the health Committee of the Board and was undertaken as an experiment for the improvement of the department by placing all responsibility on one person and thus removing the "incidental" feature of the medical service. The plan lasted one year.
Owing to the difficulty of reaching the Hopelawn School through lack of public facilites, and also lack of boarding accommodations, arrangements were made for the transportation of the teachers from Perth Amboy as a cen- ter, the teachers to bear one-third of the expense.
The detail work of the office of the high school prin- cipal had increased to such an extent that a clerk was granted him, Miss Marie Dunigan receiving the appointment, October 16.
The teaching of thrift was introduced into the schools this year. School Savings Banks were no new features, but nothing had been previously done along this line in Wood- bridge.
The plan of "The Educational Thrift Service Corpora- tion" was presented to the Board by the supervising princi- pal and permission was given for its introduction.
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Under the plan, a local bank was selected as a depos itory, providing free all the necessary supplies and ser- vices. The children were furnished with small passbooks, and one day a week was appointed as "bank day" on which any sum of money could be brought to the class teacher, collected by her, and be credited in the book. A repre- sentative of the bank would then call for the cash. Pro- vision was made for withdrawals, and competition between classes was stimulated by the use of "100% thrift" ban- ners.
Comparative statistics were printed by the Thrift Corporation in their "Thrift Magazine" which also included pictures of school groups standing exceptionally high in their collections. The failure of the local bank spon- soring the project some years later (1932) brought the work to a halt and had a demoraliking effect on the child- Z ren in so far as the school savings habit was concerned. Over $30,000 was credited to the savings accounts of the school children when the failure occurred.
The Fords section of the township was within the area controlled by another banking institution, which was not in favor of the Thrift Service plan, but which issued pass- books of its own to the children for school savings under the ordinary savings plan. This scheme, although success-
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ful at first, died a natural death, largely owing to the increasing financial depression and the reverberations of the sounds from crashing banks.
Under the energetic direction of the township music supervisor, Miss Anna C. Frazer, orchestral work had in- creased in popularity, and at the suggestion of the super- vising principal, the Board unanimously adopted a reso- lution making this phase of music a part of the high schod curriculum with credit allowance toward the high school diploma.
On January 15, 1923, school accommodations at Fords had again become inadequate and a committee was appointed by the president to find a suitable plot of land on which to erect a new school at that place.
The annual School Board elections were held on Feb- ruary 13 when the following members were elected and the appropriations carried as stated:
"Members
Maurice P. Dunigan 3 years
Benjamin Walling .3 years
Annabelle Baker. 3 years
Alexander C. Walker. 1 year
(Mr. H. R. Valentine resigned)
Appropriations
Current expenses $196000
Building and repairing. 21000
Manual training. 5000
Additional amount for comple-
tion of Avenel School addition. 12000
Total $234000"
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At the organization of the Board, Mr. Maurice P. Dun- igan was elected vice president to succeed Mr. H. R. Val.en- tine.
Township school principals at this time 1923-24 were:
"High School. Mr. Lee Woodman Schools No. 1 and 11. Mr. Lester Dix
Avenel. Miss Bertha Schermer - horn
Colonia (opened October 22). Miss Minnie Compton
Iselin (No. 6) Miss Mabel Reeves
Fords (No. 7) Mr. Howard Sharp
Keasbey. Miss Elsie Wittnebert
Port Reading
Mr. Horace H. Beach
(left and Joseph Lewis Appointed)
Hopelawn Miss Mary C. Fee
Sewaren Miss Margaret Lockwood"
The accommodations in the high school had been taxed to their utmost during the past school year, so, as a measure of relief, it was decided to procure a two-room portable school and place it on the south side of the building with a con- necting passageway to enable the pupils to use the regular facilities of the school without being exposed to the weather. An asbestos type of building was selected at a cost of $3725, and preparations were made for it to be ready for use at the opening of schools in September.
The New Jersey Teacher's Pension and Annuity Fund, which became operative in April 1919, enabled Miss Annie Richards of the Keasbey School to retire from active service, alld being she was the first Woodbridge teacher to take advantage of the
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new law. The Board presented Miss Richards with a beauti- fully engrossed testimonial of appreciation of her long and faithful service in the township.
- A development company had secured a large tract of land at Iselin and had erected a large num- ber of small homes, attractive to small investors, which had caused a sudden increase in the population of that sec- tion of the township necessitating further school accommo- dations. With this demand in view, a committee of the Jun. 7.1924 Board was appointed to secure a suitable piece of property on which to erect another school at Iselin.
The portable building at the high school, being only a temporary expedient, inquiries were made regarding the advisability of erecting an addition to the Barron Avenue school and its probable cost.
Resolutions having previously been prepared by the Board, the following propositions relating to additional school accommodations were presented to the legal voters of the township on February 13, 1924, for the adoption of:
"1. Purchase of a lot at Hopelawn 3000
2. Purchase of a lot at Fords 9000
3. Erection of a school on Fords lot .. 156000
4. Erection of addition to Barron Avenue school. 225000
5. Purchase of a Port Reading lot. 2000
6. Erection of an addition to Port
Reading (5 rooms) 60000#
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These propositions were all carried and the Board auth- orized to proceed with their plans. In connection with this election, it was discovered that an error had been made in stating the terms of the bond issues for the Barron Avenue High School addition and the addition to the Port Reading School, which necessitated the presentation of a new set of resolutions to the voters for correction, which was done at a special election held April the 14th, all the proposi- tions being carried.
A trolley strike at this time, and the failure of the contractors to complete the Colonia School within the time specified, made it necessary for the Board to secure addi- tional bus transportation service for the school children liv- ing in Colonia, Locust Grove and part of Avenel to the Ise- lin School which was done at a cost of $2052.74.
Miss Hazel Drake having resigned her position as of- fice assistant to the supervising principal, Mrs. Irene Shay was appointed to succeed her April 21, and to com- mence her duties on a twelve-month basis the following June. Great preparations were on foot in the old town for the 255th Anniversary and Memorial Celebration to be held Saturday, June 14, and the Board was requested to supply a group picture of the Board members to appear in the official book of the great event. The illustration on page 25gA was
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made from the resultant photograph.
As an evidence of their interest in the high school, the Barron Avenue Parent Teachers' Association presented the sum of $111.50 to the Board toward the purchase of a piano for the new auditorium being erected as a part of . the new addition.
A similar group at Avenel No. 4 sent an invitation to the Board to be present at a Bible presentation by the Junior Order of American Mechanics on May 22, 8 p.m. These organizations had sprung up all over the township and were working harmoniously with principals and teachers for the benefit of the schools.
Many pieces of school equipment were purchased through their efforts which otherwise might not have been secured, and prominent speakers on educational top- los were often brought before their meetings.
On May 29, the art department of the Avenel branch of the Wonens' Club presented a beautiful plaque and a large plaster cast to the Avenel School.
The Parent Teachers' Association of School No. 11 made a fine donation to the Board toward the purchase of a stage curtain for their school.
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The 255th anniversary of the granting of the town charter (1669) was approaching and instructions were issued by the Board for the decoration of School No. 1 and the high school with flags and bunting in honor of the occasion.
In order to take care of the increased school enroll- ment, it was found necessary to procure two more portable buildings, one for the high school and another for Iselin School No. 6, both to be set up and ready for use in Sept, ember.
Although a number of auditoriums had been built in connection with the township schools, their significance being appreciated by the citizens, proper stage curtains had seemed not to be considered a necessity. The first steps in this direction having been taken by the Parent Teachers 1 Association of No. 11, and by the Board for the new high school auditorium, an impetus was thus given to the idea, the result being the purchase of stage curtains for Avenel, Fords, Hopelawn, and Woodbridge No. 11.
In 1925, school building, previously authorized, was proceeding rapidly. Several changes in the plans and speci- fications had to be made in the high school addition as cir- cumstances showed their desirability.
When the annual meeting of the district voters was held on February 10, the following appropriations were carried
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by a large majority:
"Purchase of land for school purposes. 1800 Building and repairing schoolhouses. 18000 Current expenses. 276625 Manual training. 6000
New heating and fireproof stairways No. 1. 18000
5000
Payment of note Total $315425
The progressiveness of the times is evident when the Board unanimously decided at its May meeting to supply the atten- dance officer with a Ford sedan. The bicycle, as a means of official transportation had seen its day, done its part well in the general scheme of administration and now was of- ficially retired.
At the same meeting, Miss Viola E. Dunham notified the Trustees that she intended to resign at the close of the school year under the provisions of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund Law. Miss Dunham commenced to teach school at the age of sixteen, and previous to the township being made the unit of administration by the School Law of 1894, she had taught school at New Dover, Franklin Park, and at Iselin. From Iselin she was transferred to School No. 1 in 1895 to the fourth grade, and passing up through the grades by virtue of her outstanding efficiency, she was placed on the high school faculty in 1905 in the commercial department, where she remained until her retirement June, 1925.
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As a testimonial to her long and faithful service, the Board of Education passed a motion directing that fit- ting resolutions be prepared, engrossed, illuminated, and presented to her on their behalf.
The completion of the addition to the high school obviated the use of the two portables, so they were trans- ferred to the school grounds of No. 11 during the summer. The question of the employment of married teachers had troubled the Board for some time, so in conformance with a common feeling in the matter, the following reso- lution was passed to go into effect immediately:
"Resolved: that any teacher not under the provisions of the Tenure of Office Act and who may now be employed in or who may be hereafter employed in the Woodbridge town- ship public schools and who shall marry dur- ing the term of her employment in said schools, shall cease to be employed by the Board of Education as a teacher after the close of the current school year in which she shall have been married. " -- 1
This resolution has continued in effect up to the pre- sent time.
Mr. Alexander Walker, member of the Board who had been ill for some time, resigned his position and Mr. John A. Lahey of Sewaren was appointed to serve in his place until the next election.
The school conditions at Iselin had become very acute and Mr. Henry Kuntz of that place offered certain lots to
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the Board at a price provided the land be used for the erection of a school and for the maintenance of a public playground, the option on the property to continue one year.
The Board agreed to accept the offer and to present it to the legal voters of the district at the next re- gular school election.
Meanwhile the work on the Barron Avenue addition was being pushed so that it would be ready in September at the opening of school. The Board now authorized the lay- ing of a new cement sidewalk in front of the property at a cost of $600.
At the first meeting in the school year, 1925-1926, which came on September 21, an offer of property for school purposes came from Mr. John Hagaman which was accepted by the Board. On this land, now called Hagaman Heights, a double portable building was later erected as a relief to School No. 9 and continues in use to date under the super- vision of the principal of that school.
Miss Reeves, the principal of Iselin No. 6, having re- signed, Miss Stella J. Wright, grade teacher at Fords was appointed to succeed her.
Mr. Howard Sharp, principal of School No. 7 in Fords, had been given charge of the new school (No. 14) and when
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Miss Wright was transferred to No. 6, Miss Georgianna Cronce, a teacher in No. 14, was appointed clerk assistant to Mr. Sharp, at a salary of $100 per year, but she was to continue her duties as teacher.
Mr. Arthur C. Ferry succeeded Mr. Lee Woodman as principal of the Barron Avenue School.
Again, in 1926, a new year opened with a building project. This time the Board, at its meeting on January 4, 1926, decided to recommend the erection of a new school at Iselin on the tract that had been offered by Henry Kuntz, the cost of the building and land not to exceed $110,000.
Meanwhile, it was found that the appropriations that had been made for the Barron Avanue addition, the Port Reading addition and the new school at Fords were insuffi- cient, and resolutions were therefore submitted to be presented to the voters at the next annual meeting calling for additional amounts as follows:
"Barron Avenue School. $20000 Fort Reading's Addition 4000
New School at Fords (14) 6000
Another resolution was passed at a later meeting to present an additional proposition at the same annual meet- ing for the purchase of land and the erection of an addi- tion of eight rooms to the Keasbey School at a cost not to exceed $115,000.
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The total for the new buildings and additions, auth- orized by the voters when the elections took place on Feb- ruary 9, was the large sum of $255,000.
Once again the question of teachers' salaries came under discussion and a new elementary teachers' schedule was now presented by the Teachers' Committee for adoption by the Board:
"Minimum . Elementary Teachers $1200
Maximum.
1800
Super-maximin.
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· 2000
First Year
M
1200
Second . ..
H 1250
Third ..
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1300
Fourth =
# 1400
and $100 annual increment thereafter until the maximum is reached.
"Provided: that teachers of grades 6, 7, and 8 shall receive $100 per annum above the sched- ule, as heretofore, until the maximum is reached, but the maximum shall not be exceeded.
"Provided: that in departmental work, including any grade lower than the sixth, an equitable division of the $100 special allowance shall be made, e. g. a teacher having half sixth and half fifth shall receive $50 above the schedule. The
elementary schedule shall not include special instructors. Salaries of special instructors shall be at the discretion of the Board, but shall in no case be less than a minimum of $1500. Assistants to supervisors shall be classified as special instructors. Special instructors shall receive annual increments as per the elementary teachers schedule. An allowance of $50 per year shall be made for "outside" experience up to six years inclusive, which shall be added to the min- imum when engaging a new, experienced person.
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"Provided: that upon the marriage of any female teacher working under the Tenure of Office Act, the annual inorement shall cease and the salary remain static so long as the teacher remain in the employ of the Board of Education. This rule shall go into effect at once but shall not affect present married teachers. " -- 1
This schedule was modified later to exclude sixth grade teachers from the extra $100 increment.
Considerable dissatisfaction had arisen amongst the teachers having charge of the extra curricular activities in the high school because of the additional time they had to give without any salary schedule provi- sion being made for it, so when their case was presented to the Board on June 21, a motion was passed allowing
"Football Coach $50 extra
Baseball 50
Athletic Director 75
Debating Coach 75 = # -- 2
An interest in summer schools was displayed in a resolution allowing such schools to be organized in the high school, School No. 11, and in other schools if desired.
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