 |  | |
 |
|  |
 |  | |
| | |
|
| |
| | |
|
|
Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002
For more than half a century school attendance has been required of all
children between the ages of 7 and 16. To this law has been added a
statute forbidding the employment of children under 14 years of age and
requiring those over 14 to be certified in fundamental schooling before
they may work. Continuation schools have been provided for part-time
workers; manual training, vocational, and agricultural schools have been
created in the farming and industrial areas to meet the demand for technical and scientific training. An extensive program has been designed for
backward children, defectives, and cripples, as well as for the blind, deaf
and dumb.
The State has been a leader in attempting to give individual attention
to pupils, as opposed to the mass instruction of the past. Newark and
other large cities have been particularly quick to modify the old curriculum, to adopt modern methods of instruction, and to experiment
boldly in an effort to prepare their pupils for contemporary living.
Much remains to be done before equality of opportunity for every child
in the State is achieved. Although at present the wealthier cities and
towns are able to enlist the most qualified educators, many communities
lack funds to provide adequate teachers, buildings, and equipment.
Most school districts employ nurses who keep close watch on the pupils
to prevent epidemics and to safeguard general health. For 25 years school
districts have been required to engage physicians as medical inspectors to
ascertain physical defects of pupils. Dental clinics are being established
in increasing numbers, and health education has been incorporated into
the curriculum by State law.
The motor bus and the consolidated school have in the last 20 years
aided in overcoming some rural handicaps. Towns have pooled resources
to build consolidated schools and to obtain better instructors and equipment. The State has accelerated the consolidation of the rural free schools
and the extension of high school privileges by assuming three-fourths of
the cost of transporting children to school centers. There are still, however, 320 one-room schools and 255 of two rooms each, housing more
than 10,000 children.
|
|
|
Return To |
|
|
