This Day in History: 1939-06-12

At the School Board meeting the text of the report of the fact-finding committee of the Mahwah Civic Association was revealed. It called for the building of a combined Junior High School and Auditorium and Community Building. The six major recommendations of the Committee were (1.) That the Township build a Junior High School. This was particularly recommended as a cost saving measure since it could provide vocation training for the “subnormal” pupils who could then be encouraged to go to work at 16 rather than remaining in school until age 20 at the more expensive Ramsey High School. (2.) The building of a municipal or community building with a space for meetings and storage. Individual offices for town officials were not considered necessary. (3.) A community auditorium attached to School #2 was not recommended. There was not enough room for it. (4.) The combining of the Junior High School and the municipal building and auditorium into a single building or pair of buildings. They could share heating plants and maintenance staffs and thus cut costs. (5.) The only argument against the Junior High School was that it might hinder cooperation between the Township Schools and Ramsey High School. (6.) Convert the Darlington School into a special school for the “sub-grade” students. Here these slow students could be taught to work with their hands and not hold the others back. (7.) The building of new grade schools in Fardale, Masonicus, and West Mahwah. This would cut transportation costs. Even second grade students could walk a mile to school, they reported. (Bristow)