THURSDAY, JANUARY 18,1979

The Herald

PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT AVALON SCHOOL ADDITION POOR TIMING It will be extremely difficult for the Avalon School Board and school administrators to convince Avalon voters of the need for a $625,000 addition to the local elementary school. The project will be on the ballot in the form of a bond referendum in the school board elections

April.

All over the country, taxpayers are protesting increases in taxes at every level of government Between taxes and constantly rising inflation, wage earners and those on fixed are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Most homeowners do not receive automatic cost of living increases. When taxes and living costs go up, spending must be cut down, sometimes on necessities. Taxpayers feel that now is the time for government to make heroic efforts to economize, and eliminate unnecessary spending. Although school administration officials estimate that the school expansion would raise the tax rate approximately 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, many are sceptical about these figures. One of the reasons given for the addition to the present building is to institute new courses such as industrial arts and home economics. Such new courses would require hiring additional teachers and other personnel whose salaries and fringe benefits would increase the school budget. If the school were overcrowded, voters might consider an addition justified. However, with a school attendance of less than 200, this has not been offered as a reason. Avalon's high taxes and high housing costs make it unlikely that there will be a rapid increase in the school population. The married children of local residents and heads of families who work in Avalon cannot afford to rent or buy in this resort community. Taxpayers are also disillusioned by educators' promises that more money spent on education will produce better students. Billions have been spent on improving facilities and adding subjects to enrich students. Billions have been spent on improving facilities and adding subjects to enrich students. The result has been that a whole generation of young people have been pushed out into the world less able to handle the basic functions of education than their parents were. When colleges must set up remedial reading and math courses for entering freshman, when over 25% of high school graduates cannot read, write, spell or do math well enough to function in the outside world, the educational system has failed. More money is not the answer. It is questionable if the addition of home economics and industrial arts are worth the cost. They may have been of value in the days when many children left school after 8th grade, but today most children finish high school. Taxpayers are already paying for a county Vo-Tech School for those choosing technical courses. Because of Cape May

County’s school structure (K-8 grade elementary school, 9-12 high school) students are probably not receiving some of the advantages they would have if they attended a Junior High School. But it is financially irresponsible for small schools to attempt to duplicate the kind of education a large Junior High

would offer.

School officials would be better serving their communities by exploring other alternatives. Small schools in contiginous communities might investigate the possibility of sharing facilities and teachers to give the students subjects they might not otherwise be offered. (Stone Harbor and Avalon are already during Kindergarten classes). Perhaps there is a need for Junior High Schools in Cape May County. With so many students already being bussed, maybe a few of the larger schools could be converted for this purpose, and their students bussed to other schools.

This is not the time for any taxing authority to add to taxes for possibly desirable but unnecessary expenditures J. P. Cunningham

AVALON CHAMBER MEETS JAN. 18 The January meeting of the Avalon Chamber of Commerce will be held Thursday, Jan. 18th at the Whitebriar Hotel. Dutch cocktails will be at 6:30, dinner at 7:00. Remember to call the Whitebriar for reservations.

I wish to thank the honest person who found my watch at Rio Grande Shop-Rite, Jan. 4, 1979. It has a sentimental value. Mrs. Doris Leslie

KURTZ'S Restaurant 6112 Park Blvd., (at Sweetbriar Rd.) Wildwood Crest •Breakfast •Luncheon •Dinner Menu •Children's Platters •Clam Chowder •Lobster Bisque SEAFOOD & CHICKEN HERE OR TAKEOUT •South African Lobster Tail • Alaskan King Crab Au Gratin • Broiled Fish from Local Waters (In Season) • Crab Imperial

Overlooking Sunset Lake OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 7 A.M. TILL 8 P.M. Take-Out Orders 522-8329

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