Page:History of West Hoboken NJ.djvu/47

 the citizens to the fact that there were over one thousand scholars enrolled, and an average daily attendance of 900. Mr. Muendel went on to state that a new school would have to be procured or else some classes would have to be put on half-day sessions.

This resulted in the authorities making an effort to provide more room, and during the year 1888-89, a building on Syms street, between Spring and West streets, was hired and used as an annex. The opening of this annex somewhat relieved the crowded condition of No. 1 school, but this did not last long, because it was just about this time that the northern end of the town began to build up fast, and in a short time the old school again became crowded beyond its seating capacity. To again relieve the old school the board, on February 24, 1891, opened another annex on Clinton avenue, near Angelique street. This building consists of two three-story brick houses. It was owned by the Hoboken Land Improvement Company and was built by the lamented Schultz. The building is now occupied by families.

Over this annex Miss M. Contessa presided as principal, and there were five lady teachers, who taught as many classes.

Our town was now growing so fast that it became a standing puzzle for the Board of Education how to keep pace with the times and the rapidly growing host of little ones who were entrusted to their care.

A few years after being opened, both the annexes and the old school were again overcrowded, and it was plainly seen that nothing but the erection of a new and modern school building would suffice, and after due consideration it was decided to request each of the two political bodies to place upon their tickets at the spring election an appropriation for a new school (which, at that time, was the manner in whch funds were raised for erecting municipal buildings.) The people at the following election endorsed the plan by a large majority, and the result was the building, in 1894, of School No. 2, on Central avenue and Syms street, at a cost of $45,000.

Even this school in a short time became overcrowded, and two years later, in 1896, No. 3 school was erected, and four years after this, in 1900, No. 4 school was built.

It can be seen from this what strides our town must have made in population. In six years we had to erect three large up-to-date schools to accommodate the scholars, and it is only a few years since our last school was erected, and it is very evident that another will soon have to be built. Mr. John