October 1933

October 4, 1933 Western Union Telegraph

Honorable Harold L. Ickes
Public Works Administrator
Washington, D.C.

THE PRESS FREQUENTLY QUOTES YOU URGING SPEED ON PROJECTS THAT WILL PUT MEN TO WORKS ALSO DENOUNCING EXTRAVAGANCE IN USE OF FUNDS STOP THERE WILL SHORTLY COME TO WASHINGTON THROUGH REGULAR CHANNELS IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY ARRIVED A PROPOSAL THAT MEETS YOUR REQUIREMENTS IN EVERY PARTICULAR THIS BEING SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT OF TEANECK, NEW JERSEY STOP TWO YEARS AGO THE VOTERS APPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION ALSO NEW GRADE SCHOOL STOP. PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS WERE PREPARED EVERYTHING IS READY BUT WORK WAITS BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO MARKET BONDS HOWEVER IF YOUR DEPARTMENT APPROVES REQUEST OF BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK FOR MANY MEN COULD START IN THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AND RIGID NEW JERSEY REGULATIONS ON AWARDING CONTRACTS TO LOWEST BIDDER WILL ASSURE ROCK BOTTOM PRICES AND NO WASTE STOP CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SCHOOLS WILL NOT ONLY CREATE WORK BUT PROVIDE RELIEF FOR INTOLERABLY OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS IN COMMUNITY WHOSE POPULATION INCREASED SEVERAL HUNDRED PERCENT BETWEEN NINETEEN TWENTY AND NINETEEN THIRTY STOP UPON BASIS OF PERCAPITA ALLOWANCE COST OF THESE BUILDINGS MAY EXCEED TEANECKS ALLOTMENT BUT INASMUCH AS MEN WOULD BE EMPLOYED NOT ONLY FROM TEANECK BUT SURROUNDING TOWNS WHICH HAVE NO PROJECTS READ POSSIBLY THIS HOMOGENEOUS GROUP OF COMMUNITIES IN THICKLY POPULATED NEW YORK SUBURB COULD BE CONSIDERED A UNIT IN THE ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS

Chris D. Sheffe

WESTERN UNION GIFT ORDERS SOLVE THE PERPLEXING QUESTION OF WHAT TO GIVE

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550 Warwick Avenue
Teaneck, New Jersey
(West Englewood Post Office)
October 4th, 1933

Honorable Harold L. Ickes, Public Works Administrator Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

This evening I telegraphed you as follows:

"THE PRESS FREQUENTLY QUOTES YOU URGING SPEED ON PROJECTS THAT WILL PUT MEN TO WORKS ALSO DENOUNCING EXTRAVAGANCE IN USE OF FUNDS STOP THERE WILL SHORTLY COME TO WASHINGTON THROUGH REGULAR CHANNELS IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY ARRIVED A PROPOSAL THAT MEETS YOUR REQUIREMENTS IN EVERY PARTICULAR THIS BEING SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT OF TEANECK, NEW JERSEY STOP TWO YEARS AGO THE VOTERS APPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH SCHOOL ADDITION ALSO NEW GRADE SCHOOL STOP. PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS WERE PREPARED EVERYTHING IS READY BUT WORK WAITS BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO MARKET BONDS HOWEVER IF YOUR DEPARTMENT APPROVES REQUEST OF BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK FOR MANY MEN COULD START IN THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AND RIGID NEW JERSEY REGULATIONS ON AWARDING CONTRACTS TO LOWEST BIDDER WILL ASSURE ROCK BOTTOM PRICES AND NO WASTE STOP CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SCHOOLS WILL NOT ONLY CREATE WORK BUT PROVIDE RELIEF FOR INTOLERABLY OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS IN COMMUNITY WHOSE POPULATION INCREASED SEVERAL HUNDRED PERCENT BETWEEN NINETEEN TWENTY AND NINETEEN THIRTY STOP UPON BASIS OF PERCAPITA ALLOWANCE COST OF THESE BUILDINGS MAY EXCEED TEANECKS ALLOTMENT BUT INASMUCH AS MEN WOULD BE EMPLOYED NOT ONLY FROM TEANECK BUT SURROUNDING TOWNS WHICH HAVE NO PROJECTS READ POSSIBLY THIS HOMOGENEOUS GROUP OF COMMUNITIES IN THICKLY POPULATED NEW YORK SUBURB COULD BE CONSIDERED A UNIT IN THE ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS"

An explanation of the motives prompting the foregoing message is in order. The writer has grown up with the Township of Teaneck whose population at the 1910 census was 2,500, less than 4,000 in 1920 and at the end of 1930 had reached 18,000.

It was my privilege to serve as a member of the Board of Education for seven years during which time we had numerous problems, including building projects and owing to the high caliber of the Board members who were able to conduct the school affairs and spend money with an eye wholly to the welfare of the community obtaining maximum value at minimum cost without waste, graft or extravagance.

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Your recent pronouncement in the newspapers clearly shows you have the same non-political view of your responsibilities in connection with the gigantic public works program. Being so thoroughly familiar with the project which our present Board of Education is endeavoring to complete and knowing that it complies in every particular with your requirements, I felt that a telegraphic explanation from one not at the present time connected with the official family of our municipality would be helpful.

There is a prevailing opinion that as we have two school buildings to construct, we may get only one. They are both vitally necessary however because of the tremendous increase in school attendance during the past five years.

Our present High School with a capacity of 1,000 was opened in 1929 with an enrollment of about 650. At the present time they are attempting to accommodate 1800 High School students in the building. The elementary school, while it will furnish relief for a smaller number, is equally necessary. Two grade schools (the new one midway between them) which are a mile and a half apart are so frightfully overcrowded that basements, storage racks, and auditoria have been converted into class rooms and more recently it has been necessary to curtail admissions because of inadequate space.

In conclusion, I can assure you that when your Department investigates the application from the Teaneck Board of Education you will find the proposition about as well prepared, as helpful in furnishing work to those engaged in the building trades and as essential as any project which will come before your organization.

Yours Very Truly,
C. Sheffe

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