The remainder of the message was in the same spirit, and left the people of Brooklyn in no doubt that the new Mayor meant to interpret the movement represented by the charter amendments in its most radical and reformatory light. Low was renominated in 1883. The Democrats nominated Joseph C. Hendrix,[43] who led a brilliant campaign. In a hotly contested election that drew out an extraordinary vote, Low was elected by a vote of 49,554 against Hendrix's 48,006. The two administrations of Low demonstrated beyond question the availability of the "Brooklyn system." In his message for 1884 the Mayor offered a strong plea in behalf of the public schools, in which free books had just been introduced. The president of the board of education made the following urgent presentation of the case:-- "Notwithstanding the number of new buildings erected and occupied during the year, I am unable to report any relief from the general crowded condition that existed at the time of my last report. The children come faster than we can make room for them, and in some localities for nearly every seat provided there are two applicants. As evidence of the demand made upon our new schools, at their opening, by primary pupils, I cite the following: The new primary building to relieve No. 24 was opened on the 4th inst., this being the last of the new buildings. The crowd of children with their parents seeking admission was so great and the excitement so intense that for two days two policemen were required to preserve order at the doors. In a building seating 676 pupils 899 were registered, the average age being 8 years. Only the fifth and sixth primary grades are admitted to this building. It is not pleasant for me to state that many of these children, 9 and 10 years old, have never before had a day's schooling, because there was no public school into which they could gain admittance. From the first day the class-rooms have been devoted to half-day classes. "The registry of attendance in October of this year numbered 67,314 pupils. Our regular seating capacity is but 64,200, or 3,114 less than the actual attendance. We have 76 classes, numbering over 90 pupils each, and of this number 16 classes have over 140 each, the largest class having 218 pupils. A large proportion of these crowded classes are from necessity divided into half-day sessions. "This is our condition after redistricting the city and reorganizing several schools, thereby decreasing the number of grammar classes, and increasing the number of primary classes by eighteen, and after building eight new school buildings,--we have been compelled to crowd and pack our school rooms without due regard to the convenience, comfort, and health of the pupils and to the proper facilities and conditions for imparting instruction....