New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-15
TIE SrBooLBorsF pPoBLEu

The schoolhouse accommodations Of this city
are reported by some to be better and by
others TO be worse than for many years. In
each of these contradictory statements there is
probably some truth. Improvement has been
made in the character of many Of the buildings.
and some Of the new ones compare favOrably
with any In the world. It is also stated that
school provision of some kind Will he made for
all so that not a child in the city viii he en-
tirely excluded from attendance. So much for
the good side of the case. On the other side
1t is pointed out that the boosted universal re-
ception of the school population will be effected
only by means of various Objectionable devices,
such as transporting children TO schools IN re-
mote parts Of the city, overcrowding school
rooms. renting buildings and rooms for tenn
norarv use and receiving children for half
rirne classes" These things are endurahle only
rs alternatives TO something worse. To VIII the
entire exclusion of children from school PrlVl-
leges And in the extent to which resort IS
made to them. the situation this year is de-
cIared to be worse than it was last year. Inc
number Of children who can have nothing bet
Ter than "half-time classes" is estimated AT
from 10000 to $1,000. The smaller OF these
numbers is much larger than that of last year
That was indeed inevitable. If we may believe
statistics which are presented. For we are
told that new school room has been provided
for only 5000 while the school population OF the
CITY has increased by $4,000.
The fact appears to be- then, that IN the I'M
nortant matter of providing suitable school
room for its children, the city is not making
progress. but is falling behind. That Is
sarious and discreditahIe state of affairs. The
nrnsent city government is of course not re-
snonsihIe for it because it has not been in office
long enough TO have had time to supply the
need. New schoolhouses cannot be built In
dav nor in a few months. But the matter IS
one which needs to be taken promptly and ener-
ceticaIlv in hand. in order that it may be set
right at the earliest possible future date: and
II should he taken in hand in broad and Iar-
seeing way. 1t is said that enough new school
houses are now under wsy 20 give proper ac-
commodation to all the present school popu!a-
ton of the city but it Will he a couple OF years
before they are finished. That is an UnsauS-
factory statement. for the reason that by the
time those schooIhouses are finished the school
population will have increased by some scores
Of thousands and while the schOolhouses then
will be adequate 10 the demands now, they VIII
not he adequate to the demands then existing
With all the new buildings. the situation VIII
be no better than il IS at present what we
want is an assurance not tnaI the hteuS VI i'''-
will be met in 1904. but that the needs of 1901
will be met In 1904 Our present plans for he"
scboolhouses should he based not on present
requirements, but on the prospective require
ments which will exist at the time when these
new buildings are finished.
Such requirements can, of course. be reck-
oned in advance to a nicely. The rate Of in
crease of school population is well known. and
its variations in various parts Of the city are
also known so that it is possible TO provide Tor
It In advance. not only In the lump, but also in
proper distribution. What is needed is an eX-
traordinary effort to pay off all arrears and
catch up with the procession" and that should
be done just as soon the state OF the public
funds VIII permit it. Perhaps, too, it will be
well TO consider whether it would not be better
thus to catch up in the work of primary and
common school work than to neglect the latter
and forge away ahead In the work OF free col
legiate instruction. When once we have thus
caught up there should be automatic provision
for q yearly increase of school room equal 10
the yearly increase Of school population. |
Another thing: Some means should be found Of
eIpediting schoohouse construction At present |
it takes two or three times as long to build
schoolhouse as to build editice for business
use Such a contrast is intolerable A school |
mouse SnoGId De pult III the HoSI careful anu
perfect manner. But so are our ''sky-scrapers." |
Il a twenty-odd story, freproof office building |
can be built entirely within year, there is no |
good reason why it should take two or three |
years to build 4 fve-story schoolhouse As for |
The comparative urgency Of the two cases, it |
certainly seems that TO provide room for the |
education of children, without which they will |
nave to go without education, is as necessary |
md calls for as much expedition as TO pro- |
-ide business men with new and more sumpt- |
Ious offices.