The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-16
USELESS EDUCATION REPORTS.
MANNING EXPERTS FIND 4 LOT
OF HOLES IN THEM.
what the Department Reported TO the
Comptroller and What Ii said 10 the
Public Don't Hitch-Balances Diiier
-supt Maxwell LAcecdS His Duties.


Public Don't Hitch-Halances Difer
-Supt. Maxwell LAcecdS His Duties.
When announcement was made year or
60 ago that the Board Of Education would
be Obliged to discontinue popular lectures.
recreation centres, and evening and vaca-
ton schools TO keep within its appropria-
,iJn, the New York Association for I'm
proving the Condition Of the Poor under
took to collect facts showing that the re-
trenchment should be made in other QUAR-
tera. The association has now made public
the results Of an examination OF the official
reports Of the City Superintendent OF Schools
and the President of the Board OF Educa-
ton. made by Frederick A. Cleveland,
professor Of finance at New York University:
William r. Patterson, professor OF stats
tics at the University Of Iowa; Frank Tucker,
vice -presdent Of the Provident Loan As
sociation, and others retained to examine
them.
Tho chief criticism OF the City Supe-in
tendent's report, Prof. Cleveland says,
yould be that the Superintendent has
attempted to report conclusions. and to
exhibit data pertaining to subjects entirely
outside the scope Of his official duties and
RESPONSIBILITIES. The board has better
facilities for obtaining information per-
tanning to the financial administration Of
schools than Inns the Superintendent.
Prof. Cleveland finds a whole lot OF things
wrong with the boards report to tho Mayor.
Compared with it, he says, the superintend-
enps report is almost n gem of statistical
perfection
sThe fifth annual report Of the Depart
ment Of Education" says the expert. would
seem to possess few features measuring
up to any acceptable standard, either for
the guidance of officers or for the iniorma-
ton OF the public In the whole i2l pa gees
Of printed matter there does not seem to
be any attempt to lay before the officers
OF the department itself or before the gem
eral officers and administrative agents Of
the city. such a digest OF information as will
give to them the data necessary for the
exercise Of sound discretion in the per-
Torrance Of their duty and for the protec-
ton OF the general welfare nor dccs II
bring TO the public such record OF service
rendered by public officials and such sum
maries as will inform them OF the doings
of those agents into whose hands the educa-
tonal affairs have been placed
Even the financial report Is defective
IN HIOl. AlhhtAulll = Nl]lilAbtis A4iANlN VI ~
information can be obtained as 10 relations
of administrative economy.
Prof Cleveland says that inasmuch az
all the expenses of the board must be paid
by warrant the records and reports Of the
board and the City Comptroller should
agree AS matter OF fact, in the gem
eral financial statement for the year end
ing with 1902 there Is scarcely an iten
OF financial summary In agreement.
Tho balance Of appropriations remain
ing unexpcnded as repre- ented by the
Board Of Education Is $3.50. 40. while
according TO the published report OF tine
Comptroller for the same date the balance
is 81 ,53t .p47.7S,"
OF the Department Of Supplies Prof.
Cleveland says that no classified and
sy-tematized result is given which will
bring the supplies into comparative rnla-
ton. or which will exhibit 70 the public
official fidelity
The findings Of the experts have been
transmitted 10 tho Board Of Education
with r. concentrations that in future re-
ports there be Incorporated units OF COM
parison OF standards Of service rendered,
and that expense items be grouped about
them.