New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-23
ONLY PLAT|TUDES FROM
.DACHMAN, SAYS MEMBER
PIeonasms Also, Asserts John
H. Haaren in Apswer to
"l Experts Criticism.
CAN TABULATE RESULTS
Work Depends Upon Teachers
Personality and Pupils In
dividuality, Observes
McAndrew.

John II. Haaren, member OF the Board
of Education. at the meeting OF the
League for Civic Education Of Women,
yesterday afternoon replied to the
criticisms OF DR.. Frank p. Bachman,
tho school board expert He termed DIT.
Bachman's remarks as 'platitudes" and
'pleonasms."
Ever since schools stopped combining
themselves to the three RS and began
teaching lfe," said Mr. Haaren, people
like Bachman have been knocking them.
| Well, the colleges have courses In
statistics getting now, and suppose the
graduates have TO have jobs. The Board
/ OF Estimate and Apportionment sppar-
emily wasn't satisfied with what we told
them. They make me very tired, these
people who try to reduce to statistics a
| thing that isn't static. I'm not afraid OF
| criticisms doing harm among intelligent
parents who have children In school,
| But when DR.. Bachman says that our
schools have no way OF determining
whether their methods are good or bad,
no way OF checking up results 10 prove
whether New Yorks enormous expendi-
ture for education is justified, he may DO
a. lot Of harm among that part OF the
public which has 10 contact with the
| schools
Now, here" pursued Mr.. Haaren' me
| states that We have absolutely no way or
determining whether part time IL a bad
thing or a good thing Well, how can
we? That depends upon the Individual
child.
Personality Everything.
The personality OF the teacher is al
most everything. What is the atmosphere
she brings into the schoolroom; what Is
| her attitude toward the work? The
: teachers personality is the chief consid-
Grafton in the question Of the size OF
| classes, too"
! Mr. Haarer pooh-poohed Dr. Bschman's
! statement that the records OF attendance
! I'm New York's public schools were imper-
4 feet.
These experts come around TO tell US
our business" he said. and want TO
diagnose our condition and tell US how TO
| increase our efficiency And when they
get through We find the changes they
recommend are features we have tried
out and that wouldn't work.
DR.. william McAndrew. principal OF the
| Washington Irving High School for Girls,
says he sees no lnck OF ways OF checking
up results in school work.
In the vocational branches It is easy"
he said. For example, every girl who
graduates from the course IN stenography
here is followed up when she gets a posi-
ton. We know whether her employer Is
satisfied, and what kind OF work she Is
doing. As TO the other branches-look
here"
DR.. McAndrew brought out a report.
Il was an analysis OF the appearance.
! qualities and methods OF q teacher In the
Washington Irving High school-s detec-
tiye-like analysis that seemed 10 leave
nothing unsaid.
"Up to the Principal"
Two such analyses are made of each
| teacher In the year, SIX or seven Of
! the weak ones, he said This is done
In all the high schools. and in the best
! OF the elementary schools There you
have the solution OF the school problem,
/ for everything depends on the quality OF
/ the teacher-and II IL up to the principal
TO hpd this out.
Does she simply try TO cover a slice
! cut out OF the book from page SO to page
! 6S2? Can she read the thought index In
/ the faces Of her pupils2 All these things
and more It Is the business Of the prin-
| clpal 10 End out"
. Dr.. McAndrew wasn't worried BY DR..
Rachman's criticisms. In forty years ex-
perience at teaching. he said. he had met
too many people who made II their bust
ness 10 knock" the schools to be trou-
hled over the appearance OF one more.