New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-11
PROF. MOORE ANSWERS
CRITICS OF HIS REPORT
Replies CategoricalIy to 24l
Questions Put to Him by
President Mitchell.
COMPLAINS OF UNFAIRNESS
Insists Schools Have Been An
nexed' to City Hall, and
Administration Is
Rankly Illegal.

Professor Ernest &. Moore. of Yale Uni
yersity. whose report on the public school
system OF New York was severely criti-
cised and rejected by the school inquiry
committee Of the Board of Estimate has
answered in an appendix to his volume
How New York City Administers It's
Schools''--all of the questions asked him
In two letters written by John Purroy
Mitchell. president of the Board Of Alder
men.
Professor Moore heads his appendix
THE two hundred and forty-one ques-
tions" asked TO test tho reliability OF the
report" Beneath each question he prints
his answer He writes that his report
Was not fairly dealt with, because it was
not read as whole-''line 10y line. per-
haps. but line with line His answers 10
some Of the questions are very long. and
those which follow are merely the sub
stance:
O.-Did YOU attend any meetings Of the
committees OF I'll" Board 81 EDUCATOR
not noted III your ms!noranda OF time
spent in work done for the committee on
school inquiry: If 30. what committees
At is very likely that did. NV record
is not complete. But what l. the purport
Of this question?
Q.-Did you make study TO ascertain
how much time. in hours and mlnut -
each OF the committees of the Board OF
Education has given in consideration OF
the budget estimates OF that department
Tor each of the years 1906. l'F, 1910 ah1
1911? NJ did not. Such an inquiry ]
have never at any time been directed 10
make.
DID YOU consult with the examiners
in my office who deal with The estimate
and interim Requests OF the Dcpartincnt
of Education" Al did not ~ YOU di1
rot lind il Unnecessary to see M" nom Inc
time of my appointment until my report
was made | did MOI find II necessary To
-" them.
President Mucho asks II Professor
Moore read the correspondence between
the chairman Of tho committee on school
inquiry and himself dealing with the plan
scope and method of the school Inquiry
ana Professor Moore replied: Il did not
I did not have time TO 80 on general
dredging expedition of that sort"
TO many questions the expert explained
that another member of the stan attended
To- such work. IN his letter OF August 10
Mr. Mitchell asked:
Would YOU still say that the Board OF
Aldermen reduced school budgets IN fac
Of thu fact that only once in twelve years
II had done so?" Professor Moore AN
swers: Yes. il ! had ever said so. sin 2
the Board Of Aldermen has just done So a
second time"
Q-Plcasc support with facts the state
ment that IN" schools have been almost
completely annexed TO the CITY Hall A
The statement u abuudantly supported
with documentary facts The constitu-
Ton OF the state ana its general and spc-
ciai laws have been set aside by executive
orders. \ rankly Illegal system OF admin
i.traticn has usurpcd the place OF the
lawful one.
Q-Plcase indicate what. II any delay
or what. ~ any, injury resulted from IN"
alleged encroachmenr by the Board OF Es-
innate Alt ~ sclf-evldcnt that II The
lzw prcsCrlhrs a process with tive steps
and an executive order sets IL aside and
substitutes routine OF twelve steps
sine" II takes longer 10 take twelv" steps
than 10 take two. very great delay - IN
oyitable and every such delay spells IN
lury, since the work in hand Is pressing.
o.-Would YOU furnish evidence. now
lac king. that the various branch"s OF the
c.ty government were in constant strugEi"
With the Board Of Education? A-Th"
struggle ~ as To what the law is and
Nhnt must ana must not be done. Thc
evidence T. I'm the report.
p-What evidence IL there that every
change in officers a; the city Hall in-
wolves new system and method Of doing
city business? A.-Thcrc IL an album
dance Of It which can be- produced Al a
judicial hearing
The questions and answer touch upon
every section and phase of the report as
a whole. In a preface by Professor Paul
H. lIanus In charge Of the investigation.
the book H. referred to a. AN exception
ally valuable document ON the basis u
a comprehensive, clear and convincing eN-
position OF existing conditions, IL points
out the way to progressive Improvement
In the administration OF the pubic school
syStem Of the city Of New York.