The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19
RYING THE GARY PLAN IN THE NEW YORK SCHOOLS
Problem of Providing
Religious T acl, ing
One of Those Solved
by William Writ Idea

| HE r%eopening Of the schools this
year sees the beginning OF an
experiment in several cities
which is regarded hy educators
and religious eaders with great In
terest. 1t Is in effect the application
OF the Gary school system to the
solution OF the problem of religious
instruction for school children. This
new plan has been much talked about
by public school leaders. Some praise
1t. others cosdemn 1t.
The most important tests of the dea
are beins made in New York state.
Michigan and Illinois. In New York
city the pan is having n trial in The
Bronx. Those who advocate it assert
that the system will give better results
than the plan Of parochial schools and
that 1t is likely to solve the problem
Of religious education for all people,
no matter Of what faith.
America IL Justly proud of its pubic
school system. Yet n religious lead
ers and others who concern themselves
with the public welfare have long been
dissatisfied with phase of 1t. They
say 1t goes too far in excluding moral
and religious instruction. Catholic.
Protestant and Jewish leaders assert
this, while differing as to methods to
improve the conditions of which they
complain. For some years there has
been general advocacy OF a plan to
have the public schools dismiss chill
dren on "wednesday afternoons In
order that they may go to churches
and parish houses and there receive
religious instruction.
Out in Gary. In Indiana, there is n
new city OF fifty thousand population.
a product Of American push and the
United States Steel Corporation. The
school system started there has been
praised and condemned lmmoderately
from an educational point of view. II
includes some features IF deep IN
forest to the churches.
There are %. 200, 900 persons in the
schools Of the country, inc the educa-
tional expense Of America is $780,
900 900 a year. No fewer than 700.-
900 persons serve as teachers. Then
there are $1,000. 900 children and teach
err in religious schools. at an expense
Of some $50, 600. 900 a year more. Any
UpuN Ndii STE lHt DIX pTOD-eIn lnNOlNeu
from mere numbers and money. But
in the opinion OF some critics of the
public school system far bigger prob
mi arise from the lack of Bible train
ing for boys n girls. To this lack
they attribute increases in crime and
the alleged lowering of the standard
81 public and private morals.
william Writ is a new factor in
education. He found through Judge
Ebert II. Gary and the United States
Stee. Corporation his opportunity to
put his ideas into practice. The new
city of Gary on the shores of Lake
Michigan gave him his chance. But il
u admitted that Gary conditions are
unusual, and 80 1t is purposed here
not to tell about Gary schools. but to
explain the church plans in relation
to the new school plan.
In some cities of the middle West
this religious educational phase of the
Gary school plan has been taken up
within h last ten days to be tried
gu during the school year just open
ing. But New York, usually slow in
its innovations, leads all other cities
In America in h application OF this
religious educational plan to public
school education. In this instance,