New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-02
Misrepresentation Continue.

II is evidently necessary to continue
TO give facts to Offset further mislead-
ing statements in THE Globe" in re-
gard to the Gary plan.
On November 80 the school page OF
"The Globe" in commenting upon an
article by this department last Monday
made the following statement: Care
ful scrutiny OF the report submitted
to the Board Of Education by Superin-
tendent Writ discloses the fact that
not only does he recommend the policy
Of increasing the size Of the school or
ganization even in schools of enormous
size, but in at least one report he pro-
poses q big increase in the size OF
classes"
In his attempt TO prove that Mr.. Writ
proposes a big increase in size OF
classes" Mr.. Metcalfe quotes the fol-
lowing statement from Mr. Wirt's re-
port in regard 70 Z. 5. SO, Manhattan,
where they at present have ffty-seven
classroOms ana seventy classes:
"Seventy-two classes may be accom-
modated, which is two more than now
enrolled. Since twenty-four teachers
now have charge Of twenty-four classes,
with registers of thirty to thirty five
each, approximately $50 additional chill
dren may be added to present register
without increasing the number OF
teachers. This means a saving of sl4,-
900 annually on basis of present aver
age per capita educational cost of $40
pupil"
Mr.. Metcalfe then adds the following
comment: at is doubtful if there has
ever before been presented so clearly
the intention 10 utilize the Gary plan
TO crowd classes and to jam schools
full to capacity as outlined in Super
intendent Wirt's own words. Here he
recommends the increase of twenty.
four classes by tie addition Of total
of $50 additional pupils or fifteen to a
class. This means classes of forty five
TO fifty pupils each"
So much for the deductions Of "Thc
Globe" school page. Here are the facts
about F. S. SO, Manhattan, which are
easily obtainable by any one who is
sincerely interested in understanding
in detail just what the reorganization
Of P. s. SO would involves:
In the first place, although there are
tgenty-four classes which have from
thirty-to thirty-five children each, the
fact is that there are thirty-three
classes which have all the way from
forty TO forty-eight children each.
A second important point which was
not brought out by THE Globe" is that
in twelve rooms in this school there
are two classes reciting at the same
time in the same room. These are the
I .enty-four classes Of thirty and thirty
five children each This m cans that at
any given time there are from sixty
10 seventy children in one classroom.
Furthermore, these classrooms have only
forty-iive to fifty seats. The able prin-
cipal who has charge OF this school
deals with this situation in an ingeni-
Gus way. While one class is studying
at their desks, IN other class in the
room is doing work st the blackboard.
This is an excellent illustration Of the
measures by which many of the more
progressive principals have sought TO
deal with the difficult problem of con-
gestion in their schools. And Mr.. Writ
is strong in his praise of the energy
and initiative shown by this particular
principal in attempting to deal with an
almost impossible situation.
Mr.. Wirt's plan of reorganization for
Public School 80, Manhattan, however,
makes il unnecessary to have two
CLASSES in one schoolroom at the same
time, and makes it possible for every
class 10 have schoolroom for itself
when II is reciting. Moreover, 1t elimi-