New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-12
EXPERT ANSWERS
GARY PLAN CRITIC
Randolph S. Bourne De-
clares System Would
Meet N. Y. Problems.
CONDITIONS SAME
AS IN INDIANA TOWN
Exceptions Taken to Statements
of ]. r. Griffin, Public
School Principal.

The Tribune has received a letter IN
defence OF the Gary plan and in reply
to the views of j. r. Griffin, principal
Of Public School I'd, printed yesterday.
The writer of it. Randolph S. Bourne,
is the educational expert OF "The New
Republic" lie spent some time IN
irst-hand study at Gary of Mr.. Wits
plan. lie writes as follows:
ITO the Editor of The Tribune.
"Sir: You print this morning criti-
cism of the Gary plan from j. I. Grif-
fin, principal of Public School ia,
which presents a number of the cur
rent msapprehensions concerning the
proposed introduction of the plan into
all the public schools of this city.
want to discuss in detail these criti-
cisms.
"First-Mr. Griffin starts rather
roughly with the statement that New
York schools are not sweatshops 10
those who understand the multiple use
of facilities" feature of the Gary plan,
by which children and teachers use
school plant in alternating groups just
as we use any public facility, this state
ment is as sensible as to imply that
Central Park is a sweatshop because
it is open day and night. A school
which straps children to school seats
for five hours a day is much more like
a sweatshop than a Gary school, which
provides a varied life of work, study
and play throughout the course of a
seven or eight hour day.
Second Mr.. Griffin is much in error
if he thinks that because the city of
Gary was rapidly built there is any
thing artificial about it. Gary, in fact,
far from being an artificial or spe-
cialized town, represents much more
harmonious distribution of classes and
occupations than many of its older
neighbors.
Peculiarly Applicable to New York.
"The Gary plan, in fact, Is peculiarly
applicable to the schools of New York
City, just because it meets here eX-
actly the same problems which it has
had to meet in Gary. The situation
that the New York school authorities
have had to meet is one created by an
abnormal growth in school population
which continually outstrips the facili-
ties which can be provided with the
old methods. The attempt 20 educate
all the children has brought out de-
mands for a greatly extended voca
tional training which the traditional
school organization finds neither the
means nor the technique TO provide.
This is exactly the situation which
Superintendent Writ has had to meet
in Gary.
at is easy to see that without the
Gary plan the schools of a city like
Gary, whose population increased
from 300 to 10000 in seven years,
would have been completely swamped.
Gary, with schools run on the old plan,
would have been relatively in a far
worse position than New York is at
present with its 1872 900 children on
part time. Yet through the Gary plan,
and through it alone, Gary has not
I only provided full time instruction for
all its children, but has accommoda-
tons actually far in excess of the
present school population. Imagine
/ New York City with school accommo-
dations such that instead of 1872
900 children on part time the city had
10000 full time accommodations
which were not yet used, and you get
the right setting for a true comparison
between New York and Gary.
Would Only Increase Units.
There is not the least doubt that the
Gary plan, applied comprehensively in
New York City. could produce similar
results. The objection that New York
is vastly larger than Gary really means
very little. The Gary plan relates to
a unit plant. Each New York school
already has an administrative force
ADEQUATE to make the change. You do
not therefore, magnify your admins
trative problem by recognizing more
schools. You do not increase the size
of your unit You merely increase the
number of your units. What real ad-
ministrative difference does it make
whether you are recognizing one
I Of .ba .