New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-05
WARNS MAYOR
AGAINST HASTE
ON GARY PLAN
President Churchill OF
Education Board Says 1t
May Wreck Project.
SENDS LETTER
TO CONFERENCE
Adoption of System in Time to
Keep Down School Budget
Meets Opposition.

President Churchill and other mem
bers Of the Board Of Education and as
sociate city superintendents doubt
whether 1t will be possible at this time
TO put the Writ system Of "work-study
and play" schools into full operation in
? this city. as suggested by Mayor
-, Mitchell
Mr.. Churchill was not present az a
/ conference in the Mayors Office yes
terday, but sent letter on the subject.
I The Mayor said later that because OF
the absence Of Dr. william Writ, orig
inator Of the system, a discussion OF
details went over antil Thursday.
By the adoption Of this plan for the
coming year the Mayor and Controller
hoped TO save the money that otherwise
would be needed for additional teachers
and schools and to keep the 1916 budget
Of the Board Of Education down TO
this years figures more
than S39,OOO0O0.
Unoficially the school officials have
let il be known that they think they
ought 10 have about 100000 more
than they had this year. The Mayor
believes this is an impossible figure
in view of the efforts TO keep down the
total budget. Conferences on this bud
get were started with Controller Prem
dergast last night. Although there are
some mandatory increases in teachers
salary, the city officials propose 10 do
their best TO keep the budget down to
the 1916 figure, regardless Of whether
the Gary plan is adopted or not.
Warns Against TASTY Action.
After referring TO the success of the
experiment of obtaining cooperation IN
industrial education from merchants
and manufacturers and the development
of pre-vocational work. as originated by
Dean Schneider, of Cincinnati, Presi-
dent Churchill in his letter said:
"The Gary deyice of the use Of
school buildings for duplicate school
bodies is now in process OF experiment,
but owing to the fact that II has been
only in partial operation for much
shorter period than the cooperative
system and the pre-vocatlonal plan
and involves physical changes not yet
entirely effected in the schools wherein
IL is now being tried, il is impossible
TO say from demonstration whether 1t
can finally be adopted in all the essen
tial elements proposed.
1T would be fortunate indeed if,
without loss of efficiency, we could
modify our instruction and policies so
as 10 secure economy. There is no
time when economy should not be
sought, whether in fat or lean years.
Yet we must be mindful lest at time
like this. when the reduction OF mu-
nicipal expenditure is deemed so nee
essary, we yield to the temptation to
regard economy as more important than
efficiency and through hasty adoption
wreck worthy project that, well con-
sidered, would be an abiding benefit.
Calls 1t Hazardous Undertaking.
"The alteration Of schoolhouses as
outlines is not Objectionable. The du-
plicate school plan has been adopted
here since 1918, when through this de-
vice the number of children on part
time was reduced materially. Sudden
drastic transition in educational proc
esses is more serious proposition.
To put the Gary plan before full trial
into general use throughout this city
Of many and divergent communities,
aggregating upward of three quarters
of million of children, would be an
undertaking of such hazard and grave
7 - ka
/ guine to pause.
81 believe in the influence Of the lay
men in education to prevent the schools
from drifting away from the needs Of
the world without. But, despite criti-
cism that may reasonably be made of
the schools as they now exist we
should not ignore the experience of
educators who have spent their lives
in the study Of the school problems of
New York City"
Those who conferred with the Mayor
Yesterday were John Martin, Frank d.
Wilsey and George j. Gillespie. chair
man of the Elementary Schools Com
mittee. all of the Board Of Education ;
G. B. j. Snyder, superintendent of
buildings, and Dr. Edward b. Shallow,
William l.. Ettinger, John II. Haaren
and Gustaye Straubenmuller, associate
city superintendent.
There are lots Of good things in the
Gary PLAN" said DR.. Shallow. Per
sonally | like II very much. but | don't
think il needs all the promoting 1t has
received recently. 1t should be per-
mtted to proceed on its own merits.
On financial questions the Board Of
Education will take issue with Mr.
Writ. We still have to be shown how
his plan is TO save 40 per cent in build
ings and how we can get the same re-
suits with 10 per cent fewer teachers.
In the two schools where DR.. Writ was
actively in charge no such decrease was
! !. h .-..... ,,