New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-26
Il Is a Well Rounded Educational

To tho Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Commissioner Martins statement at
the meeting Of the Board Of Education last
Wednesday, taken in conjunction with the
recommendations Of the Controller, indicates
clearly that the superior educational ana
financial advantages Of the Writ plan OF
school organization, as compared With others
under consideration, have been officially rec
ogrizcd. This agreement of school and city
authorities, after a study Of tho question
from two different angles gives double as
surance of its soundness
In order TO remove possible doubt, however,
as to the educational advantages of tho Writ
plan over and above it's financial advantages,
should like to comment briefly on certain
points regarding my statements in letter to
The Tribune on September II that have been
raised by an advocate of the Ettinger plan in
letter TO The Tribune on September 20.
This is particularly pertinent in view Of the
special meeting called by the school authori-
ties to enable Mr.. Writ to explain his plans.
The vital point in the consideration OF these
plans is not merely their economic advan-
tages but their relative merits from an edu-
tionaly sound the mere fact that the Writ
plan would cost less to operate than any
other plan presented should not suffice as a
basis for extending it through the schools.
While in my letter of September II | pur-
, osely emphasized the economic factors in
volved in order to point out the futility OF
attempting to handle the present complex
situation in the New York schools on the old
reserved seat basis and to urge the Board of
Education to give immediate and careful at
tention to the solution possible in the Gary
plan, was not unaware Of the Importance Of
the educational factors involved nor unin-
formed as TO the essential educational ele-
ments in the alternative plans.
The reason given by the advocate of the
Ettinger plan for the fact that first grade
pupils are attending only four hours daily in
Public School 81, Manhattan, is exceedingly
interesting. 1t raises important question
to which the Board of Education should give
immediate attention. 1t is unfortunate that
the device of calling part time full time" in
the first grade which was enacted into the
bylaws at the suggestion of DR.. Ettinger in a
previous effort to solve the part-time problem,
should now stand in the way of frightening
the school day under his new type of organi-
cation. This obnoxious provision should be
rescnded at once. AS was pointed out at the
time of its enactment, it does not change in
the least the part-time evil for first grade
children, but simply CLOSES over the situation
by comforting more kindly name upon it.
The practice cited of scheduling play for
latter school" under the Ettinger plan, as a
device for engthening the school day for
those who may wish to stay, is an excellent
illustration of an essential difference between
that plan and Mr.. Wirt's. In the latter the
play periods are not mere appendages to the
regular school day, but, like the work and
study periods, are vital and necessary parts
Of the programme, which Is so arranged as to
distribute and equalize throughout the day
the burden placed upon playground and class
room. It is this continuous, alternating use
of all the facilities of the school plant as a
means of overcoming congestion and afford
ing the economy in space and equipment
which makes richer educational opportunities
possible that Commissioner Martin has so
aptly designated the divine spark of common
sense" in the Writ plan.
While | did not specifically admit in my
letter that the pre-vocational pupils under
the Ettinger plan have longer day than do
any pupils under the Writ plan, | do so
cheerfully now, to this extent: In Public
School 40, The Bronx, there were 1,404 pupils
who attended hours and 20 minutes daily in
May, 1915, whereas in Public School Ga, Man
haitian, there were POI pupils who attended,
on the average, 6 hours and "a minutes-a
difference of four minutes in favor of the
Ettinger plan for 291 pupils.
1t is true, as the communication points out,
that the two Writ schools have operated I'M
der serious handicaps. They have not had
the shop and other equipment deemed essen
tial for their most favorable operation, and
they did not get under way as early as the
Ettinger schools. This has been due to the
fact that the funds appropriated last fall for
the Gary experiment were largely expended
in equipping the schools in which Dr. Ettin-