New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-17
Politics VS.. Gary Plan
Tactics OF an Impartial CHARM,
Queens Hearing
To the Editor Of The Tribup.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Last night the Welfare Cou.
tho Board Of Aldermen held b.,y
Public School 6. Queens. It has b.,.
by that committee fhat it Is bols;.. 'as
hearings IN order 10 get an impartial ~. Va
standing 81 ;he public attitude tow,
school situation iu New York Ci,y q
The meeting as conducted last pi...
tainIy fell far short % the eondi.o,, q
impartial investigation. ! do 10, b.li.-s
chairman can represent the stti.us. =,
majority Of the Welfare Commi,,..
from the beginning his remark, ~
either tina: he had definitely taken 90
ono Of the most discussed phase, a,
conditions a. the present time, tia. /,
Gary plan, or that he was guilty O. :,
traordnary lapse Of memory in r.v,,,
important facts abou; the Gary plan.
For example, during my speech I km.
sion to quote some statistics showing Ia.
Gary plan had relieved congestion !,
Bronx. Mr. Robitzck said that the eo--.
had held hearing in The Bronx r.,,,.
but that the figures which | was su,..
we're not those which he had heard ..
As a matter Of fact. the figures wer. "a,
from District Superintendent joseph &
lor's official report. which he gave "a N
Robitzek at the timc of the Bronx he,,.
These figures were given before the Nat.
Education Association conference il K,,,
City this year. were later pubhsh.5 I
school and Society" and three wssn a..
put on file by Dr. Taylor with Mr.. Pa
at the meeting OF The Welfare Commit.
The Three Rs
Mr.. Robltzek stated that the Gary pa, q
not give so much time for the tire.
Again. the facts arc that District sur,
tcndeut TAYLOR and William P. McCarth,
sistant in the division Of duplicate sehoo,
the Department Of Education. both stass
the public hearing .a The Bronx betcr. y
Robtzck and the Welfare Committee %,
lust as much time Has given for the 10,
RS under the Gar" plan as under the
system. Both NJ Taylor and Mr.. NcCa-
get their facts from the official statistis
tho Department OF Education.
A third statement by Mr. Robtzek ;,
tEat many parents 10 Public School Is ",
against the Gary plan. Yet at the pss
hearing IN The Bronx a few weeks A,
Charles Grunentnal. one of the paren.
Public School A.. testified in favor Of !
plan: the Mothers Club Of Public Schod
has gone on record as approving it. a.
long ago a. June, 1915, a group Of nc..r
marched in a Borough Day parade with d,
ncr bearing the insignia. Eve want this 4,
o. school for our children" Il wosk
Interesting 70 know what proof Mr.. RCbt.
could bring forward in support Of his 81
ments and equally interesting TO kroy
what grounds he could justify the chair
of an impartial hearing in making such "a
ments.
And lastly. Mr.. Robtzek stated that p.
lie School - had cost the city S75OOOO y
Mary Moore Orr, VINO was present &. &
BronX meeting. asked the committee &
did not remember ,ra. Mrs. Frost pres.g
o. The Mothers CouuciD had made that 81.
ment at the BronX hearing and that Sup
teadeHt Taylor had corrected her, poi-
out that the $4,000 mad been spent o.
twelve schools rco-~anized in The Br
on the Gary plan not on Public Schoc.
alone. Alderman Collins had the iar'
to state that he SC remembered.
To take sides at q supposedly Impair
hearing, before a'' the facts are H.
unfortunate; to take sides by quoting ii
curate statements which had already =
corrected before the committee shows a ma
fest unfairnos5 that does not augur vel
the accuracy or justice Of the final NJ
of the Welfare Committee, if that repon
to be based U0on the method Of inVss.i
ton illustrated az i.s. nights meeting.
MRS. ALFRED J. EMO
Vice Chairman Gary School Leag.,
Jamaica, \. Y, April 10, 1917.