The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-10
CITY SCHOOLS OPEN
ON WAR TIMEBASIS
Bows Will Be Drilled and
Taught Subjects Of Mill
tary Value.

The war, which colors everything in
life now, is having its effect on the pub
Tic schools. which opened yesterday. A
certain amount OF tina; military training
which in the days when hardly anybody
dreamed that our peace would ever be
broken was so much opposed By the
great majority now is to be a part Of
the curriculum in both elementary and
high schools. All the boys must drill
and the elC lads will be taught sub
jects Of military value. such as chem
istry. sanitation, farming and calls
themes.
Americanization will be to the fore,
especially in the evening schools, which
are to take in great numbers OF foreign
born workers, whom the law now COM
pels to study the English language and
other subjects to turn them into good
Americans.
The war bites into the first week Of
school by taking the school buildings OF
the city all day Thursday for the local
draft boards. Three hundred and forty
eight schools will be emptied OF children
and filed with the manhood OF the coun-
try registering for military service and
the teachers OF tire city, men and women
will help the draft boards.
more serious effect is felt in the
action of the War Industries Board in
holding up nearly 100000 worth of
new construction that has been author
lied. This prevents the building of sew
enteen new elementary schools and the
making OF additions to present buildings
costing $4,000. 900. There ore the prob
lem OF providing for the 200. 900 chill
dren who filled classrooms OF public and
parochisl schools yesterday is acute, but
the members OF the Board of Education.
while family ho<ing for reconsider
alton by Bernard Baruch and the board
OF which he is chairman. are prepared to
take Washington's no cheerfully and
TO work out their part OF the part time
problem as best they can.
The registration figures announced
yesterday were 1888 for the eiemen-
tary schools. 6s,222 for the high schools.
i.0lo for the training schools and 2,2Ss
tor the vocational schools. The total.
so7,92s, is less than last years. which
was s23.44l. but the comparison Is
hardly fair because last year the fig-
ures were not given out until school
had been in session several days and
all statistics had been carefully tabu-
lated. This year. for the first time,
the figures were gathered by telephone
from the various schools and made pub
lie on the opening day. The attendance
yesterday at the public schools was 6S4,-
So. as against 745,359. II is estimated
that when things are fairly going the
pupils will Just about equal last years
in number. Figures from the parochial
schools we're only estimated, but were
put roughly at 1000
Older grade pupils have been attracted
by the high wages in shops and fac
tories. and in many cases cannot tear
themselves away from this easy money
even for an education. The teachers
will do all they can to d.ssuade pupils
who wish TO withdraw from the registry
and keep at work. but when the pupil
is OF sufficient age they can do nothing
more drastic, and this is one reason for
falling OF in the normal increase in
pupils.
About twelve hundred and fifty of the
lads In high school are within the new
draft age. but II Is hoped that these
eighteen-year- olders will be permitted to
remain in school and take their military
instruction there. Probably 90 per cent.
Of the male teachers will be compelled to
register In the draft, but DR.. William
l., Ettinger superintendent OF schools,
said yesterday that IL was hoped there
would not be very big cut in the force.
There are only 1000 male teachers, any
how, against more than 10000 women.
As for the part time problem. fifteen
new sittings have been provided. or
course these sittings r'll not take care
of all the overflow, but DR.. Ettinger has
plans in his mind for ameliorating the
situation. He does not intend to reveal
them. however. until they are ripe.
Maybe 10000 of the public school pupils
will have to be on part time, but il is
Impossible to tell until the registration
Aaiiraa n 70 Oh