New-York tribune., 1918-12-16

T' TV'"e contracts were ready to be LET.
nuo 'he new board, in the words of its
president, undertook to set aside ali
pteVlous plans and BERN de novo''-
( s '"e uhiortunate consequence that
several me buildings which might now
nave oeen we'll toward completion are
'."e Se' started; and the situation daily
s'o"s worse Plans were on the table
'or new structures to replace the dis
graceful shacks on the lower Wost
S'de. But the official report of Noycm-
oes -e last says these "plans are laid
Hs'ue' awaiting information as to ac-
'iVl'ies to be provided for" But the
cn'ioren can't lay aside their falling
eyesiGht.
The Mitchell board recognized the i'm
poSSlNItY, rovcd by two or three
decades of experience, of erecting
orand new buildings, in which each
enlla should have reserved seat, fast
enough to catch w with the needs. os-
pec'ally if each one was to cmbodv the
la1esS facilities, in the way Of
. gymnaslums, workshops, Fairgrounds,
music rooms and the like So thew
asked: "What good does it do child
TO have its scat in the classroom left
vacant while it goes to the gymnasium
or playground or auditorium? None
at alt We will put in so many of the
craving rooms, music rooms and the
IKE that they will accommodate as
many children as do the classrooms
men duplicate school can be run in
each building, every child getting the
oeneht OF the most modern type of ac-
commodation. Also, we can catch nm
that way and end the part time and
short-day nuisance"
But the new board rcpudiatcd that
method. 1t is committed 10 furnishing
every child with a reserved seat which
nobody shall use, except for about
three and half hours a day. for POO
days a year Thus far no progress
toward this ideal has been made. Some
months were consumed in action to lay
aside all previous plans and begin
anev.. Then came the stoppage en-
forced by the War Industries Board
Now, at last, the road is clear The
building department Of the board has
brought plans, specifications and es-
Inmates so far forward. that it will be
feasible to let contracts next year to
the tune of S120O0,000, if the funds
are made available.
The Rub Is to Find
Funds for the Schools
VIII the Board of Estimate find the
funds ? There's the rub. It's PROPOSE
ton, just made. is to begin proceedings
by resembling the appropriations for
more than $11,000,00O left by the prev
ious board. When that money is ex~
pended half Of it, as to some parts, and
three fourths Of it, as to other parts,
must b. paid out of the current tax
levy. Bat through 6 new law any
money now appropriated, up to within
year after peace is signed, may be
entirely raised by long~term bonds. So
the Board Of Estimate suggests re-
scinding all past appropriations and
making new appropriations as they
become necessary.
"All very fine" say school authori-
ties. "Bat bird in the hand is worth
two in the bush. Past experience
makes us wary. Can We be sure We'll
get now money if v'a relinquish old
nancy c'
This might be done Let the Board
Of Education lay ont fall working
programmes, showing, item by item. for
what amount they can make contracts
riexc yea1:. Then consent to the re-
sending of old appropriations on con-
dlton that new appropriation to
the amount needed be at the same time
made. the funds to be liberated for
actual contracts from tin1o to time as
required
Those who are convinced that the
ideal Of reserved seat for every child
ls as mistaken as it is unattainablc
yet wish the Board of Education God
speed in its Sisyphean struggle. That
the board has an inkling Of the futility
Of It's plans is indicated by the official
declaration that its buildings though
planned for single sessions, are so ar
ranged as to be convertible into dou-
ble-session schools if need arises" A
double-session school is half baked
duplicate or Garyised school. All il
needs is a few additional modern IA
cilities, which later boards can supply
though not so conveniently as they
ight be supplied in the first in
stance in order to increase it's capa-
city by half and bring within closer
view the glad time when every young
. ster can go to school for a full dav
in a proper building