Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-21
A SURVEY OF THE SCHOOLS
Are Philadelphia's Schools All Wrong? What
the Critics Say-Need of an Intensive and
Comprehensive Study-Board's Slow
Action--Dr. Garber's, Views

determine 80 far as the capacity OF the
Investigator and his sources OF informa-
tlon and observation lay. Because of
the absoluteness and severity OF her ar
raisnment OF the present conduct Of the
schools. and because of her official posi-.
tion as organizer and head OF the
various home and school associations,
her statement OF evils, dangers, flaws
and deficiencies in the system affords all
the text necessary to warrant scrutiny of
criticisms. She sums up what is being
said In negation OF the schools fulfill.
ment OF their task and their mission
without need Of further quotation or
support from other critics.
Inef,iciency and lack of economy are
Mrs. Grice's major charges. II these
mean anything. even in absence OF spe-
citic accusation that pupils are actually
Ill taught they declare pupils are not
being properly educated as a preparation
for life. and their parents are not get
ting the full value OF the taxes levied
by the Board OF Education. which all pay
directly as property owners or indirectly
az lessees OF rented houses. Philadelphia
children are not getting the right quality
and square quantity OF education for the
educational funds expended
INDICTMENT OF SCHOOL SYSTEM
In an article (Public Ledger. Jan.
2s, 1879 Mrs, Grice, presumably from
the inclusive, plural form OF her state
ment. speaking officially for the Home
and School League, whose membership
includes teachers and parents, says:
"Our indictment OF the situation is:
The Board of Education is undemo-
cratic, not approachable by the people.
The Super!ntendents department Is
at variance.
The teaching force does not know
to whom IL owes allegiance.
The spirit OF fear and distrust runs
through the whole system.
II requires no prophet TO forctell the
influence OF such conditions upon child
life. We make these charges out OF
the deepest conviction of our being.
with clear realization of their grave
character. We would have held our
peace for the sake OF the children"
as women have through ages. for we
know the strain upon discipline in the
ranks of the young that all such pub
| lie discussion of school affairs causes,
but We feel the time has come when.
| FOR the sake of the children" yet to
! be. we must raise our voice in protest
! against the great wrong that Philadel-
| pliia Is doing her children of the pres
! ent.
Philadelphia schools are in low repute
| throughout the country Mrs. Grice al
leges. Why? She amplifies
/ In the very beginning We would
] have TO admit the fundamental weak
| ness of our present system, II Is dou-
ble-headed and like all abnormal crea-
! tions II fails to function properly.
| As at present constituted
there is no responsible executive head
| of the school system in Philadelphia
! The balance swings between the pro-
fessional expert and the business man
ager. one does not have TO be very
. learned to see at n glance the confu-
sion that necessarily follows from auy
/ such arrangement. As for
economy. the glaring Inconsistencies in
our present system would cause a smile
We're not the sense of tragedy to child
life uppermost. A study might reveal
why In one of the four departments of
/ our system a salary of several thou
I sand dollars is drawn by one who for
! a long time past has left the work Of
his department to others,
Some OF the efforts toward retrench-
ment practiced by our Board OF Edu-
cation today are crime against
1 childhood.
The president in his letter to the
| schools lays special stress upon
physical training, vocational education
and the study of civics In its efforts
TO economize the board has SO ruled
that one might almost be led to sup
pose that II was with intention that
work In these lines had beer weak
ened. A study might make clear the
policy that runs our high schools. We
might learn from it the why OF in
equalities. II 1t is a question of more
funds needed, why not begin to save