New-York tribune., 1919-03-22
Ettinger Asks for
Alienist to Examine
Retiring Teachers
Four or Five Cases Demand
Attention, He Declares to
Board; Schools to Close
Tuesday for the Parade

An alienist is wanted in the De-
partment of Education to aid in obtain
ing the retirement of teachers affected
with mental disorders. This fact was
revealed yesterday afternoon at the
meeting of the Board of Education,
when Superintendent of Schools Will
lam L. Ettingcr submitted recon-
mendation.
DR.. Ettinger said there we're four or
five cases at present that demanded the
services Of an alienist One of the
members asked DR.. Ettinger if an ex-
pert who is devoting attention to the
ungraded classes could be used but DIR.
Ettinger said that with these classes it
is a quetion of psychology and that
vices that are required of an alienist.
The board referred the matter to
DR.. Ettinger, with power.
DR.. Ettinger, in letter to the board,
submitted the complete history of the
controversy between the Board Of Edu-
caion and the city authorities. includ-
ing Mayor Hylan, Comptroller Craig
and Commissioner Of Accounts Hirsch-
field, relative to the school finances
and the demand by the city officials
that these finances be investigated by
them.
New Law Changed Power
When the Board of Education was
constituted a body. of seven members
by the new education law, DR.. Ettinger
says in his letter, the administration
of city educational affairs was thereby
placed in the hands Of the new board
and passed from the control of the
city officers.
1T soon became apparent" says Dr.
Ettinger, in his letter, "that the Board
OF Education was not to be permitted
to control its own affairs by the failure
OF Controller Craig to honor payrolls
and bills duly audited"
More recent details Of the contro-
versy. were brought out in DR.. Ettin-
gers letter in citing the demand of the
city officials to investigate the school
accounts, the refusal by the auditor of
the board by direction Of DR.. Ettnger
aud the subpoena on March II of the
auditor by Commissioner Hirschfeld to
testify regarding the methods of the
school finances, which DR.. Ettinger told
Auditor Henry R. M. Cook to disregard.
Wants Charges Substantiated
DR.. Ettinger declared the charges
that principals are expressing the
teachers in their endeavors for higher
salaries made recently by Clara G.
Calkins. principal of Public School 6,
Brooklyn, in letter to local after
noon newspaper, ought to be substan-
tiated.
The board disapproved recon-
mendation from the body of superin-
tendents that when, in the opinion Of
the division superintendent, it is i'm
possible to obtain substitutes for alb
sent teachers, the principal of Public
School 109 Brooklyn. be authorized to
employ regular. teachers overtime, not
to exceed two hours a day, with COM
pensation at the rate of $l.50 an hour,
in addition to their regular salaries.
The school children in Manhattan, it
was. voted, will have holiday Tuesday
in honor of the 9th Division. The
board decided that the schools be
closed Monday morning in Brooklyn
only when the celebration is held
there. and it was voted to excuse all
employees of the department who wish
to join in the exercises there that
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