The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-08
CHARGES FLY ABOUT
AT SCHOOL HEARING
Civic Committee Chairman
Lays Part Of "Disgraceful
Conditions" to Neglect.
DEMANDS NEW BUILDINGS
"Keep to the Truth and Not
Be Unfair" Retorts Super
intendent Shallow.

In the end every one agreed to do ey-
erythinE he could to induce the Board
OF Estimate to fn1 enough money to
Keep In good condition all the old ram
shackle public school buildings in the
city as well az to continue the erection
or new ones. but II looked for a time
Yesterday as though the hearing which
the Board OF Education granted to the
Public Education Association and other
civic bodies might break up in a per-
fectly good row.
Howard w. Nudd, director of tho as
ISOLATION, and Mrs. Emil Boas, chairman
OF Its joint committee on sanitation and
equipment OF school buildings, charged
that sanitary conditions at many OF the
schools were disgusting and disgrace
ful.' Mrs. Boas read a memorandum
which went into details and in which It
was demanded" that the hoard make
all the repairs which have been asked
FOR for years." that II put up new build
ings for the Julia Rchman High School
and the High School of Commerce for
Boys
Mrs. Simon Guggenheim. who is at the
head OF the ASSOCIATIONS school commit
tee. said that she had visited many of
the schools and that the conditions were
not only bad. but unworthy of any city,
much less the greatest on this CONT
nent"
Demands Made for Schools.
Among the demands" which Mrs.
Boas said her committee made were the
removal Of old furniture from school
buildings. placing new desks SO that the
light comes from the left instead Of from
the right, installing plans for better
iights. abolishing annexes. expediting the
carrying out Of requests for repairs,
furnishing rest rooms for teachers and
at least one couch for every school, hir-
Ing more Janitors so that school children
shall not be obliged to scrub floors or
clean the schools, giving particular at
tention to the High School Of Commerce
and public schools, 81. 20, 10, lO8, 40
and 100. and providing a special teacher
for defective children.
1T does not help girl now receiving
her education at the Julia Richman High
School," said Mrs. Boas 'to tell her that
there Is site for a new building under
consideration which, II approved. may
have new school building ready for
occupancy In two years or more. nor give
proper desk room when boy perches
on high chair In the annex of the High
School Of Commerce with his books on
the gas stove of the domestic science
III this board could find any possible
way to stop deterioration OF buildings
or control the elements so that roofs
wouldn't leak 1t would do it." announced
President Somers with asperity when
Mrs. Boas had finished. But roofs
will leak and We can't help It. Some
OF these school buildings are Atty years
old and the last was built in 1914
l don't recall any demand having been
made by any civic associations on the
previous administration for remedying
conditions which have always existed
War Held Up school Repairs.
The War Industries Board asked me
personally TO Join In the effort TO con-
serve our resources during the war and
said that 1t did not regard the spending
Of money. even for public schools, as
az tn ~ ~
P. hindrance. We began our programme
as soon as the armlstice was signed
and have mapped out as much work as
human endeavor can accomplish.
Already $40, 00O, 600 has been appro-
priated and eleven new schools have
been contracted for at this minute
II didn't expect to say a word" Mr.
Somers continued. but this board has
led the life of NANCY dog and has
been kicked In every place. But IL has
kept the ship atoat and We have a right
TO look the public In the face and say
we have not been false to our oath OF
Office
We don't say we expect school build
ings not to wear out" Mr.. Nudd VEN
tured soothingly. But we want them
kept efflcient--like the ships OF our fleet
We don't hold this board responsible for
the past. but we say 1t Is responsible for
correcting conditions. Our association
did support the programme OF the pre-
vious administration because II included
putting the old school buildings In shape.
but we are not partisan"
Edward b Shallow. Associate Super
ntendent of Schools. said that II no one
else would challenge" the report by the
association he would.
ut is overdrawn as far as conditions
In general are concerned" he declared
The association has picked out one
school which the board has planned to
tear down for two years 30 that a new
one may be erected. The report Is over
drawn by rs or so per cent. as far as
Public School 70 on East Seventy-flfth
street is concerned. II would be much
better II the good people of the associa-
ton would not be so wholesale and
sweeping. Let's keep to the truth and
not be unfair"
fTHIk ~ whey, Hohu OF the Dull0lnR
committee of the board said the need for
repairs was nothing new and that he
could mention forty-fve buildings
other than those spoken OF In the report
where conditions were as bad or worse
This is the first the public knew OF
that" remarked Mrs. Boas
Mr.. Somers said at the close OF the
hearing that the board would soon make
UP it's estimates for 1s1s-192O and would
try 10 see what could be done toward
getting money for repairs. Mr. Nudd
and Mrs. Boas promised that the asso-
citation would appear before tho Board
Of Esfinn alta and q aNaruthinu nouli