The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Western War on Silk Stocking Snobbishness
Not Needed Here; Washington Irving High
School, Exhibiting but Little, Is Typical

that snobbishness has not gained much head
way in the high schools It's appearance
has been watched carefully and nipped in
the bud
William l.. Ettinger city superintendent
of schools. says Ii does not exist William
McAndrew, associate superintendent. de-
clares that, while secret societies may tend
&c encourage snobbishness in some of the
high schools, generally speaking, these edu-
cational institutions of the city are thor
oushly democratic. Edward Cornell Zabris-
kie, principal of the Washington Irving High
School, believes that democracy reigns
among his 5000 pupils Mrs. Dora r. Thomp-
son and Miss L. Louise War;, deputy princi-
pals. are of the same opinion. Teachers in
terViewed there and elsewhere think that the
Cleveland mother would not be confronted
by the silk stocking snobbishness il her
daughter attended any of the public schools
here.
On the other hand, investigation brought
TO light the fact that certain public schools
or rather their pupils consider themselves
little bit better than others. Hunter Col
lege, for instance. likes to think itself supe-
rior to the city high school. Erasmus Hall
has societies to which the students are elect
ed by the faculty. Wadleigh High School
pupils, some of them feel that they rank
above the pupils Of other high schools. Yet
the teachers disclaim any spirit of snobbish-
ness y
William Grady, official spokesman for DR.
Ettinger declared that the only sign OF
snobbishness he had found among the public
school pupils existed in the foreign born
families on the East Side. And then Il was
observed only In rare instances. Here the
children who are enjoying far greater edu-
cational advantages than their parents have
had, sometimes feel their intellectual supe-
riority and do not always try to conceal 1t.
'ETpUupntlV nj N
ton works much faster with the children OF
foreign parents than with the parents them
selves he said. and often the school influ-
ence tends TO create n gap between the
parent and the child. The parent has reached
static condition and remains more or less
alien, while the child becomes n typical New
Yorker | would say that this unfortunate
condition Is the exception rather than the
rule The we'll instructed youngster with
proper disposition really serves as an inter-
prefer OF Americanism to the parent. And
Americanism means democracy.
AS regards snobbshness generally there
isn't any such thing i'm the public schools.
Life is too intense and interviewer with more
democratic considerations to permit the ex-
istence Of class distinction. our public
schools are not aristocratic institutions and
we encourage simplicity I'm dress among the
pupils"
Mr.. McAndrew Declares Schools
on the Whole Are Most Democratic
'Snobbshness in the public schoosl" ex-
claimed Mr. McAndrew when questioned as
to It's existence why. it's antagonistic TO
the very principles of free education. Where
would you find democracy II not In the
schools?"
Mr.. McAndrew was for many years prin-
cipal Of Washington Irving High School
He built II M into the big composite nstitu-
ton II perhaps, the best known of the
city high schools During his principalship