Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-09
Surrey of Schools
to Be Constructive
Continued from pagc One

to Be Constructive
Continued from Rage One
the job of ten or dozen efficiency cx-
pcrts in every line of educational ac-
. tivity. It doesn't mean mere exam
nation Of accounts. of systems of book
keeping or schemes of financial opera
ton involving public funds.
\ survey means painstaking eX
animation into everything pertaining to
Philadelphia public school system;
not only the expenditures of money,
but the system Of raising it. 1t involves
comprehensive study of the actions of
the Board of Education in to past and
/ their relation to the system Of cduca-
tiOn. This includes school buildings,
their locations. physical condition, light,
heat. ventilation aud capacity. If
school buildings are run down at the
| heel. ovcrcrowded, insanitary, or there
are too few of them. what is the cause
and what is the remedy?
Question of Teaching STAFF
What is the character, intellectual
ability and technical fitness of the Off =
cials and teaching staff from superin
/ tcndent down to the lowest substitute
teacher? Are they fitted for their tasks
and, If so. are they performing them to
the highest degree of efficiency? II not,
why mott
Is the curriculum. the course of
studies. fully adapted 10 the needs and
requirements of the pupils considering
their environment and possible future
The high schools. vocational schools and
the continuation schools. which are
more or less either a joke or mystery /:
probation officers. health conditions. in
sppCtiOn, athletics, in fact everything
pertaining to the public school institu-
ton must pass under microscopic exam
iuation by experts with all facts set
forth and remedies suggested.
There are no sacrosanCt privileges for
the Board Of Education itself. 1t, too,
must face the limelight and abide by
results. II. as has been asserted, it is
atrophied and its operative machinery
is performing in rut SO deep that 1t
reaches the axles. then the findings
should be spread abroad.
If it's financial policy has been guided
by parsimony or mistaken economy
and all of its functions predicated on
the methods of thirty five years ago,
then the survey will discover the facts
II is possible that a reorganization OF
the board as it exists at present may be
! necessary.
At all events the board of the future
should be made up of men who will not
only Law down the policy of education
in PHILADELPHIA but who will hold th'
executive heads of the educational syS'
TEN strictly responsible for their pol
icies and who do not propose or intenc
to interfere in the detailed work of thu
institution.
There are members Of the board to.
day. like Mr.. Gratz, Mr.. ShallCrOss ant
Mr.. Harrington. who have grown VI
with the institution. They joined th'
body when the public school system wa
much simpler and smaller. They gaV'
ungrudgingly. of their time to It's de-
failed supervision. They acquired mucl
knowledge and skill. often more thar
pUssessed by Iuperintendents ant
teachers, and that knowledge grew Will
the schools of the city.
But they have seemingly trained NJ
successors. Today rs they advance II
years it is impossible. under this or
gauization. for any newcomer to learI
the details Of the work intimatel!
enough 10 take over their authority
This doubtless will be rPmedied. AnC
whatever changes. if any, are inau
gurated will be with full recognition o
this fact.
Will Define Authority
The survey. though ] have no au
, thoritv for the suggestion. will doubt
= less more clearly than ever define th'
authority of the board. 1t will be alonl
? the same lines so thoroughly understood
r among business men and which Gus
tomarily guides the actions and limit
9 the activities Of boards of directors II
great commercial concerns.
The proposed survey Is not. there
= fore, highbrow proposition. 1t is pro
posed 70 bc one of the most painstaking
practical. exact and intelligent studie
Of school system ever undertaken. ]
is To be- conducted in the same way tina
= might be adopted by Il great manufac
turing concern which employs traine'
experts and efficiency engineers to in
: ,titute an examination of its operation
I to suggest improvements. enlarge it
= OUTPUT and cconomize its resources.
= The time necessary to complete thi
= survey and the force OF experts neces
= sary is at present problematiC. 1t wi
q depend upon conditions and the develop
y ment of the work ~ it proceeds II ma
! br finished in sixty days and it Nigh
I require six months.
II ne uRlNhl l'l oN'l lIIf lueSllOnN Z
\ salaries will, fancy. largely engage IN
q attention Of tn" survey experts. Th
e best informed among the teaching stat
find. have prevalent notion ths
4 in view Of the increased cost of a
a necessities. known as the high cost
n living and the immediate need for re
Q lief, adequate salaries should be granite
y under a temporary special loan thi
t could be taken up by increased taxa
tion sanctioned by the next Legislator,
d The demands for additional scho
. buildings, commensurate with the rap
d increase Of attendance during the re
Y cent last years, will be another preg
e uant subject for examination.
e The matter Of taxation must be face
!, frankly. This in itself is one of Il
keystones of the problem of great
e efficiency in the public school system
e The second Of Colonel Mccain
r. articles on the school surrey WiH dppeC
tomorrow.