New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-04
Hylan Sees Tax
Burden in Raise
of Teacher-Pav
Blame Will Rest on You.
Not on City Administers
'ion," He Writes Legisla-
tors on Lockwood Bill
Craig Wants Paid Board
Lays School Congestion to
Bureaucratic Control''
Under Volunteer Officials

A letter signed by Mayor Hylan be
fore he departed for Atlantic CITY for
the week end was sent Yesterday to
every Senator and Assemhlyman from
New York City. calling their attention
10 the specific increases which the prin-
clpalS. assistants and teachers in the
elementary schools will receive under
the Lockwood-Donohue bill if it be-
comes law.
The legislators all know said the
Mayor, that the bill increasing teach
,ers' salaries that was passed last year
and amended this year. wiping out the
spreading clause and giving the teach
the neighborhood of SIT. 000, 900 to the
budget yearly thereafter. The in
creases under the Lockwood-Donohue
bill Will add from $4,000, 600 to $40
@ 5000 more to the budget of the City
= New York, notwithstanding the fact
that the people of the city, directly or
indirectly. viii have to pay 6S to 70 per
cent Of the teachers salaries up the
state.
Il feel it my duty as Mayor TO bring
this to the attention Of the legislators
and the public generally. so that they
nay understand that the teachers were
Increased on the first of the year. they
will receive an increase on June /, and
# the Lockwood-Donohue bill becomes a
law they will receive another large In
crease. This burden falls upon the rent
payer. as we'll as the home owner.
"If the people want 1t l nave nc OBJ
lection to it, but the least I can do Is to
present the facts to them, and II the
taxes are raised the blame will rest on
the legislators, and not on the city ad-
ministration."
Declaring that the present educa-
tional system in the city is utterly
,r~ ,lla ~ A,,0 - klN .1,< -@&,N |
power of theSuperintendent of Schools,
Comptroller Craig made public yestor-
day a memorandum written by him in
support of the bill introduced by Sen
ator a. W. Burlingame. providing for
4 paid Board Of Education Of three
members, and requiring that the Super
iDtendent of Schools shall perform ms
,.uties under the direction and control
of the board.
The bill was introduced at the be-
Rest OF the Comptroller. 1t is pro-
posed that the three paid members
shall be appointed by the big three"
Of the Board of Estimates-the Mayor.
The Comptroller and the President of
the Board Of Aldermen. While the
Comptroller confines his discussion TO
IT'S effect in this city.
The bill also seeks to eradicate the
textbook evil" through which, it is
contenGed, the members of the Board
Of School superintendent and their
.favorites'' have been able to make
thousands Of dollars in overlooking
hey are the authors.
In discussing the lack Of school ia
~cilities and the reasons for SO many
rart-time pupils. the Comptroller said:
with nearly LOCO, 900 children of
school age, of whom upward of 225,00C
are without adequate school facilities,
and having authorized the investment
Of upward of 5000, 900 900 in school prop
erty, requiring annual appropriations
of about SIS, 900 900 for current pur-
poses. the people Of the City OF New
Nork arc without any effective control
ever their schools, and are compelled
20 submit to increasing congestion in
seating conditions and progressive de-
ierioration OF school property under
Bureaucracy.
Concerning the control of textbooks
and appointments by the Board of Su-
perintendents, Comptroller Craig said,
a most amazing, immoral and indie
fensible condition exists in this city"
lie cites the report Of Leonard NJ.
Wallstein. Commissioner of Accounts
under Mayor Mitchell, which showed
hat in five subjects alone there was an
'ANcSH Ni pcOhS OH ain Oi DcNSAHDCl
81. 1915, amounting TO 1,493,2 o5. In
Mr.. Wa.lstein's list Of authors, cost of
books purchased and number, the sec
end name was that of William l.. Eft
tirger. then an assistant superinten-
dent under Superintendent Maxwell,
Who Was first 0 the list. During the
period under review by Mr.. Wallstein,
1916. Mr.. Ettinger was credited with
142.345 books, for which S43,854 was
paid. Under the present law the
Foard OF Superintendent recommends
she text books TO be used in the schools.
The proDosed bill modifies this power
% me extent OF providing that the su-
pcrintendents may" instead of "shall'
o1,o.-l.c Tho booton