New-York tribune., 1921-06-10
Picture Prall as
Hylan Aid i'm
School Decay
Public Education Associa-
ton Report Asserts Mayor
Has Allowed Deteriora-
ton, Despite His Pledges
Need $4,000, 900 Yearly
Declares Buildings Require
Repairs Three Times as
Fast as They Are Made

Gross neglect of the public school
system by the Hylan administration is
charged in a statement issued yes
terday by the Public Education Asso-
citation, 8 West Fortieth Street. The
association, with various other civic
organizations, is investigating the con-
dition of oyercrowded school build
ings. It's report, to be made pubic
next week, is foreshadowed by the
statement issued yesterday through
Howard w. Nudd, the director.
Referring to President Prall of the
Board of Education as having come to
the defense of the Hylan aiminlstra-
ton" the statement asserts that Mayor
Hylan, in spite of promises to improve
the school system made by him in his
campaign four years ago, has permitted
the buildings to fall into such decay
"as to be a menace to the life and
health of children and teachers"
Maintenance Allowance Inadequate
"The allowances for the repair and
upkeep of our public school buildings
have never been adequate" says the
association.
"a reasonable allotment for such
purposes would be from 212 to per
cent of the value of the buildings
and the sites. This would mean an
annual expenditure of approximately
$4,000,000 to keep the 725 school build
ings in fit condition, on the assump-
ton that they were fit to begin with.
To put them in such an initial fit con-
dition would require upward of $8,00O,-
600 to $10,000,000 more. What have
been the actual expenditures for such
purposes in the past?
'The largest sum spent in any one
of the last fifteen years was $780,
542.35, in 1915. In the other years
the amounts varied from S115,000 to
nearly $500,0o0 less than this amount.
During the last three years the
624 and 1881 ,430. which, in view Of
the depreciation of the value of the
dollar, is the poorest showing in COM
parison with other years. This means
that the schools are deteriorating
three times faster than they are being
repaired
"Mr. Prall calls attention to the $52,-
100000 school building program which
will eventually provide forty-seven new
elementary schools and additions, seven
new high schools and additions, one
teachers training School, one voca-
tional school, several buildings at the
parental school and a number of play
grounds. All of this is very good. We
approve of the utmost expedition in the
erection of these new structures. But
what about the scores of old build
ings in which the vast majority of our
school population must be housed for
years to come despite these new accom-
modations? Are these buildings to con-
tinue to fall into decay, to the detri-
ment of hundreds of thousands of chill
dren, and is public attention to be dis
tracted from them by the glitter Of
these new buildings, many of them in
outlying sections of the city?
Cites Causes for Low Morale
"Mr. Prall contends that the morale
of the professional staff has not been
impaired during the last three years.
We hope he is correct, but it seems al
most superhuman to expect that it
should have remained unaffecte by the
severe shocks it has received. To sup
port this belief we need but recall the
bitter acrimony that has scandalized
the schools during the Hylan regime,
the cheap gibes of his honor at the