New-York tribune., 1921-10-21
Mitchell Fund
Built School
Hylan Opened
Education Board Minutes Be-
lie Mayors Claim No Con-
structiOn Contract Exist
ed When He Took Office
Millions Of Work Halted
Building and Subsidiary
Plans Under Way Jan. L,
1918, Set at $I1, ,945, 400

When Mayor Hylan commenced his
administration in January. 1918, con-
tracts for school houses under con-
struction totalled $5,e79,645.15, and
subsidiary work in connection with
schools brought the total amount up to
Sfl,945. 10000, according to statement
issued yesterday by Howard w. Nudd,
Director of the Public Education As
socistion, The statement is based upon
the official minutes Of the Board Of Ed
ucation held on January 8. 1918, and
the reason for Issuing them is given
as follows:
ain the Hylan Campaign Book we
Snd this statement: Not single con-
tract for the construction of a public
school was in existence when the pres
ent city administration assumed office
January /, 1e1S.' Mr.. Hylan is reported
TO have said at parents meetings in
public schools and 3S, the Bronx,
that when / came into Office as Mayor
there was not a school house under
construction In this city and there was
not a contract let for construction
"The impression which these state
ments are intended to convey Is that
the Mitchell administration did prac-
tically nothing to solve the problem Of
congestion in the schools In comparison
with Mr.. Hylan.
Record Of First Meeting
"Here is the record as set forth in
~ - - ootipo Of ha
new Board of Education appointed by
Mayor Hylan, which was held on Jan
uary 9, 1918.
"In response to request from this
board on January 2, 1918, week be-
fore, the auditor of the Departm ent
of Education reported that the corpor-
ate stock authorizations as of Decem-
ber 81, 1917, am mounted to S23, ,734, ,796.4S.
OF this amount $1l,945, ,400.02 covered
contracts awarded, including $5,6!9,-
645.15 for construction: The remaining
.s11. .839 1866 is designated as unen-
cum bened balance.
"At the same meeting the superin-
tsndent of school buildings reported in
startling contradiction of the Mayors
assertion, that the following new build
ings and additions were then in course
of construction the dates and amounts
of the contracts being specified in each
C2Sos fuDllC SCHOOLS Il, o., tO, W, vs
and So. the Bronx; public schools 16,
66 and 80, Brooklyn; the Manhattan
Trade School for Girls, and the Evan
der Childs High School in the Bronx.
In addition, scores Of contracts are
listed in detail for the alteration and
equipment OF existing buildings.
School Program Halted
"The superintendent of School Build
ings also lists in this report large
number of schools for which plans were
'in progress, or completed, for which
contracts had not yet been awarded.
A month previous, the former Board
of Education had suspended action on
pending contracts in Difference to e
manifesto from Mayor-elect Hylan, sent
to each member of the board from his
former campaign headquarters under
date of December 10, 1917, to the eff
feet that the new Board of Education
(Which he was about TO appoint) may
have to discontinue much of the work,
now being done or about to be done
and that If this work is carried for
ward it will be a financial loss to the