New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-01
Hylan Neglect
+. Exposes Little
Pupils to Peril
Dangerous Crowding of Chill
dren Extends to Kinder
gartens, According 10 DIR.
Ettinger's Relief PIE a
Part Time Work Grows
Brooklyn High S choo | S
Forced to Adopt Restrict
ed Periods for Next Term

The dangerous crowding of children
IN the public schools of this city
caused by the indifference of the Hylan
administration toward the schools has
even extended to the kindergarten
classes.
How serious this crowding has be-
come is clearly illustrated in the sta
fist1cs submitted by DR.. William L.
EttInger, superintendent of Schools, in
his report to the Board of Estimate
pleading for the budget of the Depart
memt of Education this year. His plea
was answered by a cut of $4,000, 900
by the Mayor who before election gave
glowing pledges to help the schools.
Or, Ettlngers report shows that on
March 81, 1920, there were six kinder
garten classes that had more than SIS
pupils each-25 to a class is the normal
maximum. But this is not all. for the
report shows the following statistics
concerning kindergarten classes. Five
other classes had between 81 and So
pupils each; % classes had so kinder
garten pupils; 116 classes of children
under six years had between 45 and
SO each, and 305 other classes had from
40 to as pupils each.
Schools Crowded to Limit
This condition was not confined to
the kindergarten classes, according to
the statistics included in DIR. Ettinger's
report. The elementary classes were
equally as badly crowded, as the fol-
lowing table shows:
104 classes had more than flfty-flve
pupils each.
43o classes had more than fifty-on
each.
1853 classes had fifty pupils each.
1914 classes had more than fortyfive
pupils each.
$3.50 classes had between forty and
forty-five pupils each.
The normal class for the elementary
schools is forty. The figures quoted
above were taken on March 81, 1920,
but conditions have become worse since
that time through the chaotic state into
which the schools have been allowed to
develop.
In the term just ended there were
more than 5000 children on part time in
the public schools because of the fail
provide new schools or repair and keep
in condition the old ones. This con-
dition is now extending seriously to
the high schools of the city.
In Brooklyn the advance registration
shows that high schools there will have
to go on part time when the new term
begins in September. Erasmus High
School, which has never before been
compelled to do so, will now have to
go on part time in its main building
Bushwick High School, which has had
part time classes in its annex, will have
to extend part time to its main build
ing.
Number of Entrants Grows
The total number of new entrants
in the high schools of the city this
term was 16,098, and this number is
expected to be greatly exceeded in Sep
ternber. So far as Brooklyn is con-
cerned, the new first year term pupils
already enrolled for the September
term are 7,016, as compared to the en-
tering class of 6,776 last term.
The Girls Commercial High School
in Brooklyn was described as follows
in the report of the associated
Women's Organizations investigation:
Building old and in very bad condi-
ton. Dirty walls and ceilings, every
thing run down, ventilation INSULT
cient." 1t already has twice as many
pupils as the building can accommo-
date. The new entering class will
number 448.
The Manual Training High School
leads the city with a new entering
class of 1852 students for the first
year term. DR.. Horace Snyder, prin-
cipal, says his school has been run
ming double sessions for some time,
and that many of the new students
will have TO be turned away unless new
accommodations are provided