New-York tribune., 1921-09-16
Ettinger Shows
Hvlan's School
Figures False
Superintendent Under Oath
Admits 100000 on Part
Time Instead of So. 500
Mavor and Prall Claim
Women to Check Again
Will Find Most of Forty
Buildings They Blacklist
ed Still Dirty and Unfit

"We have more than 10000 on part
time. on the latest report"
This statement. made by DR.. William
T.. Ettinger, Superintendent of Schools,
on the witness stand before the Meyer
committee in response to question.
sets aside all doubt as to the exact
status of the public schools after four
wears Of the Hylan administration. DR..
Ettinger also said this was exclusive of
those pupils on duplicate or triplicate
session.
Both Mayor HvIan and Aiming s.
Prail. president of the Board of Edu-
cation, have issued statements declar-
ing that the figures covering the num-
ber of part-time pupils given in the
newspapers were grossly exaggerated.
and the latter testified THE new schools
which opened Monday had reduced the
number OF parr-tlme pupils to $500.
In the estimates printed IN The Trib-
uue the figures had been placed at ap-
proximately 10000 ut first, and later
were advanced to $4,000
Example at Long Island City
An example of the almost impossible
conditions which confront the princi-
pals of the schools, and particularly
the high schools, is contained in the
situation now existing in Bryant High
School, at Wilbur Avenue and Radde
Street. Long Island City. The regis
tration at this school Monday showed
an increase OF 40 per cent over last
year, the number being 1881.
The total accommodation of the
10 -
the school has never been completed.
Two years and four months ago a con-
tract was let for the construction of
an addition that would complete this
building. The addition included two
gymnasiums. an auditorium, seven
classrooms, one woodworking shop,
four drawing rooms, one commercial
geography room, three toolrooms. one
washroom, a pupils lunchroom. a
teachers lunchroom, FIVE Offices and
other smaller rooms.
Vital Features Lacking
These various rooms were to be in
Guided in the addition, which was
divided into the form of two wings TO
the existing building The school at
the present time is absolutely without
the auditorium, gymnasium or shop
facilities that are supplied to high
schools
The contractor got into financial
difficulties, work on the addition was
suspended and the contract was cancelee
on June Ia of this year. The surety
companies refused to go on with the
work, and they advised the Board Of
Education to advertise for bids to com
plste the work 1t is asserted by c. B.
J. Snyder, superintendent of School
Buildings. that had the suretv COM
panjes been made a party to the con-
tract they would have been compelled
% finish the work, with the result
that the addition would have been COM
pieted long ago.
Another puzzling condition is also
caused by the congestion in the high
schools. Some time ago the Board of
Education issued an order that the
children of non-residents would not be
permitted to study at high schools.
This order worked hardship on such
pupils as had already been in the
schools and were about to complete
their education. The rule was modified
az the meeting of the Board of Educa-
ton Wednesday TO permit those al
ready registered to complete their
courses.
Limit Is Exceeded
The effect of this order is shown
in Manual Training High School on
Seventh Avenue, between Fourth and
Fifth streets, Brooklyn, where there
IS room for $3.50 students. The regis
tration Monday showed that there were
$685. students enrolled there this year
as against 1857 last year. DR.. Horace
NJ. Snyder, principal of the school, an
nOunced yesterday that no new pupils
except those who are children of bona
hde residents Of the city would be ad-
mirtsd TO the school from now on.
AS q direct result of the large in
crease IN the high school registration,
Dr Ettinger Informed the Board of
Edrcation at its meeting that the high
schools were exceeding their estimated
budget quota, and that it would be nee
essary to add fifty more teaching posi-
lions to the high schools to meet the
situation.