New-York tribune., 1921-01-24
Many Buildings Are a
Menace to Health, but
$27,OOO,OOO for Nor
NAL Expenses Refused
Teachers Morale
Is Breaking Down
Only Hope to Remedy I'm
precedented Situation
Is Put in Legislature

A crisis has come in the public
schools OF the city.
Throughout the three years Of. the
Hylan administration conditions
have been growing steadily worse.
Now, with the number of pupils on
part time increasing to astounding
with many of the school
in such a state of disrepair
that they are menace to health. the
Hylan administration has refused to
appropriate enough money even TO
keep the schools open beyond the
summer. The only hope lies In the
=.
These are the facts:
There are more than 100000 chit-
dren in the city unable to receiys.
tull-time instruction because The
school facilities are inadequate. and
this condition is becoming worse.
A great number Of the school
buildings are in dire need Of repairs:
some arc fire traps, others are unfit
for housing children because Of bad
lighting, poor ventilation or poor
sanitation.
Instead Of providing funds toward
correcting these conditions the Hy-
Ian administration has failed to an
propriate s27,ooo,0o0 which is needed
for normal operating expenses.
The morale of the city's $4,000
teachers is breaking down because-o<,
the continuous wrangling between.
the c7ty and the school authorities,
and because Of the wofn1 ecuditious
under which teachers are asked to
work. - Z -
The school situation in New York
to-day is unprecedented.
100 New Buildings Needed
With its increase of some $1,000 new
pupils annually, the city is to-day IS
need OF about one hundred new school
buildings at cost of approximat teiy
81 100000 each, if New York's educa-
Lional problem is to be 'normalized
These figures come from Dr. Edward B
Shallow, Associate Superintendent of
Schools, who adds that although about
twenty-five new school buildings are
under course Of construction" many
OF them have been under course Of con-
struction since 1917.
In the mean time, according to DR..
there were 257,631 children
who depend On the elementary schools
unable to receive full school hours in
November because of inadequate facil:-
ties. Of these, 1851 were on part
time-the halliday system-and 10000
using classroons alternately one
group playing outside while the other
worked. The situation is becoming
steadily worse, according to DR.. Skas~
low.
While the associate superintendent
had no definite figures on the children
In overcrowded classes, Howard "
Nudd, director Of the Public Education;
West Fortieth Street, il
for the statement that the
number is around a halfAniIlion. NJ
Nudd's organization has just completed
q thorough survey OF the schools and
amo ong other things says: -
Instead Of solving the conges stjon
problem in New York schools, the Hy-
Ian dministrat ton has even failed TO
grant sufficient funds to. keep tine
schools running during the present
year. Education vas placed last on tbs
city budget with the knowledge of the
Board of Estimate that there would not
be sufficient funds to run the schools.
Results Of Congestion
Mayor Hylan was elected on his
stand that the Mitchell administrator
starved education, and placed the
dollar ahead Of the child He scrappe6 &
the Mitchell school idea and made elab-
crate promises. What has he done 70,
schools in three years? The answer il,
worse than nothing. y
Under present conditions. which
believe even parents Of our echool
children iitrfe realize. part time atsd
have so increased In our
schools that thousands of children are
on the streets instead Of under wholes
some school surroundings; the con1pui-
sorry attendance law has become i,npos.
sible Of enforcement; only Divine
Providence, perhaps, has prevented OF
viii prevent school fire holocaust in
some Of the fire-trap school buildings:
dimly lighted, overcrowded classrooms
arc detrimcnt to the health of our
sen ool cnil0ren. ana the whole school,
system has become the helpless victim,
of petty political squabbling which he.
bred distrust, lack of cooperation and
factional retaliation st the expense OF
education"
The Teachers Union of New Yori
City, with Offices at 10 Fifth Avenue,
is taking cognizance of the teach
ers' situation because OF overcrowded
classes. According to Henry Lindvillc
president Of the organization. the IN.
structors are becoming nervous, dis
pirited and cynical, "ss any humaI
will when he or she is overloaded with
q task too heavy
Teachers Are Driven Out
"The crowding of the schools. bad
and lighting conditions. To-
gethcr with abnormal classes, are tend.
ing to drive teachers out of their 70,
cation said Mr.. Lindville. "Thcy ars
leaving the schools under the con,
stantly growing load and nervous
straiH It is true that they are bette,
compensated for their work than thes
have ever been, but the money elemen'
is nothing where health is concerned
and most of tEm look at the situation
in that light.
with such problem already exist
ing, now comes Aiming s. Prail, prssi
dent Of the Board Of Education. with /