The New York herald., 1921-06-09
SCHOOL WASTE LAID
TO HYLAN POLITICS
WOmen's Organizations Re-
veal Paralysis in Building
and Much DilapidatiOn.
CALL FOR A BIG MAN
Mayors Campaign Slogan
"A Seat for Every Child
Now Ignored.
NIGGARDLY BUT COSTLY
Report Shows 800 Was Spent
to Save $25 Through Lack
Of Business Sense.
NIGGARDLY BUT COSTLY

Penny wise and pound foolish meth
03S adopted by the city administration
ar6 the Board of Education toward
the upkeep of the public schools has
resulted in the costly deterioration OF
many of the school buildings. accord
ing to investigators. Was1efulness has
characterized the recent management
of school properties, it Is charged. In
some instances 1t has been the policy
to spend 800 to save SIS.
A specific instance of this procedure
ts given in a report recently made by
q woman who gathered facts concern
ing the public school situation from
the Public Education Associations re-
ports. This organization will issue
soon a complete report Of school con-
dltions. The report is the joint effort
of special committees of several wom-
ems organizations which have been
conducting a thorough investigation
Of schools since last autumn. The
committee represents the Womens
City Club, the woman's Department
Of the National Civic Federation, the
Women's Municipal League, the Coun-
Gil of Jewish Women, the Civitas Club
Of Brooklyn. the New York City Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs and the
League of Catholic Women.
The pennywise policy instance re-
ferred to Is OF the breaking down Of an
elevator in the Wadleigh High School
"It was estimated" says the report,
that 1t would cost s25 to repair It The
elevator was left unused and unre-
paired for weeks. while the operator.
who was receiving 500 a month. had
nothing to do.
During influenza Epidemic.
"At another school 165 panes of glass
were broken and out at one time dur
ing the influenza epidemic This condi-
ton represented the accumulation Of
weeks of neglect. And how about the
cost of coal?' asks the investigator.
"Any principal will tell you numberless
Irritating and wasteful stories Of the
same kind. and in the meanwhile the
children suffer.
80 far as he has been able to do so
Mayor Hylan has run the schools from
the point Of view of political expediency
rather than for the good of the chill
dren," continues the report Hence the
Generalization. The part time sftua-
ton, which has been doubled in his re-
gime should have shfen met by carry
T. al ata~ hut inO uyf1yJ n
on the pa; of the Board of Education
It is the function of this board to de-
termine policies on the basis OF the re-
ports of the superintendents- There has
been a great show OF appropriating large
sums for this purpose. The first year
of the present city administration $685.
900. 900 was appropriated for five year
building programme. This was camou-
fage in tbs .rst place, for $10.0oO,0OO
OF this s25 100000 was left over from
what had already been appropriated for
that purpose by the Mitchell administra-
tion. Fifteen million dollars was to be
spent the first year on school buildings.
$4,000 900 of which was from the
Mitchell fund, and the remainder the
succeeding two years.
"As a matter Of fact. the sum for
school buildings left over from the
Mitchell administration was actually &11.-
100000, but Mr.. Hylan cut this to $10,-
100000. The following year s2s,00o.oo0
was promised for building and last year
Sl6, 1000, 900. The s2s,o0o.oo was with
drawn and forgotten after budget time
and the SAC. 900, 900 suffered like fate.
Now the promise Is So. 900. 900 for build
ings.
THE part time situation. therefore.
can scarcely he said to have been met
1t has been allowed 10 double. G-hough
one of the Mayors campaiS -!ans
was a school seat for every csn1k.'
Poor Business Management.
"The condition Of school buildings is
due partly to lack of business manage
ment The city has about 5000, 900. 900
invested in school property In the city.
am told that business organizations, Of
dinarily allow about IN per cent an
nually Of the cost of buildings for up
keep to prevent costly deterioration. No
such method Is pursued by the Board of
Education. Each school principal is
allowed $25 year for emergency repair.
"One of the few points on which the
Mayor and the Board of Estimate were
In complete agreement In the last city
budget was that the claims Of every city
department should be considered before
education, and that the schools could re-
ceive what was left over. Is It TO be
wondered at that the school buildings
are not repaired In a businesslike way
and that there Is no consistent building
programme worked out along statesman
like lines7
'"The situation Is not simple. Strict
economy must be pursued There are
ways OF planning school buildings and
school organizations so that nearly twice
the number OF children may be accom-
modated without overcrowding for a full
school day, but II will take big man to
work Il out.
'"rhe Board OF Education appointe
the City Superintendent after the resg-
nation OF the late Mr.. Maxwell. His re-
lationship with his superior officers has
been abolt as harmonious as the rela-
items between the various members OF
the Board Of Estimate"