The New York herald., 1921-06-11
JANITORIAL SYSTEM
!, in SCHOOLS BLAMED
" "
Held Responsible for Some
4 Pest Holes Found by
Committee.
CONTROL INADEQUATE
Investigators for WOmen's
Municipal League Re-
b port on Conditions.
PRINCIPALS HANDS TIED
H. w. Nudd Urges Reform in
Method of Making Emer-
gency Repairs.
PRINCIPALS HANDS TIED

Z The Woman's Municipal League, one
of the eight civic organizations which
have had committees working jointly
for several months investigating the
conditions of the public schools. has
urged that the present janitorial sys-
tenn be changed. II was announced yes
terday In the leagues report on the
schools the janitor has in some in
stances been held responsible 'for the
educational pest holes"
Mrs. Malcolm Goodridge, chairman
of the leagues public health commit
tee, and Mrs. Marion Booth Kelley
chairman of the legislative commit
tee. together with the leagues presi-
dent, Mrs. Frederick c. Hodgdon, have
completed comprehensive statement
as to existing conditions which need
immediate attention. In this report
from satisfactory.
The members OF our committee visit
ed several public schools to see for
themselves what the sanitary conditions
WERE" Mrs. Goodridge said. They
found a revolving lack of cleanliness.
Investigations are being made and con-
ditions being brought to light which
have long needed airing. The responsi-
bility seems to rest with the janitorial
system. School principals have little or
no control here. 1 is possible for Jani-
tors to go over their heads. and in at
lea aa IN w no cbQ have hapn
brought four times we are told that the
tanitor is still holding his job.
Not All Are Condemned.
1--WE must not be understood as con-
demnng the janitors of all schools.
There are many efficient and conscien-
tious men in our schools and they play
an important part in the conduct Of the
schools in their care, but we do direct
attention to a slackness too general on
the part of another type of janitor and
to system which makes 1t difficult to
enforce standards of cleanliness and
decency in the schools where these men
are in charge. A change of policy is
strongly urged. We feel IL is difficult
TO speak too strongly about the condi-
tions we found existing In the public
schools and our committee will con-
tinue its interest in this subject until
something is done better to protect our
school children"
Howard w. Nudd, director OF the
Public Education Association, who is
compiling the report of the joint COM
mittee said that some plan ought to be
worked out whereby an adequate sum
of money would be made available TO
the schools for immediate repairs OF
minor character. Some janitors have
SOS a year for immediate repairs" Mr..
Nudd explained, according TO the pres
ent system That's all they can spend
on their own initiative. IL they need
other repairs II means going through
lot of red tape. simplification of the
system would solve the situation.
parents have occasionally paid for
platform in a school and the children
themselves have been known to pay for
the painting of room. All or TINS
should be done by the schools them
selves.
.sWhy not trust the principal OF the
school with an adequate sum 10 cover
ordinary repairs? 1t seems to me we
might trust him with the handling or
money when we trust him with the
lives of several hundred children. He
should be allowed a petty cash ac-
count. for which he would be held re-
sponsible II he proved dishonest he
could be removed. You can always re-
move a principal for just cause.
Question of Efficiency.
'It isn't question of graft, it's
question Of efficiency. When you leave
H. to several hundred men TO do things
on their own initiative you are not
going to get az efficient results as
when it is done by the proper admins
trative powers. The control of school
janltors has never been properly worked
out There has been great deal of
discussion by the Board of Education
over this question. There have been
inodifica tions of the ianitor system
from time to time. but the board has
not gone far enough yet: it has only
sort of nibbled at the problem.
ION the other hand. with the present
7aphazard system ] have known of
cases where the principal or the janitor
has dug into his own pocket to pay
for repairs needed Immediately. The
whole condition OF the schools to-day
IL due to these two facts. that there
never has been enough money avail
able for the upkeep of the schools and
there never has been an adequate sys-
tenn of making repairs. The city owns
725 buildings and IL should have plant
comprising large staff OF repair men,"
THE item of professional salaries
flOHe " dOOul So1s'VvVv year. ana
the appropriation has so far amounted
60 s5i o00. COO" he continued "The Board
OF Education is shy t27.0o00cO OF its
budget. II Is going 10 be rather try
ing situation in the autumn The
superintendents and tho board are con-
fident that the schools will not be
closed and that the Board OF Estimate
will provide them with more money
What they will do is this: The
Board OF Estimate viii gun around
hear they are already 'gunning'-to
see N they can find any surplus In
any other city department. and thew
MAJ be able to pick up 100000 or
Hoooooo that way. Then they will
argue with the school authorities until
they persuade them TO cut down the
needed s27, 1000 as low as possible. and
IN the end they will issue revenue
bonds. The city schools were never in
such situation before"
VALUE CHILD's EYE At $4,000.