New-York tribune., 1921-10-25
What the Children Owe Hylan


the fact that they are on part time
that is, that they can get but four
hours Of schooling a day during the
most important years of their lives.
Second, 195,072 children owe to
him the fact that they are on double
session schedules-by most educators
deemed to be worse than part time
and have to take walks through
the city streets, wait in cold and
often damp Easements or open yards,
or sit in crowded auditoriums for
other children to finish their work
before seats or even place in class
room can be had. Often many must
stand, sit on steps or window sills
or on boards placed between seats
after they have waited to get into
the classrooms.
Third, 1906 children owe to him
the fact that they must get their
high school education under condi-
tions of overcrowding such as to give
them limited opportunity for recita-
ton and slight personal contact with
instructors, and SO the value Of their
high school life is greatly decreased.
Thousands of children owe to him
the fact that they can get but two
hours Of school a day-nearly seven
hundred of these are in Coney Island
alone.
Thousands Of children owe to him
the fact that they are daily exposed
to fire hazards, and that only good
fortune has saved them from nerve
destroying fright or dreadful death.
Thousands of children attending
school in old, condemned buildings
owe to him the fact that only good
fortune has saved them from the
dangers and possible injuries of col
lapsing walls or falling stones.
Thousands of children owe to him
the fact that they must study under
artificial light while Gods sunshine
is just outside the dark walls.
Thousands Of children whose par
ents speak foreign languages owe to
him the fact that they must attend
classes so crowded Gotten as many
as fifty in a class) that they have
few opportunities to speak English
under the supervision Of the teacher.
Thousands of children, crowded
out Of the public schools, owe to him
the fact that they must attend pri-
vate schools, and so miss the educa-
ton in democracy which the public
schools give and subject their par
ents to the expense of tuition in a
private school while they are paying
taxes to support the public schools.
Thousands of children owe to him
the fact that they must be on
crowded streetcars, subways and ele-
waited trains at the very peak, morn
ing and night, to meet the double
session school periods to which they
are assigned.
Thousands of children owe to him
the fact that they must travel for
many blocks, and some of them for
miles, that they may get an educa-
tiOn which thew Ourht tO he ah]a to
get within reasonable distance of
their own homes.
Thousands Of children owe to him
the fact that, having but part time.
and belonging to overcrowded classes,
they are from one to two years be-
hind in their school work and will
be that much longer getting through
school and ready for their life work.
Thousands of children owe to him
the fact that they must go out into
life this year and next only part-time
educated. Nothing can make up to
these children the failures of the
last three years.
These are some of the things
which the children owe to Hylan, the
man who promised a seat for every
child.
What W<~>ox> D11J