New-York tribune., 1921-11-03
Mothers Liken
Schools Under
Hylan to Prison
dungeons of Despair That
Repel Every Instinct for'
Good, Their Indictment
of Dark. Noisome Rooms

New York's dark and dirty school
houses were yesterday denounced as
dungeons Of despair" Ton mothers
bitterly assailed the assertions Of
Mayor Hylan that the schools are main
tanned in habitable condition, and in
several instances charged that children
are being robbed of their American
birthright by political chicanery.
Mrs. Mabel Bernstein, of 366 West
Twenty-third Street, said she had been
compelled to take her son out of
public school and place him in a pri-
vate institution because in the crowded
condition and general dilapidation of
school buildings available to him he
was unable to make progress.
Hurtful to Patriotism
"The fact is," said Mrs. Bernstein.
II felt that the boy was being harmed
rather than benefited by the so-called
schooling offered under existing public
school conditions. Not only was he un-
able to concentrate under the iniquitous
double e-session plan, but the dignity
and character of his school surround
ings we're destroyed. He was deprived
Of the inf1uences-American Influences
that ought to be part of his de-
velopment as an American citizen. We
prate Of plans for Americanization Of
the foreign born. Let us begin in the
public school, where Americans ought
to be made. Let us have clean and
decent and light school houses, with
realization of the jingling but false
slogan "A seat for every child
HT nm hicJnnco woman hava
travelled extensively in this country
feel safe in saying that have never
been in any city of which The schools
the very foundation of the civic life of
the country-are SO atrociously neg
lected."
Mrs E. Gentsch, of 40 st. Clair
Place, devoted herself to Public School
46, which she described as "a dungeon
of despair"
"That school is reproach to our
civilization" said Mrs. Gentsch. at is
the darkest, nastiest, gloomiest place
in the ward--so far as I know, in the
have been considered fit for a school
house that time must have passed fifty
years ago.
II have to send my little boy there.
He is of kindergarten are. There is
no room for him in the building In the
morning, SO he has to attend the after
noon session The minds of little chill
dren are most susceptible to such i'm
pressons of gloom and sadness as are
forced upon them in this dismal place
breads Effect on Adult Life
"Heaven knows what neradicable
pictures Of school are being printed on
that child's mind. He doesn't laugh
and tell stories about his school life.
He seems glad to be away from It..
That is wrong. The child's kindergar-
ten days should be happy-cheerf
and long remembered. I can recall the
little songs and stories | learned in q
pleasant school when | was a baby Of
his age. Will he be able to look back
with happy thought on his kindergar-
ten days? I am afraid not.
"But the little child is unable to
differentiate. He has known no other
sort of school. My sister has three
school. What do they say? They cry
because they must go there. They say
it is the dismalest. most depressing
place imaginable. There is no yard
no playground Because of the double
session plan children have to stand in
line ting-waiting for place in
class. "A seat for every child they
say. How wish that were true!"
Among others who found the school
system as at present administered in
tolcrable were Mrs. Gertrude Goldman.
906 East 180th Street; Mrs. II. Swart,
$40 West 10th Street, and Mrs. J. Rill-
ing, 120 Seventeenth Street