New-York tribune., 1921-09-23
The Verdict's Rendered

126,105 children on part time.
175,O00 on double schedule make
shift. An unsatisfactory program
worse, If anything, than part time.
100000 all told in diversified classes
and studying under such conditions
as not only limit their educational op-
portunity but menace their health
and morale. $4,000 teachers won
dering whether they are going to be
paid and at their wits end to cope
with this situation. 496 out of G95
school buildings under the disquiet-
ing shadow Of 1858 separate viola
tions filed against them by the Fire
Department.
These are facts. Thus stands the
tally Of the wreck of New York's
public school system wrought by this
administration. But the mannikin
OF Tammany Hall and Hearst who is
Mayor cries "Propaganda"
The unfortunate man and his fatu-
GUS manipulators but deceive them
selves. They do not deceive the
parents, and particularly the mothers,
Of the boys and girls who are run
ming the streets, or those who re-
turn home each evening tired, petu-
aant and nerve-exhausted by the
strain Of the day in crowded class
rooms.
There Is one thing that the fathers
and mothers of this city cannot be
fooled about, and that is their chill
dren's schools. They are too close to
them. All the proclamations and Ell
tho Endorsements of so-called "busi-
ness mems" leagues or legions or as
sociations that can be uttered or
written will not mislead them. They
know the truth.
More schools and seat for every
child"
Upon that pledge they elected Hy-
Ian Mayor. And he has BETRAYED
them. That's all there is to it, and
It Is something that they can not and
will not forgive.
When Hylan became Mayor in 1918
there were only $4,000 children on
part time. And now there are more
than four times that number. Dur
ing the last year alone the increase
has been 10000, or over 45 per cent.
Since June the increase has been co.
600. In the face of this no building
program, no plan which can bring
relief. And as to the fire hazard,
Hylanism answers: "Well, no lives
have been lost YETI
No lives lost. yet!
Says Mr.. Howard W. Nudd, di-
rector Of the Public Education AS
sociation:
"There has been much effort to
minimize this fire hazard but the
facts speak for themselves. Viola
ticns which would cost s4,OOO,OO0 to
remove, according to the Department
OF Education itself, can hardly be
called trivial or unimportant, par
ttcularly when they include one hun
dred antiquated buildings with
wooden and unprotected stairways.
nearly two hundred with fire signals
out OF order or not up to the
standards of the Fire Department.,
and scores with inadequately pro-
sccted boiler and furnace rooms, or
with obstructed Railways or i'm
proper exits. After repeatedly cali
Ing attention to these conditions and
expressing in unmstakable terms his
1sar OF catastrophe, the Superin-
tendent OF School Buildings has OBJ
tetned at the end of four vears
scarcely one-sixteenth of what ha
says he needs, and because of press
ure IN other directions. has been able
70 expend about $4,000. or less than
naif OF per cent of what is neces-
sary to remove the violations cited
BY the Fire Department.
And says the Mayor in a silly
oi1tponring which he calls a procla-
i11aaohs
think this over, place the blame
where it helongs-and act accord.
ingly.'
Can't the>unfortunate man under
stand that the fathers and mothers
have thought over the wrong he has
done their children? They have
placed the blame where it belongs
a. John Faithful Hylan, on Charles
Francis Murphy and William Ran
sdnI116 Tnorct Ar<J kl..x ~...I1 -.