New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-20
Short Teaching
Stats Handicap
Schools Badly
Situation in Higher Grades
Is Critical and Steps
Are Being Taken TO Get
Fifty New Instructors
Budget Cut Responsible
300 More Will Be Needed i'm
Elementary Glasses Be-
fore End of Present Term

Ihe Chaotic condition in the public
schools due to the oversize classes and
tremendous Increase in part-time in
struction, has been further aggravated
by serious shortage OF elementary
and high school teachers, it was learned
yesterday The situation in the high
schools due to this shortage in critical.
and the Board of Education is now
taking steps to transfer funds wherever
possible in order to arrange for the
Immediate appointment of fifty new
teachers.
The crisis is directly attributable to
the deficit of S270O0,0O0 caused by
the cut of that amount inflicted on
the Board of Education budget last
year by the Hylan administration. Be-
fore the present school term is ended
there will be a further shortage of
approximately 300 elementary teachers
and upward of 100 high school teachers.
The latter shortage is the result of
drastic cut made in this years budget
by the Board of Education, while the
connection with last years budget is
contributing cause. In making it's
cut this year the Board of Education
absolutely rejected estimates of the
increase In school registration as being
excessive. The actual registration Of
sOS,658 pupils in the day schools has
resulted IN an alarming condition
winch will materially increase the
number of classes that have fifty or
more pupils each.
6lO New Teachers Needed
The Budget Committee of the Board
OF Education, after extensive hearings.
decided that 610 new elementary teach
efs would be necessary to meet the in
creased enrolment beginning this
month and asked for an appropriation
OF SLIPS, 425.53 to cover their salaries
up TO the end Of the term.
When this item came before the
board it was decided that the sum of
$752,283.69 would be sufficient. and
consequently s376,141.s4 was Topped off
from the original requisition. How
the reduced amount will fare before
Mayor Hylan's Board of Estimate can
not be foreseen, but most reductions in
the school budget 80 far have been at
the expense of the teachers.
In addition to this the budget COM
mltree also estimated that another 1877
elementary teachers would be neces-
sary to meet the increased enrolment
curing the year 1922, and asked for
So96,O23.7l to meet their salaries ac-
cording to the dates they were ap-
pointed.
Again the Board of Education, in its
executive session decided that the
amount was excessive and not war
ranted by the probable increase in
registration, and reduced it by $685.
o74.57 to final amount of 1897, 349. IA
Taken together the two amounts
mean approximately reduction of 800
teachers. Basing the average re-
Enumeration at $3.50 teacher a
year, the ilrst means a reduction of
approximately 100 teachers, and the
second approximately 100 teachers. The
latter reduction may mean more than
100 teachers, as the original estimates
IN large number of cases called for
salaries for three and q half months
and four months only.
High Schools Overlooking
A similar situation exists with re-
gard to the high schools The budget
committee basing its figures or the
expected registration Of approximately
$4,000 high school pupils this term
estimatedthat 1877 new teachers would
be needed to care for the increased en-
rollment when the schools opened on
September 10, and asked for 1881 ,5S5
to meet their salaries.
In it's executive session the Board
of Education. applying the same argu-
ment, decided this request was too ex-
cessive and Topped off $110,528, leaving
the resulting estimate that will GO be-
60
priation at 1921. 056. In the mean time
the actual registration of $4,000 high
school students has caused Superin-
tendent of Schools William L. Ettinger
to request the Board of Education for
uthorization to appoint Immediately
fifty new high school teachers.
In addition to theabove estimates, the
budget committee, after hearing all
the evidence and being shown the esti-
mates of increase in students during
1922, held that another 1876 new teachers
would be necessary to care for the new
students, and for that purpose another
1897, 124.o4 would be ased to pay their
salaries. The majority of these teach
ing positions were for a period of two
and three months.
The Board of Education in its execu-
tive session reduced this amount by
S112,374.40, leaving the final estimate
in the budget at 1924, 1896
These two reductions in the high
school estimates mean that during this
term approximately eighty high schoo.
teaching positions have been stricken
off by the action Of the Board of Edu-
cation in it's efforts to bring its budget |
within the possible total amount that /
it is figured the Board of Estimate will |
sanction.