New-York tribune., 1921-11-08
'Ta1nnrnnany Claw
At Throat of
City's Schools
Mothers Go to Polls To-day
TO Crush Out Prostitution
of Educational System and
Rebuke Shams of Hylan
Crime Against Childhood
Parents and Teachers Tell
Investigator Part Time
Evil Robs a Generation

Mrs. Cecilia Farwell, Of the Repub-
lican committee Of 100, who has been
engaged for four weeks in an intensive
investigation of the New York City
public school situation, said last night
that the school situation had been COM
pletely prostituted to Mayor Hylan's
political opportunism, and is as at pres
ent administered merely gummed-up,
creaking cog in the Tammany machine.
"Tammany has it's big hairy paw on
the throat Of the teaching force" said
Mrs. Farwell. "The teachers know
that if they protest they will be quietly
submerged. Mayor Hylan's brutal edict
to them at the beginning of his term,
If you don't like your jobs get Others
was warning enough. He might have
added: If you talk too much your
heads will drop because, although he
did not say it, that has been the prac-
tice under his regime.
Crime Against Children
81 have just talked with one of the
foremost school principals Of the city.
His verdict was that the two-part sys-
tenn now operating in the New York
schools is a crime against the children
and the parents who are trying to edu-
cate them, often at great sacrifices in
the homes. This instructor declared
the theory that children can be ade-
quately instructed under the part-time
system to be a ridiculous one. He
added
"'The tragedy of it is that these chill
dren have their opportunity to obtain
schooling but once. They will never
pass our way again. A whole genera
tion of New Workers is being robbed
old-bloodedly of the American child's
birthright Whatever we may do for
children tomorrow will make no diff
ference to these particular children.
What will have been done to them by
these grasping, cruel politicians can
never be undone.
The difference between the Gary
system and the double session is the
difference between Tweedledee and
Tweedledum, except that under Mr..
Hylan's vaunted double session remedy
for congested school conditions we have
all the disadvantages Of the Gary plan
ana none OF Its advantageS.'
No Choice Between Evils
81 have interviewed hundreds of
mothers" continued Mrs. Farwell.
"Not one that l have talked to failed
to condemn the part-time and double
session plans, declaring they found
nothing to chose between the two"
Mrs. Caroline Benedict Burrell, writer
and authority on child training, agreed
with Mrs. Farwell. She said:
"If teachers have formed firm con-
victions as to the necessity for radical
changes in methods of school adm MIS-
tration it is fair to assume the mothers
OF pupils have also formed convictions
along similar lines. anticipate that
there will be a great uprising to-day
of New York mothers against the tyr
amy of Tammany."
Mrs. Eleanor Sayer, of 1872 East 117th
Street, said she, m common with prac-
ticaly all women Of her acquaintance,
realized the Importance of defeating
Tammany candidates in this election if
for no other reason than because the
condition of the schools had become a
crime and reproach under Tammany
rule. Mrs. r. Gibbon, of 80 East Havs
Avenue, Corona; Mrs. r. Deretchin, of
l24 Division Street, and Mrs. H. A.
Cohen, of 1920 East Fourteenth Street.
Brooklyn, indorsed Mrs! Farwell's
statements.