New-York tribune., 1921-09-10
Coney School
Has Seats for
Less Than Half
Hylan Bickering Deprives
1859 Pupils Of Full
Time and Puts Lower
Grades in Quadruple Glass
Craig Aided in Delay
Crowded Conditions Known
Since October, but Plans
for Remedy Are Held Up

The disastrous effects of the con-
slant pickering and wrangling between
the Hyan administration and the Board
OF Education will fall with full force
upon the school children of Coney
island next week and deprive them of
their full educational rights and facili-
ties.
As result of the squabbling and
Indifference of Mayor Hylan and the
Board of Estimate over school sites,
the children attending Public School 80,
on Neptune Avenue, will be compelled
to go to school in quadruple sessions
in the lower grades, triple in the me-
dium grades and double in the higher
grades.
This amazing situation will exist de-
spite the fact that new twenty-four
room building will be opened on Mon
day as an addition to the school. with
q capacity for 958 pupils.
The seriousness of the situation in
Coney Island was drawn to the atten-
tion of Mayor Hylan last October. The
Board of Education, on the recon-
mendation of Dr.. Edward Shallow, sub
mitted three alternate sites for new
school on Neptune Avenue. At that
time there were only forty-seven rooms
for 1T classes in the two Public
Schools 80 and 100.
Led to Craig Charges
The submission of these sites led to
Comptroller Craig going to District At
torney Lewis, in Brooklyn, and making
charges against DR.. Shallow. The Hy-
Ian administration also refused to
honor a release on the property it had
already voted to grant. AS a result Of
this an action was brought by the
owners Of the property on Neptune
Avenue, and Supreme Court Justice
Cropsey in sustaining them severely
criticized the action of Mayor Hvlan
and the Board of Estimate.
In the mean time there were con-
stant scenes in the Board of Estimate
meetings, and charges and counter
DR.. Shallow against the Comptroller,
but the needed site still remains un-
selected.
The registration at Public School 80
indicates that there will be approx
mately $500 pupils when the school
term begins on Monday. AS the old
building and its annex seated only
1,151, and the new addition only &C
comm odates 95S, there will be still
1859 children without seat In order
to solve the difficulty the entire school
will have to go on part time.
An idea of the serious situation that
existed while the members of the
Hylan administration were quarreling
with one another is shown by the fact
that 700 pupils registered at Public
School 80 had to be transported daily
to Public School 95, located at Van
Sicklen Street, near Neck Road, in
Gravesend, and the expense of the
transportation had to be borne by the
city.
Another effect Of the disputes be-
tween the Hylan administration and
the Board of Education was revealed
yesterday, when it was ascertained that
a number of sums aggregating $685.
465.49 for supplies incurred in 1918
had not yet been paid. The supplies
represented by this sum have long
since been used rp.
Payments Held Up Ten Weeks
The Board of Education has repeat
edly requested that the claims be paid,
and the Board of Estimate, with the
exception of Comptroller Craig, agreed
The payment of the claims has been
held up since June %, when the ques-
ton relating to them was last up be-
fore the Board Of Estimate. The board
then ordered the Comptroller to pay
them under the provisions of Section
246 of the city charter as equitable
claims.
At the Board of Education it was
said that the Comptroller's Office had
held up payment and passed the buck"
on a technicality. This is based on
the fact that certain form of release
must be signed before the bills can be
paid. According to officials of the
Board of Education the Comptroller's
Office referred the matter to the Cor
poration Counseps office, claiming that
these special forms had not been deliv
cred until Wednesday.
1t was further said that separate
forms would have to be arranged for
corporations, partnerships and indi-
viduals. To fulfill these red tape re-
quirements will mean that some of the
firms will have to wait long time for
q settlement owing to the number of
claims represented in the total amount
involved.
The situation regarding Bryant High
School, in Long Island City, which was
outlined yesterday, promises to be one
of the most serious in the city. This
building has not been completed be-
cause of failure of the contractor and
because the Hylan administration
failed to make the surety companies
party to the contract.
Last year in the completed part of
the building the high school pupils
were compelled to go on three ses-
sions, arranged in an overlapping
manner. This year the registration al
ready shows that the number OF stu
dents will be materially larger, adding
to the problems of the teaching staff.