New-York tribune., 1922-10-16
Drive IsOpened
70 End Delay in
School Building
Ioin. Legislative Commit
lee TO Seek Lave Remov-
ing Board of Estimates $
Power 10 Delay Building
Sisadily Falling Behind
Senator Meyer Says Seat
inc Capacity Is Dropping
Observation-Disclosures

Senator Schuyler NJ. meyer, VI
fhe joint legislative COMMITTEES
which investigated the schools
last year. announced yesterday thst
the committees efforts at the coming
sessions Of the Legislature would be
directed to the passage Of legislation
"a take from the hands of the Board
Of Estimate the power to delay scheol
construction. Despite Mayor fiylan's
sasions Of interest in the schools
and his desire to see that every child
has . seat and an opportunity to study,
tho committee gives figures to show
that seating capacity is steadily fall
ing behind instead Of keeping abreast
of the increasing population.
SHORTLY after our report was sub
mitted this year to the Legislature, .
Senator Meyer gays, "Hylan announced
s50.o0o,0oo building program. The
record OF the last year shows that it is
nothing but tine usual smoke screen.'
li5,iSs on Part Time
In October. 1921, the report says,
there were se9.4T5 children registered
in both elementary and high schools.
Of whom 115,134 were on part time
and 1s5,750 on double session. In Oc
tober of this year these figures had
been increased to $4,000 oil register.
With $4,000 on part time and $4,000
en- double session. The increase in one
year was $4,000 in part-time pupils
and 2,250 in double-session pupils. thus
putting the beautiful slogan "a seat
for every child" just that much further
away from realization.
Taking the five principal new schools
and additions opened this fall, the re-
port shows that Mayor Hylan's anxiety
10 provide every child with seat has
beta kept in suspense during his first
4 four years in office and nearly one wear
Of his second term. The report saws:
fhese FIVE schools are Public Schoof
So, East l09th Street; Public School GO
the Bronx; Newtown High School, Pub
lie School 81, in Queens, and Public
School 55, in the Bronx.
Public School S3 contains 1880 ne.v
sltsings and took five years to com
plete
sPuolie School 60 contains 1920 now
stthgs and took four years to COM
plste
sswtown High School contains ! .o7o
new slttings and took six years to
complete.
Public School 81, Queens. contains
S% Ns sttings and took five and =
hali years TO complete
sPnSic School 55, Bronx, contains
ts,, sss new attings and took three and n
asa Years to complete"
oeaator Meyer then shows the strug-
s,sa through which a young school
tsSseo I'M, pelore 1T succeeded in becoming
s1t. 1t is selected as typical Hvlan
saool, having been presented hrst ia
a'pght form during the Mayors trst
lar IN Office and becoming a material
ssey only just now. This is Public
sinol 81 in Queens 1t Was included
no two other little schooi-thourht
asnlae in the Board of Education's
ingram of February 90, 1917.
IN three months the Board of Esti-
nate mad appropriated the money for
ne building. Two months later It an
pfoprlated money for site. Nearly
ssyear rolled by and then the Board Of
aaoaeatlon referred the question to the
ooard Of Superintendent. In two
months more site had been selected
ana then Just before Christmas the
little school thought got tangled IN
~ some technicalities and the Board
81 Education referred the entire mat.
VET Dsck to the Board of Estimate.
Five Years to Built IL
The little school thought was now
swo years Old. In January, 1919. an
saainonal site was selected at 124th
aaa isoth streets, Morris Park. Hardly
ats9pplng - g to turn around once the Board
Az " lstimate demanded more informo-
sn aoh about this school idea from
ard sns noard Of Education. Things looked
qs1h l;..1 lot time. but eventually tbe
.asms sn,as. scnooi thought once again re-
su,nea MEG, Its growing.
.h,at m..aeat pursuing the tircsome
tween t0,Gss .Ss . q action and reaction be-
Rossa Roera Iae Beard of Education and tbc
lo.da liuad .. OF Estimate year by year. as out
ma !, ~ tne report, suffice it to saw
dur;ns .ns.e ,re were eight more steps taken
srr;nss ~, asis, five during 1920. three
ls lano dszl' and then in 1922, after five
opened. 'oiie ochool of was
,..,sl iae committees bill. which was h;t.
sfiY fY opposed by the Mayor last year
sga n pe pushed hard this year for mas,
- VIII give The Board Of Ed,,ca-
sa soihpiete power in the construc-
out ana management of schools. with.
Erina.see from the Board of
q