New-York tribune., 1922-02-06
School Control
Bv Bi-Partisan
Board Urged
,on,crs Offers PIau, Saying
Charter Commission. Of
Which, He l. Unit. Must
Take Up Entire Problem
Suggests Public Hearing
RYAN Also Dcnounces Evil
of Politics. Attributed to
Hvlan : Aids. in System

Arthur & Somcrs, Of tho Board OF
rs-.a.ior. Is an organization Demo
let hut -e also IS member Of tic
ch.r.er Revision Commission and
Ill nrobably advocate the establish
n.,. Of bipartisan BOARD Of Educa
IAN hv .tc revised charter instead Of
y. nresert onc-par'y board. He said
.,.erdsv that hc thought the bi-
,.-+i.an board the moro desirable, but
5.,,.d reports that tho commission
.on~hs to project legislation to that
md
Tho charter commission has not
.oucbad the educational chapter as
,o,r said W. Somcrs "But think
i. will have 70 It cannot escape Civ
,nc US some attention.
oNv idea would be to havc a public
,,a~nc or tho question before any
,.,rg * Attempted believe some OF
,.c 0ues.ious involving the school sys-
.on Of the city could be submitted to
the hearing as follows:
should tho Board Of Education be
continued a. at present organized ?
eAal the board be wiped out and a
srgle-headcG commission substituted
VIA deputy ir each borough? ? Shall
.,s BOARD o. Education be rcorganized
srd It's membership increased to tif-
.sen or twenty-one membcrs2 Shall the
hoard be made financially irdcpenden. .
With power 30 levy taxes as a separate
roll-orc not TO he included in the
regular lax budget
these questions, Mr. Somcrs said,
we're Of primary Importance in solving
the increasing problems Of the Depart
rant Of Education.
Mr. Somors declared nc WAS abso-
lutcly opposed 10 political interference
n the affairs of the school system.
Whic he was convinced. he said, that
Mayor lIvlsn and the Board Of Esti-
nate honestly snd sincerely believe
trey are making contribution to the
c'y's cducation' he thought their cf-
forts have been more hurtful than bcne-
fcisl
Mr.. sorners is the only member of
tire board who is also member of the
Charter Commission. Several others.
however. including Messrs Bassett
Metz. Polk, McBair and Keller, are
members OF the commission of fifteen
Ryan Would Bar Politics
Although nc did not concede that
Hylan politicians were seeking to en-
large their control Of the Department
o. Education, George j. Ryan, acting
president and another Democratic mem
her of the Board Of Education, paral-
lciod NJ. Somers's statement that he
Mr.. Somers) "nevcT could understand
why politician should concern him
self with the schools as a medium for
political sctivitios.' According to Mr..
Ryan, If politics does exist IN the
Board Of Education ''it should be eX-
terminated.
These statements by MIR. Sorers aud
NJ Ryan are regarded as significant in
view OF the most recent activities of
INC Mayor o. Tammany Hall. by which
not only the Board Of Education but
the board OF surerintendents would be
Drought under the political jurisdiction
Of the present city administration.
Mr.. Somcrs said the act of the Board
OF Education m suspending the bylaws
10 rush through the election of Mrs.
Grace Strachan Forsythe as Associate
superintendent Of Schools on January
% wss unprecedented in the sittings
o. that body. Only where an emergency
existed, or II was desired to fill a
vacancy that had long existed, Mr.
SomerS explained was d suspension of
me hylaws IN similar procedure con-
Noered ieea! or regular. He was one
oi 'ne minority who voted against sus-
pension and VINO, after the suspension
aad been put through by ma jority of
me board. declined to vote for the cleo
uon OF Mrs. Forsythe, one of the May
ors political aids.
IL was not even customary. Mr.. Som
'rs said. for the Board Of Education TO
eiect person in advance of vacancy
occurring, except FOR the purpose of re-
'ieecng some ore already in office. He
gi'ed the elections involving DR. John
L. illdsley DR.. John II. Walsh and DR..
Andrew " Edison in 1920 and 1921. each
IL me elections being held we'll after
me lncumbent's term nad expired. Ex-
,ens IN the case Of DR.. Tildsley. who
suuelea the humiliation of being de-
Useu 70 district uperintendent bv the
ian oloc IN tac Board of Education.
o men hnaiir were reelected be-
,;. ~ OF inc public sentiment the no.
'',Iai "a opposIton to them had aroused.
,or. ,.,, ociners- who is an ardent sup
s.. ,,,,s VI lhe merit system, and who on
ner.oI .oGs occasions and despite his
:, sonai politlca affiliations has seen
% Vo'e tor candidates opposed by
.i,so .Is salnlnistration clique, believes the
b,"e IS at haAd when the schools must
Th T1h,eansco OF any political stigma.
ns fupilc Education Association in
RHsaS Rs'a.emeni says Of the situation in the
oosrd Of Educat on:
oe N'lh Tn" neNt two weeks the terms
y, t*o Associate superintendent viii
Nplrc- VIII the question Of their 70. %.
oD ,s'1on be decided on professional or
sna pvilucal grounds? Rumor is rife.
MI sncre Is prevailing fear that Dr.
.%se'erey and Dr. McAndrew viii snffey
sT ,sIf ia.e s OF Or Tildsley year and a
Edson aeo' fate which nearly befell Or.
~. also a month or so later.
v., ~ "ii be recalled that Dr.. Tildsley
.;s ss cropped without word Of exnIana, :,
,vn ,.:.y py the BOARD Of Education, desnite
Sncs Ss.s'en' public requests for the reasons,
s-la ,nal action Was indefcnsible ho1vever
pss'n,cally within the powers Of the
Ssau na.. o. Education it may have been.
BosrsI sIuleiiS led 10 the belief that the
ronaol, Saau o. Education had something to
,.ncesl and created fcelinc Of d;str,,s -
srlIu nI Suspicion winch has reacted harm.
,vs,. v.s on the morale Of the entire school
''e'"' lhe intensity of feeling encen-