New-York tribune., 1922-02-21
Graf E Kissed
In Attack on,
School Board
Town Hall Audience Re-
scnis Complrollcr's Talk
About Education Heads
Being Mere Scapcgoa,s'
Meyer Cheercd i'm Reply
Scnaior Defends His Bill
to Make School System
independent Of the Citv

Comptroller Crag's remedy for the
situation IN the public school system
is q board of education Of three nom
perS' TO be given annual salaries and
TO be appointed by the Mayor. The
Board of Supcrntondcnts would he
aooilshed and the members thereof
pensloned "out or the funds that could
be saved the city by eliminating these
bureaucrats"
Inc Comptroller presented his plan
last night i'll The course of speech
IN Town Hall, wherein he accused
members of the Education Depart
ments supervisory force Of everything
from using the LASH on the Board of
Education to the "unlawful diversion"
OF the Taxpayers money.
The Comptroller mad the negative
SIDE OF what turned out to be an
acrimonious debate with Senator Schuv-
fer Nj. Meyer, chairman of the Never
committee and sponsor Of the hill in
troduccd last week in the LerisIatnre
10 rccreate the Board of Education and
give 1t financial independence from the
CITY or the Board of Estimate. Mr.
tralg remarks on one occasion, when
ne shouted that the members Of thn
Board Of Education were "nere scano
goats for the professional bureaucratic
incompetent in the educational svs-
tent" drew Kisses from the majority
OF the 1000 or more men and women in
the auditorium which the city Official
did his best TO make light Of.
A Preposterous Idea
Mr.. Craig had just declared vjeor-
oCsiy that the Board of Estimate was
1ar more ANXIOUS for the construction
OF sch ools than the Board Of Education
vas. and then added: "But I exoner-
ate the Board of Education of respon
slDlllty. The plea for financial in
dependence for the school system. he
charged, was an attempt on the part
OF the minority party to Cease into
power The idea that there was such
thlnG as politics in the school system.
ne asserted, was "a preposterous idea"
Mr.. Meyer had explained his bill in
detail and stressed the hampcrinr
policies of the Board of Estimate as
now constituted. Whatever changes
prove it, Mr.. Meyer asked that thev
be submitted. There we're two prin-
ciples, however, that would not be al
tered and those he said, were en-
braced in the provisions for giving the
Board of Education financial inde-
pendenoe from City Hall and for do
ing away with the Mayors power of
appointing the members of the board
by invasting that authority in four
members Of the Board of Regents and
the Mayor.
Never Backers in Majority
The Senator was frequently ap-
plauded, as was Comptroller Craig. but
fell on the side Of the Meyer bin ad-
vocates or supporters of the work to
free the schools of their present dom
iration.
To the Comptroller's statement that
the school department was in need Of
"a thorough regeneration to elm
mate was te, inefficiency and the un-
lawful dive rsion Of the peoples money
and that the reelection of Chester S.
Lord as a member of the Board of Re
gents by the Republican Legislature
was about as good an indication Of
"politics in. the schools" as he had seen,
senator meyer replled brlchy and to the
obvious amusement of the audience
that Mr.. Craig had been playing the
game so long at the City Hall that
picking a man for his qualifications
had become an utter impossbility in
the Comptrpllcr's mind. Mr. Meyer
said he did mot hear one word raised
about Mr.. Lords politics when he was
proposed foi reappointment, and that,
irrespective pf political Affiliations, MIR.
Lord had demonstrated his qualifica-
tons for the position which he had pre-
viously filled.
Mrs James Russell Parsons, prcsi-
dent OF the New York Repub lean
Neighborhood Association, warmly de-
Tended the proposed changes in the
state cducatiosn Law, IS did Frank B.
Gilbert, Deputy State Commissioncr Of
c. p. Rowland. president
of the Public Education Association,
presided.
New Revolution in Portugal
LONDON. Fsb 20 By The Asso-
clated press).-,A new revolution has
broken out in Portugal. SAYS a dispatch