The New York herald., 1922-02-18
Not the Right School Bill.

The motive behind the Meyer bill
for the reorganization of the New
York city school system is all right.
Senator MEYER is trying to make an
end to the evils that have been so
fragrant under the Hylan administra-
tior. With that in view he would
erect a new Board of Education of
fifteen members, appointed by the
Mayor and the New York city mem
bers OF the State Board Of Regents,
and he would confer upon it powers
which would make it independent OF
the Board of Estimate.
Such measure might produce
temporary relief. What the schools
need, however, is a permanent pro
gram; and this is not insured by the
Meyer bill. Senator MEYER has
drawn his measure seemingly on the
assumption that we shall always have
a poor Mayor like HYLAN and a good
Governor like MILLER.
The four Regents resident in New
York are men of unquestioned hon
esty. Doubtless they would outvote
HYLAN and make respectable selec-
tions for the proposed Board of Edu-
cation. But suppose that in the
course of events the city members of
the Regents should happen to be
stupid or amenable to political pres
sure and that they should outvote
good Mayor-what then?
What is still more Objectionable,
the bill would take the control Of the
schools out of the hands of the city
without putting it completely in the
hands of the State. The Regents are
State officials, governors of the State
Department of Education. The func-
tion of selecting the city Board of
Education would fall to four, or one
third, of the members Of the State
Board of Education. In this the
State would have certain power
without shouldering a corresponding
responsibility.
If the State must take over any
part of the guidance of the schools
of this city let it make a complete
job of it and turn the whole business
over to the State Department of Edu-
cation. II it must, we say, for OF
course the only reason why it should
find such course necessary is the
abuse which the schools have suffered
under HYLAN. THE New YORK HER
AID believes that schools do best
under local control when that control
is fairly capable. The State does
not know it's children as intimately
as the city and the village know
them. The further the central au.
thority is from the school house the
weaker is the contact. That is why
the Federal Bureau of Education is
almost useless.
1t may be possible to achieve some
progress in the New York schools un.
der the present system and in spite OF
HYLAN. Only few days ago we had
an illustration of the fact that the
Board of Education will not defy pub
lie opinion utterly. Thanks to the
protests of the people of this city
the Board refused to comply with
HYLAN's demand for the heads of Ger.
tain competent associate superintend
ents. So there is some hope that
HYLAN will not be able to do every
thing he wishes toward wrecking the
schools.
However vexing the attitude of the
Hylan administration toward educa
ton, the best thing the citizens car
do is help and hope. They can helr
by watching the schools and protest
ing against the injection of politics
into them. They can hope that wher
HYLAN leaves the City Hall there
will be a Mayor who knows that the
schools are important.
Meanwhile the Meyer bill, for all OF
the good sentiment at its source
should not be passed.
The Living Deadwood Dick.