New-York tribune., 1922-03-24
Ian, i'm Schools
PubIic's Fault,
SAYS Ettinsser
superintendent Urges That
More Extensive Building
gram Be Insisted
Upon by The People
Part Time Is Growing
Present Methods Enough to
Wreck System, He Tells
Brooklyn Realty Men

Dr.. William L. Ettingcr, Superin-
tendent of Schools, told members Of
the Brooklyn Real Estate Board yes
tcrday at luncheon in the Brooklyn
Chambe of Commerce what is wrong
with the city's school system. He laid
primary responsibility for existing
conditions upon the people and offered
as evidence the fact that part time in
structon has grown steadily since
1902.
In an hours discussion the speaker
pointed out the evils affecting the
schools because of widespread indif-
ference or lack of interest of the pub
lie The results, he said, were only
physically apparent now, but in the
wears to come. or in the next genera
tion, with no solution yet decided up
on, parents would realize keen}y the
effects Of their non interest in the CON
ditions surrounding their children.
Most significant in this connection,
the superintendent thought, was the
necessity each year of providing for
more psrt-time .and, double-sesslon at
tendance than in the preceding year
II was the only way out, he told the
real estate men, but it was in reality
no solution at all when the future was
consiC cred.
IN 1908" said Or. Ettfncer, "there
we're ONE $4,000 children on part time
in the city's schools. To-day VIC have
l14.O0O on part time and more than
200 900 on double sessiou. This means
if we did not operate the device (you
may call it a part-tlme replacement
plan) which | devised in 1903, when
was in charge of q school on the lower
East Side, by which two sets of pupils
occupy the same classroom each day
loo re
facilities, we would have $4,000 on
part uime out OF an approximate total
Of 100000 registrations. In other
words, we would have an excess of 100,~
600 children Whenever you have an
excess you have double that IN part
time.
Such q condition is enough to wreck
any school system. The present city
administration is not responsible for
this condition, nor is the one preceding
It, or any other former administration.
! may tell you, citizens, that you are
responsible for it. 1t is growth. We
had $4,000 children on part time in
1903; we have never got rid Of it.
THE city is building schools.
Thirteen buildings under contract are
In course of construction. We plan to
spend ninety odd millions of dollars to
up? Whether we catch up depends on
how far we provide, first, for the past
situation and, second, for the immedi-
ate future You will have to spend
money freely. Then once we do catch
up we will have to see that the good
work is continued.
"The great trouble about education
in this city is this: If you have a poor
Fire Department and the tangible re
suits, of course, are very evident in the
fires you have; if you have a poor
Police Department and the tangible re
suits ere also evident in the number
and character of the hold-ups and
burglaries that are committed; or if
you have a poor Street Cleaning De-
partment you know it. But if you have
a poor Education Department and the
tangible results are not evident, those
results arc going to be evident in the
next generation
Until you have law which makes