The New York herald., 1922-02-17
Purposes to Free Board of
Education From City
Hall Domination.
PART TINE EVIL GROWS
Delay in Building and made
quatc Tax Returns Are
Discussed at Length.
Special Dispatch to THE New YonK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau

senator ScEuyler NJ. Meyer tonight
issued statement revealing the find
ings Of his committee in it's inquiry
into the public schools of New York.
These include overcrowded made
nuate buildings in which 1858 viola
tions of fire prevention rules occurred
in a single month, long delays in
school building operations, and purely
political" appointments to the Board
of Education.
Earlier in the day Senator Meyer
introduced bill to reorganize New
York city's school system in line with
Gov. Miller's demand that the "slimy
trail of politics. be removed by pro-
viding for the creation of a board of
education with complete independence
or City Hall and politicians generally.
The seven member Boarc: Of Educa-
uoh appointed by Mayor Hylan has
proved its total incapacity to deal eff
foctively with the citys school prob
iem,' Senator Meyer said in explaining
MS bill. The fault lies partly with the
personne! of the board, partly with de-
iects In the State education law and
partly with the effort of the Tammany-
Hylan clique to build up the school sys-
tenn into a political machine"
The bill may be passed by the Legis-
iature. 1t is uncertain whether it will
be made an administration measure, al
though it meets with the Governors gen.
eral IDEAS on the situation. The Gov
ernor, however, has said he believed
all subjects dealing with the city Gov
ernment should be left for considera
ton by the extra session next autumn
TO be called to receive the Charter Re-
vision Commission report.
AssaiIs Mayor HyIan.
After explaining that the bill had re-
ceiVed the approval of State and CITY
school experts as well as of the Boar.
OF Education, Senator Meyer launched
a bitter attack upon Mayor Hylan ano
his school board.
am, for example, reliably informed
ne SAID. that two recently appointed
hlSh school principals in Brooklyn were
selected at the instance of the Demo.
cratic leader of that borough: that the
recent unseemly haste of the Board o.
Education in suspending its bylaws g,
as to permit the election of an associate te
superintendent, without advance notice
thereof was due to the Mayors demand
that Mrs. Forsythe. who took an activ,
part in his campaign be immediately
given that job. in place of the life Job of
examiner which she failed to secure be-
cause OF pubic insistence that it be
placed in the competitive class.
1t Is also a matter of common knowI
n0EC that the MoUpr ba
pressure to bear on members of the
Board OF Superintendents to nominate a
relative of his to desirable position in
The school cystem. The great publicity
given by the New York newspapers to n
long distance telephone conversation said
10 nave been had by the Mayor at Palm
Beach with his office in New York.
wherein he sought to instruct the Board
Of Education to crush one of the ASSOC
ciate superintendent who had displeased
him. prevented what might otherwise
have been further evidence of the don,i-
nation of the Board of Education by fhe
political powers at the City Hall
conditions are so ominous that the
SUPERINTENDENT of Schools. untactfully
perhaps, but courageously. has publicly
stated in the newspapers that Tammany
was endeavorlng to gain control of
school appointments.
from politics, and the only effective pro-
lection is legislation.
Il am, therefore, introducing into the
Senate to-day a bill amending the State
education law with regard to the city
of New York.
"Assemblyman Ullman will Introduce
II In the Assembly. This bill has been
drawn to correct the evils disclosed by
the joint legislative committees investi-
gat ~ L.,
public schools, to prevent the further
utilization of the school system as a
field for Hylan-Tammany politics and to
accord with the progressive ideas of the
leaders of the professional staff of the
city's schools and of citizens interested
in good education. Its provisions have
been discussed. modified and improved
Mt repeated conferences in New York at
tended by school men. representatives of
the State Department of Education,
members of civic organizations, business
men and former members Of the Board
of Education. In it's present form it has
met with general approval.
Tenurcs Are Unchanged.
Except for lengthening the term of
the superintendent of Schools the bill
makes no changes in the salary or tenure
of any teacher or other person in the
service OF the Board OF Education. It
in no way affects the teacher retirement
system or the retirement system of the
Board of Education. 1t does not provide
permanent tenure for assistant (now
termed associate) superntendents be-
cause with the elimination OF the Board
OF Superintendents the assistant super
intendents become deputies Of the super
intendent In the carrying out OF his
policies. IT rs agreed that II is not sound
organization to give life tenure to the
high executive officers upon whom the
chief executive must rely for the sue
cess of his administration.
The outstanding feature of this bill
is the creation of q locally selecte ed
Board OF Education completely nde-
pendent OF municipal control and certain
to be of high character and capacity.
Il. IL Increases the size of the Board
or Education from seven to fifteen and
makes political manipulation of board
appointments impossible by providing
that board members shall be appointed
by an education commission consisting
of the Mayor and regents residing In
New York city. as contemplated by the
Robinson bill introduced last year.
"2. Makes the Board OF Education