New-York tribune., 1922-11-03
The Governor and the Schools

offer.
The Governor and the Schools
The public schools touch the homes
OF the city as do few other public in
stitutions. They are the close ad-
junct of home life itself. Upon their
efficiency and success depends the
future of the most precious posses
sion the city has, its children.
1t is hard to exaggerate the pass
to which Hylanism has brought the
csty's schools. Demoraliza ton is
scarcely too strong a term to apply
to that confusion Of part time and
double session to which the policy of
illlteracy pursued by the present
Mayor has brought the city. There
we're $4,000 children on part time
when Mr.. Hylan took office. There
are to-day $4,000. There are, in ad-
dition, over 100000 children on a
inakeshift program Of double ses-
sions which yields far from q full
time education. The evils which this
cvercrowding has produced have af-
fected the efficiency of the entire
school system.
The problem Of meeting this edu-
cational crisis is grave one. It is
second only to the transit issue in it's
Importance to the general public,
and it is even more vital to the well
fare of the city. There Is no short
cut to solution. So long as Mr..
Hylan remains Mayor any solution
is doubly difficult to appl.-.
If Mr.. Smith should be elected
Governor there could be no reason
able hope of betterment. Mr.. Smith
showed himself a friend Of the school
teachers while Governor by cooper
ating with Republican Legislature
to force an increase in teachers paw
down Mr.. Hylan's throat. But he
has not shown interest in the part
time problem. 1t is hopeless to ex-
pect that he would, as Governor, at
tack a Tammany Mayor and Tam
many Board of Education with the
vigor necessary to end the present
evils, which are wholly political in
their origin.
To achieve that result there is
need at Albany Of an anti -Tammany
Governor and a Legislature cooper
ating toward single end. There is
need Of Governor versed in educa-
tional problems and convinced Of
their profound Importance. It is a
fortunate chance for New York City
that Mr.. Miller taught school and
was commissioner Of education In
his early life. Here is one part of
that extraordinary mental equip
nent which has made Governor Mil
Ter, by general agreement, one of the
ablest executives in the whole his
tory of the state. In his recent ad-
dress before the university Of the
state Mr. Miller showed his complete
grasp of the part-tinae problem and
Of his resolve to see it solved.
Governor Miller has shown him
self no less stalwart friend Of lib
cral pay to teachers than did NJ.
Smith. When Che Hylan administra-
tion cut twenty-seven millions out of
the city budget for education it was
Governor Miller and the Republican
Legislature that restored it. More
'over, for two years now lie has con-
tinued the states increased contribu-
tion to the salaries of school teachers
initiated in Governor Smiths second
year. But the reelection Of Cover
nor Miller would give hope Of not
cniy liberal financial support but an
enlightened reform Of the education
al system Of New York City aimed to
place education above politics, and
make next to impossible a recurrence
of Hylanis,n in the schools. No in
vasion of the principle of home rule
would be necessary in the light OF
experience in other cities. What is
necessary is courageous, far
sighted Governor, gravely concerned
over the city's schools and possessing
the force and character to accom-
plish q truly constructive reform.
The teachers of New York City
and the parents OF New York City
should have no hesitation in casting
their ballots on Tuesday. In Cover
nor Miller they viii have as stanci,
an upholder of liberal financial sup
port to insure an adequate teaching
rSafT r~ &hav Szo,,1d Ln,, Il. xs.