Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-23
M,Sparran Is Tagged
ns Party Reacti0T,ary

attack. Why single out the head Of
education?
M teachers Suspicious Of McsparTan
,.rbe argument of Mr.. McSparran
A.. il was not Finegan but the Grange
!snt at uas responsible for the higher
tniorv tni%, for teachers is very weak. The
Grange for fifty years has had the
.tnmrc Tra"s To do il. but didn't. Is Il not
c.sanoe then that the Grange should
sonome interested In school teachers
y, Of once, the very first year that
Dr.. Finegan came hcreF
asome $4,000 teachers in Pennsyl.
,onia are just the least suspicious Of
sSnSnorrap. Sometimes we can't help
Srt belieyc that perhaps the real rea :
son for attacking Finegan Is not Fine
ssn but the compulsory attendance
@ k@am' which, under Dr.. Schaeffer, was
,at enforced, but which under Finegan
~ heing strictly enforced.
"Noy it be possible that McSparran
"a unconsciously voicing the sentiment
~ that vast minority OF the State
Grange who think more Of the pigpen
,ban the schoolhouse? As a teacher
FOR a quarter of a. century, We know
how some farmers. at least. think"
The State Grange is not responsible
for tho increase In the public school
teachcrs' salaries, as Mr.. McSparran
very well knows.
The absolute hypocricy Of the claim
10 shown BY McSparran's present atti-
tude toward the school system which,
ss n GOOD business proposition, contem-
mates gradual increases in teachers
salaries as they gain In experience and
Years of service.
McSparran Is fighting the salary in
crense plan, while, with the same
breath. he claims credit for having ini-
tiated 1t.
has impaired to the public school teach.
crs of the State is the most practical
refutntion of the McSparran allegations.
Heretofore the summer school. in
stituted for the purpose Of increasing
the efficiency of teachers, was attended
by only q small proportion of the public
school teachers in the state.
AT the summer school Of 1921 there
was an enrolment of $4,000 teachers.
This was about % per cent of all the
enrolled teachers and 10000 more than
attended in 1921.
Teachers Support Finesan
The school teachers of the State are
lHtSVI Stloh6Cct ouPpOktChcs
If, as McSparran has charged re.
peatedly over the State. DR.. Finegan Is
building up vast political machine,
why did he go outside among those who
had no political influence In Pennsyl-
yana to secure some of his expert
educators and assistants?
Why did he not take persons In
Pennsylvania who possessed political
influence to help him build his ma
chine?
The fact that he did 60 outside the
State to bring four educational experts
from New York-McSparran said there
were twenty -nine-was one reason for
repeated and vicious Outbursts by Mr..
McSparran and the Grange against the
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Pnchot repeats daily before the as.
senlblages which he addresses his pledge
to give the children of Pennsylvania the
best schools in America.
McSparran Has No Program
McSparran, on the other hand, has
no clear-cu theory or plan to pre-
sent. He has no constructive program
on schools.
He indulges in glittering generalities,
and then proceeds to claim for the
State Grange, of which he is the head
the credit for increasing the salaries Of
public school teachers Of the State.
But even on that claim he gives no
details. He furnishes no facts or dates
to prove his allegations. He cannot.
Pinchot has had two Of the ablest
educational experts that could be Oh.
tanned working for months upon an in.
vestigation of the present school sys.
TEN. McSparran has done nothing but
talk.
Pinchot says:
"No matter what else suffers in ap.
propriatiOns, We must not economize in
the education of our children. They
are entitled to. the, very best that we
can give them"
l have said that Pinchot has plat.
form.
1t contains twelve plnnks and Is tho
most comprehensive and concise docu.
ment of its kind ever promulgated by q
candidate for Governor in this State.
Pinchot's Platform
Here are the things he hopes to &C.
complish:
State.
Prerent and punish bootle0ging.
Maintain and secure good laws
for the protection of Working chill
dren, tc0men and men.
Safeguard the industrtes Of
Pennsylvania and promote the
prosperity of the State.
Adrance the interests Of the
farmers, acho feed W. all.
Give our children tho best
schools IN America.
Check Capitalization and giue