New-York tribune., 1922-10-30
.Hylan' Attack
On Gary Plan
C,alledClaptrap
Nudd Denies Education As
sociation Desires TO
Train School Children
for Mill and Factory
Opposition a Death Blow
Says superintendent Adopt
ed System in Conformity
With Community Needs

Howard w. Nudd, director of tho
Public Education Association, West
Fortieth Street, in statement issued
Yesterday dealing with what he de-
scribed as repeated attempts by Mayor
Hylan to link the organization with So
called interests and the Mayors
declaration that the associations ad-
vacacy Of the Gary plan in New York
City is based on "a desire to train
Children for the mill and factory" de-
eiYes these asperaions political clap
trap. The adaptation of the plan to
needs Of each eommunitv. Mr.. Nudd
points out, has been on the initiative
Of the superintendents and profes-
sional leaders of the school system.
based on their realization of the edu-
eationai advantages offered.
Death Blow Dealt
The statement adds:
apparently in ignorance of what is
going on elsewhere, his honor seems
to be under the impression that his
persistent opposition during the last
FIVE years has dealt a death blow to
this type Of school organization. 1t is
amusing, indeed, in contrast with the
objections one hears from City Hall,
to TAlk with ScnOOI SupGTl0LcnQenJS,
principals, teachers and citizens else
where who are enthusiastically making
this program work to the great ad-
vantage of the. children. The merry
twinkle of the eye IS delicious when
one asks whether the interests are be-
hind it or whether it doesn't train
children for the mill and factory only.
"One is politely escorted TO the
special rooms for music, art, literature,
science, household and industrial arts,
and is shown the children prohtably
and happily engaged in the Libraries
and auditoriums and on the play
grounds, and it is left to ones intelli-
gence unaided TO determine whether
this kind of education makes for
broader or narrower culture than strict
adherence to the well-known three Rs
at is relief to Step out of an atmo-
sphere surcharged with political clap
trap and weird accusations into one
where the only interests discussed
are the interests of the children. For
the emphasis in such conversations is
always upon what these enriched
facilities mean for the pupils, what &
school day of six hours under whole
some educational influences means in
training for alert and efficient citizen
ship, and what it means to teachers
to devote their five hours of teaching
to work which they especially like and
for which they are best fitted.
''lt is pointed out only as sec
ondary matter of interest that this
plan also increases materially the pupil
capacity Of the school and thus re-
lieves part time and congestion. Econ
omy is considered important only be-
cause it makes possible q better edu
cation at a less cost and thereby en-
ebles the community better to house
md educate the children within its
financial ability.
Cities lgnore Advice
Large cities, small cities, suburban
communities and communities of a
great variety of social and industrial
composition are included. Strange to
say, some cities near New York which
have been in an excellent position to
learn of its iniquities from our Mayor
have had the effrontery to ignore his
advice and put the plan into operation!
"As one contemplates this spectacle
Of willful indifference to his honor's
warnings in forty-two cities of Amer
lea, one wonders whether somebody
hasn't put something over on the
Mayor. Perhaps, at the funeral of this
plan in New York City FIVE years ago,
some one palmed off straw man as
the corpse, and the floral offerings,
which have since been bestowed SO
frequently, have been placed on an
empty grave. One thing is certain:
that which was thought to be dead is
going TO and fro in the land with Wig
orous strides, and is of such tangible
and solid form as to preclude the pos
sibility Of it's being mere fragment
OF ethereal ectoplasm. 1t is not
ghost but living reality. The in
tended victim must have escaped"