The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-02
The Capitalist Crisis Hits
the Schools

ing of S36O0O0 III the budget, the
Board spends about $500, 900 in real
lty; Sh0rtsightedneSs to the tune OF
S530,000 Of public funds. The Bosrd
officially admits the grsat expense in
volVed in re-educating the child; but
blindly retraceS its own steps.
Continuation Schools
Perhaps even a worse form Of re-
trenchment is the closing of the adult
Continuation Schools: worse because
many unemployed are deprived Of a
chance to find jobs. The recent shut
down of the schools deprived 1880
students of better chance to find
work, and caused over 10 teachers to
be shifted to other schools, in turn
forcing substitute teachers to be de-
clared in excess. The Board Of Edu-
cation builds unemployment!
Supplies Cut
Added to the other retrenchments
are large cuts in needed supplies: cuts
in health education, instruction and
equipment, in visual instruction, in
fuel and repair equipment. In all, a
cut of more than 100000 in vital
items, at q time like this, when the
maintenance and improvement Of ev-
cry item on the list is necessary to
the well-being Of the child. Many
schools and anneXes are fire-traps,
toilets are frequently so ursanitary
that the children will not use them;
and rooms are often so badly heated
or ventilated that colds or worse are
the rule. Surrounded by conditions
such as these our children have to
go to school
Abundance Of Teachers.
One might imagine that overcrowd-
ing is due in part to lack of teach
ers. Unfortunately the very opposite
is true. Besides the fairly constant
number of $4,000 who are already
teaching, there is a reserve who are
licensed, with perhaps equally as
many who have failed the license
test, but who are nevertheless trained
men and women. Moreover, until the
/ recent closing Of the training schools
I (Which had about 10000, @ steady
stream of teachers was swelling the
ranks. These men and women have
spent the best part Of their lives pre-
| pairing for this work. They are Spe-
CialistS in their field, and badly in
need Of jobs into the bargain.
Authorities Admit Need
The Superintendent Of Schools, DR..
O'Shea, has more than once admitted
I the need Of more teachers.
( To reduce the size of every class by
one pupil would mean the employ
ment Of over 500 teachers, he said in
his 1881 report Since then, however,
classes have grown larger and teach
ers are actually thrown out of work,
adding 70 an already swollen waiting
| list
! Lists to Contend With
! Moreover, licensed teachers who
have not received a permanent ap-
pointment are victims of the list sys-
TEN. This means that if a substitute
is not given a regular job within four
years of receiving his license, he is
automatically dropped from the
school system entirely, and must take
a new exam and go to the bottom Of
the 5000 or more ahead OF him. At
present the substitutes are fighting
for extension of all lists till appoint
ment. A victory will cost the public
no extra money, and will insure these
teachers the right to obtain eventu-
ally what they have worked so hard
for. They have been educated at pub
lie expense; they are highly trained.
unable in a moment to start on a
new career. 1t would be sheer STU
pidity and unfairness 10 set them
adrift.
In the next article we will take ny
the matter Of relief in the schools:
and show that, though the teachers
have suffered several pay cuts, they
are still coerced into taking another
pay cut via the medium Of relief
contributors. II