UNI\TRSITV OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES Inst GIFT OF of Public Adniu '-r^ — t > — I \ I • f i • .•'-»-.♦ ' • • A DIGEST OF THE NEW YORK SCHOOL INQUIRY Submitted to the New York Board of Education July 17, 1913, by the [BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH 261 Broadway, New York City Price 25 Cents CONTENTS PAGE I Foreword ..- - — - 1 Twenty Rediscoveries for New York's Public Schools 3 .^ Purpose of the New York School Inquiry _ 4 4 Report Titles and Investigators' Names 5 5 What the Inquiry Cost 6 6 Introduction and Conclusions by Director Hanus 7 7 What the School Inquiry Praised „ „ 8 S Conditions Said to Need Correction 13 Armstrong 43 Averill _ 18 Bachmaii 24 Ballon 35 Burks 30 Courtis... 33 Davis 38 Elliott 13 Goddard _ 32 McMurr> 19 SchneidL-: 41 Thompson , 40 Winslow-Baskcrvilic 45 9 Recommendations . 46 Clearly Requiring; AduiLiuiuil Money.. 46 Intended to Save Mo»iey.„ 49 Per se, Neither Adding nor Saving Monc} 50 Requiring Legislation 60 10 Furfhet Investigations Said to be Necessary . 61 II Subjects Not Covered by the School Inquiry 63 12 How the Inquiry Was Started 64 13 How the Inquiry Was Received 65 14 Only Published I^eply by Insiders to Outsiders 68 Index FOREWORD The New York school inquiry has come and gone. But inquiring into New York's school facts has just begun. While the school inquiry antedated the reorganization of the board of education itself and the resulting change of attitude toward teacher and public, it would be unfair to school commissioners who brought about this change of attitude to deny them large credit for independent and vigorous action in heading our schools "back to the child." We therefore give joint credit to the school board itself and to the school inquiry for the Twenty Rediscoveries here noted, which characterize the new outlook with which New York City begins its school year 1913-1914. Whatever errors in the school inquiry reports may later be shown by committees of New York's board of education, supervisors and teachers, or by students of education, the findings themselves will be helpful for years to come. Be- cause the reports will not otherwise be generally available in condensed form we have, from a special fund provided by Mrs. E. H. Harriman, prepared this brief digest, after sub- mitting to each investigator our proposed digest of his ma- terial, for correction if needed. We hope it will be found use- ful not only by school officers in New York and elsewhere, but by citizens wishing to help schools via first knowing about school needs and school work. BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH TRUSTEES R. FULTON CUTTING FRANK L. POLK JOSEPH W. HARRIMAN GEORGE B. HOPKINS BRADLEY MARTIN, JR. VICTOR MORAWETZ JOHN B. PINE EDWIN R. A. SELIGMAN ALBERT SHAW FRANK TUCKER DIRECTORS WILLIAM H. ALLEN HENRY BRUERE FREDERICK A. CLEVELAND NOTE Messrs. Bachman, Burks, Goddard, Armstrong, McMurry, Schneider and Davis wrote their approval of the digests of their reports with some suggested corrections which are here embodied On September 26, after prolonged absence from the university, Mr. Elliott telegraphed: Phvsically impossible on account extraordinary pressure university work for me to devote time and detailed attention requisite for your digest until after Oct. 10. Regret this unfortunate emergency Mr. Ballon wrote: I hereby acknowledge the receipt of your letter of August 24, 1913. addressed to me in Cincinnati, and containing your memoranda on my Report to the Committee on School Inquiry. Inasmuch as I have already devoted much more time to the New York Inquiry than I had expected to give it, I do not feel that I should give it further attention. In view of the fact that I cannot examine carefully your mem- oranda, I do not wish to be considered as in any way re- sponsible for what you may or may not say about my report Several days after Mr. Courtis had written his thanks for "the chance to see in advance the Bureau's digest of my report," he wrote: After thinking the matter over, I have decided that in view of the peculiar conditions attending the Inquiry, and the fact that so far only an "Interim" report has been pub- lished, I am not at liberty to cooperate in the preparation of your digest, as you suggest in your letter of the 26th, I am, therefore, returning the same without comments Similarly, a few days after Mr. Thompson had signified his intention of going over the digest on his return from his vacation and had recorded his appreciation of "your cour- tesy in allowing me to see in advance what you propose to publish concerning my report," he wrote: I find that Professor Hanus has made a digest of the New York Report which he considers comprehensive and ade- quate. I do not find that Professor Hanus or his other associates intend to assist in any independent digest such as the one you propose. I, therefore, respectfully decline to make any comment upon your digest of my report The complete illustrated report of the board of estimate on both educational and business aspects of the school inquiry will be published in three volumes, 1500 pages (a limited number only) by the Committee on School Inquiry, 51 Chambers Street, New York City TWENTY REDISCOVERIES FOR NEW YORK'S PUB- LIC SCHOOLS BY THE SCHOOL INQUIRY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD 1 — That children cannot be schooled if they do not come to school 2 — That the purpose of attendance officers is to keep children attend- ing school 3 — That children of sound mind should not be called feeble-minded or put among the feeble-minded and that defectives should be segregated and taught according to their incapacity 4 — That children of different aptitudes and different nationalities should be taught different subjects in different ways 5 — That the transition should be more natural from kindergarten to grades, and from elementary to high school 6 — That boys and girls should continue to learn after beginning to earn 7 — That preparation for commerce and trades should be more prac- tical and more general 8 — That when children are taught the three Rs they must be taught to use the three Rs with automatic correctness 9 — That buildings should be placed where children live, not near other schools where overcrowding is 10 — That school buildings should be fireproof and sanitary, and class room air clean, always moving and not over-heated 11 — That coal should be bought for its heat, not for its weight, and buildings, equipment and supplies handled efficiently 12 — That teachers should be helped not policed by their supervisors 13 — That teachers who out-number supervisors thirty to one should "become regular purveyors of good to the entire school sys- tem," as President Churchill has urged 14 — That $3,500 and $10,000 supervisors should give their time to supervision that helps children, instead of to clerical work 15 — That school records should be live "purveyors of truth" and not dead, misleading, harassing statistics 16 — That the public should be given budget estimates based on facts not on guesses or unsupportable premises 17 — That school commissioners should give time to big problems — testing their experts' efficiency and discovering children's needs — not to petty details 18 — That the board of estimate can help school work by asking questions in the interest of taxpayers 19 — That the public should be given school news in small doses of facts it can understand 20 — That defending is worse than making — and infinitely worse than correcting — mistakes PURPOSE OF THE NEW YORK SCHOOL INQUIRY Resolution of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, Introduced by William A. Prendergast, Comptroller, October 26, 1910 Whereas, the budget of the department of education represents ap- proximately one-third of the total appropriations of the city of New York for current administration purposes, and Whereas, the appropriation recommended by the Budget Committee of the board of estimate and apportionment for the year 1910 for the purposes of the department of education represents an allow- ance of $1,600,000 in excess of the product of the three mill tax appropriation required by law, and Whereas, in formulating the allowance for the purpose of the depart- ment of education this board has been unable to secure sufficient and satisfactory information in explanation of requests for appro- priations made by such department to enable it to reach proper conclusions with respect to the necessity and propriety of such requests, and Whereas, it is the sense of this board that efficient and progressive administration of the schools of the city of New York is indis- pensable to the welfare and progress of the city, and that generous appropriations for the purposes of the department of education are desirable in so far as assurance and evidence can be given that such appropriations will be expended for purposes and in a manner to promote the efficiency and welfare of the schools, and to increase the value and effectiveness of the instruction given therein, and Whereas, the growth and development of educational activities and improvement in educational methods annually presents to this board, in connection with the preparation of the tax and the cor- porate stock budgets, many questions bearing upon the efficacy of educational policies and methods now pursued, and upon the effi- ciency and economy of the administration of the affairs of the department of education, Be it resolved, that the chairman of this board appoint a committee of three of its members to conduct an inquiry into the organization, equipment and methods, both financial and educational, of the de- partment of education, including such plans and proposals as may have been formulated or may be under consideration by the board of education for extending and developing its educational activities, and that for tiiis purpose the committee be authorized to associate with it such experts within and without the government of the city of New York as may assist it in the conduct of this inquiry and in the formulation of recommendations to this board, and that it be further authorized to employ such assistants as it may find neces- sary for the purposes of this inquiry, and Be it further resolved, that for the purposes hereinabove mentioned, the hoard 09-1911, only 1% approximately of initial probationary licenses were refused permanency Reports for renewal of temporary licenses are purely formal in great majority of cases on the part of both principal and district superintendent Radically diverse standards are employed by supervisory offi- cers in determining renewal of teachers' licenses General criticism of method of supervisory officers in report- ing on work of teachers, will hold as applying to the approv- al of service as "fit and meritorious" The relatively few disapprovals of service mean "in all prob- ability" the employment of a very lenient standard by ap- proving officers; of 1,984 teachers rated by district superin- tendents, only 11 were rated as non-meritorious in discipline ; of 2,235 teachers rated by principals, only 11 rated as non- meritorious in instruction, etc Tendency is for district superintendent as matter of form to discount ratings given teachers by principals Careful application in high schools of superior merit provision (as found by investigation and inspection by associate city superintendent, district superintendent and principal, and affirmed by majority of board of examiners) will result in more intelligent procedure in approving license renewals Defects — Continued 15 Plan and Fact Base Lacking for Investigation and Appraisal by General Supervisors or Board Fact base: See page 13: Elliott report There is nowhere within the system a clear and conscious dis- crimination between those activities of control that are administrative in character, and those that are supervisory or inspectorial The organization of the school system has been from the top down rather than from the bottom up, a procedure as ob- structive to progress and real growth in education as it is in other institutions Schools of the city are (1) under the continued necessity of reacting to a maximum amount of external administrative control ; (2) influenced by a minimum amount of competent expert and constructive supervision; and (3) not receiving the benefits of regular inspection and of unbiased estimates of the value of their method and products Altogether too little genuine and progressive leadership in- fluences the work of the teachers or the accomplishment of pupils "We have been brought into contact with many such persons (i.e., judicially tempered individuals within the system it- self) who as teachers or principals or superintendents were willing to bring forward unbiased and substantial testimony bearing directly upon the objects of the investigation. How- ever, except in the case of a few negligible and minor mat- ters, they were expressly unwilling to permit themselves to appear as witnesses of record. The explanation for this disinclination invariably given was that the expression of critical judgments militated seriously against their profes- sional standing and advancement" Those responsible for school organization appear "intentionally or unintentionally" to have discouraged competent criticism and permitted incompetent criticism to undermine intelligent public confidence Chief evil of the existing scheme of control is to be found in the disinclination to untilize experience of great body of teachers and supervisors System suffers from lack of definite, detailed knowledge of its own working and its own cost Officials charged with responsibility for administrative or super\isory duty appraise their own performances "No outside agency could carry forward the work of inspec- tion, of formulating impartial judgments of results, and of proposing new procedures without much friction and loss of energy" 16 Defects — Coutitiued Board of Superintendents "Bureaucratic" and "Static" Fact base: See page 13: Elliott report Board of 8 associate superintendents and the city superinten- dent (ciiairman) Avith charter right of initiative in all educa- tional matters, including nomination of teachers, recommen- dation of supplies and text books, suggestion of courses of study, direction of school organization and instruction, has failed to meet in any complete manner the obligation laid upon it For the ready execution of administrative duties, it is an un- wieldy and complicated organization Does not appear to have any well defined qualification for nomination of district superintendents Fully three-fourths of the matters before board (relating to leave of absence, assignment, transfer, nomination of teachers) could be cared for independently by the city super- intendent acting in an administrative capacity Minutes bristle with trivial items One-quarter of the matters pertain to educational detail and supervisory policy that should be determined upon by those in actual contact with work of teachers and pupils Usual order of procedure (checks and balances) would not be tolerated by a well-organized industrial or commercial estab- lishment System of geographic supervision (by district instead of by classes of work) now quite obviously yields a service of doubtful w^orth Supervision of schools by division superintendents is ineffec- tive, unwise and uneconomical, judged by their annual re- ports to the city superintendent As supervisory officers, they are too far removed from actual conditions confronting teachers to render kinds of service most needed For proper inspection and appraisal of work of schools a training and capacity radically different from those of ad- ministrative officers are required For digest of the reply by the board of superintendents, see page 68 District Superintendents "Notably Inert" Fact base: See page 13: Elliott report Of 26 superintendents whose duties are (1) to keep district records and reports ; (2) confer with teachers and principals ; (3) inspect schools and work; (4) rate principals and teachers; (5) suspend teachers; (6) enforce compulsory at- tendance; (7) assign special teachers; (8) approve requisi- tions; (9) report on local school board meetings; (10) inves- tigate complaints, — all but two or three are products of New Defects — Continued 17 York education, training, experience; this inbreeding is not a negligible factor of weakness Qualifications for nomination of district superintendents are not defined As deputy supervisors of the city superintendent their posi- tion is anomalous Monthly reports are made out in a most formal manner Very few are able to make any very clear distinction between administrative routine and supervision Several say frankly that their major energies are consumed by clerical labor and office routine Directors and Teachers of Some Special Branches Unnecessary Fact base: See page 13: Elliott report Number of special branch teachers increased from 305 in 1902, to 479 in 1910 (an increase of 57% while the average attend- ance increased 37% during the same period) Special branches have not yet succeeded in attaining a recog- nized and guaranteed place in the program of studies in public schools Conspicuous problem of special branches is found in the dearth of qualified and competent teachers 823 kindergarten teachers are supervised by one director and two assistants Elementary Principals Mere Clerks, Not Supervising, Inde- pendent Initiators Fact base: See page 13: Elliott report Principal is not recognizedly responsible for school organiza- tion and supervision in his school building; i.e., has no real supervisory independence or initiative, while practically all the constructive features of his work are under immediate control of assistant and district superintendents Waste through system of appointing so-called additional teachers for clerical service ; also waste from number and character of various monthly, annual and special statistical reports that must be submitted by principals Approximately three-fourths of 84 elementary school princi- pals appointed 1908-1912 received all education, training and experience in schools of New York Less than 10% of those appointed had profitable experience in schools outside Marked tendency toward inbreeding deprives system of the infusion of new blood, both in teachers and supervisors, required for its progressive development 18 Defects — Coti tinned Superintendents' Time Wasted On Clerical Routine Fact base: Communications filed in the offices of the city superintendent and associate superintendents; personal interviews: Averill report: 50 pages Clerical routine work consumes altogether too much time of the citv superintendent, associate superintendents and other directing ofhcers, to the necessary neglect of supervisory educational work The lack of a central information ofhce entails a waste of clerical assistance and leads to the acquisition and giving out of information of questionable reliability, and to the making of defective records Since there are no printed blank forms for many kinds of com- munications a great amount of time is sacrificed in dictating and typewriting recurrent matters, thus both increasing the cost of such work and diverting attention from educational supcr\ision. Nearly 52% of all letters examined might have been attended to by subordinates The permission of the city superintendent is required in alto- gether too many minor matters, before action by supervisory officers Of the first 316 letters found in tlie files examined, which were sent out by the city superintendent from 1908 to 1911, only 29 represented matters in which the city superintendent initiated the correspondence; the rest were answers There is lack of care, system and uniformity in filing letters, recent letters being found in files for obsolete material, letters belonging in one room being in another, etc Actual authority is not delegated to those whose judgment would warrant it ; i.e., principals may not grant teachers permission to visit other schools, etc Even where authority is delegated to individuals, it is not used A division of labor is lacking in the offices of associate super- intendents, for each office appears to be writing letters on any subject whatever as inquiries come to it Only 82 out of 500 recommendations during three and one- half years are from 8 assistant city superintendents Only 23 out of 500 recommendations are from 23 district super- intendents Only 30 out of 500 recommendations are from nearly 600 prin- cipals of schools Less than one suggestion for the betterment of the school sys- tem was found in the records per seven supervisors in three and one-half years; i.e., the records show that only 102 recommendations were made by 749 principals, supervisors, directors and board members Of the recommendations which touched such vital questions as part time, discipline, attendance and retardation, only one per cent, emanated from 749 supervisors Defects — Continued 19 Negotiations, particularly those of the board of superinten- dents, consume an unnecessarily long time, partly because of the number of hands through which negotiations are passed before being completed Attempts to cooperate on the part of the public and private agencies are seldom encouraged and frequently ignored or discouraged Of 500 recommendations, of which without previous knowl- edge of action, 75 were examined in detail because they seemed to be the most important, 14 were acted on favor- ably, 26 showed no record of any attention paid to them, 7 were merely acknowledged, 15 were marked "for no consid- eration," 5 were replied to in an indefinite way, 8 were acted upon unfavorably Local school boards have apparently been tolerated, ignored or regarded as a relic of a system now fallen into disuse Thousands of dollars have been lost each year because the problem of teachers' absences had not been faced squarely in spite of protracted correspondence showing that facts were no longer in dispute. [Between the making and submission of this report the board of education decided to deduct, on account of absence, 1/300 of a year's salary instead of 1/360] Pleas for reversal of adverse decisions are entertained with a freedom which undermines the proper control of the teach- ing force Elementary Teachers "Static and Depressed" Fact base: Visits by 12 different persons to 60 [out of 496] elementary schools; study of 300 recitations "for all or most" of 300 periods [out of 100,000 possible] ; consultation with not less than 100 [out of 15,157] teachers and [out of 840] supervisors and principals; application to 19 typical recitations, four standards of "motivation," "evaluation," "or- ganization" and "initiative"; "conclusions are im- mediate result of facts gained at first hand and verified by extensive study of curricula and sylla- bus, and of supervision by principals": McMurry report: 142 pages Instruction is, in spite of many exceptions, on a low plane, poor in quality, and discouraging for the future Not one of the standards proposed for judging instruction is satisfactorily met Inculcating of purposes in pupils is scarcely thought of in actual classroom work No evidence that stress is laid on organization of children's ideas No time is given to children's weighing of values 20 Defects — Continued Almost no planning for pupils' growth in self-reliance or self expression through instruction; teacher puts the questions, makes the corrections and immediately directs every turn that is made In quite a number of kindergartens, dictation exercises and readvmade play are so prominent that they directly oppose self-expression and self-reliance Kindergartens (without these defects) and elementary schools fail to harmonize ; primary instruction tends to nullify im- portant lines of influence begun in kindergarten ; dualism within a single system is most wasteful Majority of teachers and principals seem reconciled to educa- tional theory that (1) there is scarcely a limit to the neces- sity for uniformity ; (2) principal subject matter is what is automatically usable; (3) accuracy in detail is the leading element in scholarship ; (4) knowledge is given for use in the distant future, not now According to conviction held by teachers [number not given], teachers' attitude is not satisfactory because they are: (1) hampered by lack of authority to punish children ; (2) not free to change curriculum, choose text books, determine methods ; (3) not developing initiative or self-expression ; (4) witliout inspired leadership ; (5) not discussing aims and principles Any independent efforts of teachers to reorganize subject mat- ter, stress relative values or provide for motive in an ori- ginal manner, would run the risk of disapproval by their superiors Investigators were unable to discover either any general striv- ing toward the higher aims of instruction or even signs of such general striving Discipline Deficient Fact base: See page 19: "Numerous conversations with teachers and principals and correspondence also": McMurry report By-law prohibiting corporal punishment often ignored Common practice for principal to "smooth over the case" or to ignore it outright, leaving to classroom teacher the responsibility of getting on with each pupil as best she can Substitutes "more cruel than corporal punishment" are com- monly applied Large number of children are extremely disobedient and dis- orderly Accommodations in truant, disciplinary and parental schools are not sufficient, and often not what many of these semi- incorrigible children need Red tape of commitment causes delay and takes much time of principal with po-^siljlc uncertain outcome Defects — Continued 21 Elementary Curriculum Out of Date Judgment base: Four standards applied to printed statements in curriculum and syllabi on all sub- jects except history, civics, penmanship and for- eign language: (1) relation of subject matter to children's purposes; (2) tendency to call forth in- itiative in children and teachers; (3) kind and degree of organization of subject matter; (4) atten- tion to relative values: McMurry report Barring- a few exceptions the curriculum and syllabi could both easily have applied twenty years ago "One naturally suspects that such a course and truancy are closely related" Syllabi merely inform ; fail to inspire good teachers ; directly limit them to low ideals Most striking fact about curriculum and syllabi is want of educational leadership they display Syllabi do not allow freedom of teachers to grow or offer positive aids to growth Little attention to correlation of subjects Almost no reference to importance of teaching children to study alone Kindergarten Overemphasis in some quarters of more formal values, technique, precision, exact imitation Reading and Literature Offering too narrow ; neglects current literature ; no free- dom for development of special taste; as a whole, striking overemphasis of minor parts of good reading, i.e., of form in distinction from thought ; arbitrary offering to teachers of suggestions on methods Composition and Grammar Ignore need of motive for expression of thought ; grammar is crowding out other more necessary work ; syllabus omits emphasis on fitness and force ; importance of corre- lation between literature and composition is not recog- nized: imitation is made so prominent that individuality of children is endangered ; suggestions for development of originality are wanting; directions to teachers seriously limit freedom: adaptation to individual conditions of schools is prevented Spelling Little reference to reviewing and testing words in actual sentence; suggestions about how to present new words are too limited; value of proper enunciation is slighted 22 Defects — Coti tinned Music No effort to define or suggest good materials; lack of defi- nite requirements for application or scholarship tends to reduce singing to mere entertainment exercise ; music as planned is purely technical; peculiar disregard of individu- ality Nature Study and Elementary Science No provision for relation lo human life; completely out of line with elementary education ; uniform syllabus for all schools is equally undesirable and unsatisfactory; topics are isolated ; ability of teachers to give instruction varies even more than ability to teach music ; material provided is inadequate; syllabus needs supplementing; course ig- nores interest on part of young people ; enumerates topics rather than offers an original outline ; little opportunity for correlation with other subjects; self-expression of teacher is circumscribed Arithmetic Organization is relentlessly logical ; rigid sequence of sub- ject matter; contains many things of doubtful value which if omitted would reduce course from eight to six years ; bears no relation to practical affairs ; little provi- sion for pupils' motivation; excessive amount of drill; destitute of suggestions for supplementary work ; extreme- ly diflicult for teachers or pupils to exercise initiative Drawing, Construction Work, Cooking, Sewing No direct relationship l^etween drawings and projects actu- ally constructed in a shop or elsewhere; technical effi- ciency is chief end point; organization is almost solely on a mechanical basis and correlation (except for cooking) is omitted ; motivation is not considered a problem at all Geography No consideration of children's interest; fixed sequence and uniformity of approach for all children; insistence on one fixed order seriously interferes with exercise of initiative by teachers and pupils; no plan for close correlation be- tween geography, history, good citizenship and nature study ; course shows no influence from educational thought during last 25 years; not enough time allotted to course Physical Training In m.'iny scliouls. no facilities for running, folk-dancing and athletics; teachers are not trained to do this kind of work anrl have little interest in it ; curriculum composed chiefly of g\mnastics. planned from adult viewpoint exclusively; marked emphasis on posture and coordination ; lacks emphasis on more vital and real elements in physical edu- Defects — Continued 23 cation ; children held down to dull monotony of teacher's count; teacher has as little opportunity for originality, choice and initiative as the child Hygiene Entirely neglected in "many of the schools"; undue empha- sis placed on more formal and less valuable parts ; princi- pally list of topics that supposedly a child ought to know; little provision for exercise of individuality of teachers and pupils Elementary Principals Ineffective as Supervisors Judgment base: See page 19: 32 replies from a ques- tionnaire sent to 83 principals: four standards; (1) proportion of time spent in supervision; (2) char- acter of supervision; (3) manner of rating teachers; (4) method of supervision, applied to certain prin- cipals [number not told] : McMurry report Amount of time spent by a principal with any one teacher at any one time is extremely small ; average six minutes No remarks are as a rule made to teacher after watching recitation Office interviews with teachers are notably short, three or four minutes ; given without preparation by principal One hundred teachers [number questioned not stated] ex- pressed opinions that practically no help is given to teachers by principals Teachers' conferences give small place to instruction, discus- sion is rare, effect is to depress rather than stimulate teachers Common for teachers to declare that fear of punishment by low mark prevents freedom of expression Two-thirds of time and energy of principals devoted to ad- ministrative duties Little distinction is made in practice by principals between administrative and supervising duties Principals exhausted by constantly pressing details of admin- istration Large schools intensify pressure of administrative work Appointment of assistant principals does not remedy this evil as they do mostly clerical work ; great waste of money at this point Elementary Principals Lack Authority Fact base: See page 19: McMurry report Have no authority in choice of studies, with the exception of one slight option in the eighth grade ; practically no author- ity as to content; and only slight degree of freedom in allot- ting time to separate branches and subjects 24 Defects — Continued Are forestalled by the syllabi which set narrow limits for teachers and omit reference to aims and principles Are directly subject to the district superintendent who rates them Teachers are inclined to look to district superintendent (who rates them also) as their head rather than to principal Principals have no control over special supervisors Some assert outright they are merely agents of the district superintendent Frequency of rating teachers makes examinations unnecessar- ily prominent Rating list of following 17 points is inadequate, important for what it does not include, and fails to suggest any of the purposes of teaching: ability to comprehend instructions; ability to cooperate with other teachers: skill in blackboard work; skill in questioning; skill in presentation; use of ob- jective illustrations; power to interest; thoroughness of drill; self-control and manners; use of English language; use of voice ; attendance ; punctuality ; personal tidiness ; accuracy in keeping records and making records; control of class ; energy and success in self-improvement Uniformity of method is at great premiimi in New York and affects principals' theory of supervision which becomes the mere prescribing of certain series of "steps," eight or more, "an established procedure" for teaching each topic Neither voluntary nor required reports of principals to board of superintendents in last five years show concern about either the theory or practice of supervision of instruction Relation of principals to their superior officers does not allow them to make recommendations to those officers to which the latter are under obligations to reply Age-Grade Reports "Inaccurate and Unreliable" Fact base: City superintendent's annual reports, 1905-1911: Bachman report on overage: 52 pages After-June-promotion grades have been given since 1905 ; be- fore-June-promotion grades were given in 1904; in subse- quent comparisons of 1904 with later years, no mention of the change in base By comparing after-promotion grade totals in 1905 with be- fore-promotion grade totals of 1904, a decrease of 7% in overage children (39% to 32%) was shown; an increase of 2% (from 39% to 41%,) would have been shown had 1905 before-promotion figures been compared with 1904 before- promotion figures A 4% understatement of overage is due to putting into eight "years" the facts for 16 "grades" instead of reporting the 16 half-year grades separately Defects — Continued 25 A 12% understatement is due to comparing' June ages with after-promotion (i.e., next year's) grades rather than widi before-promotion (i.e., June) grades An 18% understatement is due to usin.q- up-to-15 instead of up-to-14^ as the normal age for completing the eight grade 30,995 pupils who left January-June, 1911, are not included in age-grade reports 28,838 children in special classes for overage and "working certificate," and "non-English speaking" pupils are excluded from age-grade comparative reports, as are all pupils in ungraded classes for the feebleminded, the blind, deaf, crip- pled 66.57%/ of New York's elementary pupils would have been shown to be overage by a correct age-grade report, instead of 23.22%, as reported by the city superintendent. [The investigator's "correct" table would not include "under- aged" or "normal aged" children who had failed one or more times within, for example, the "up-to-7^" year limit for being in the first grade, June 30. B. M. R.] Age grade conditions not for the full official year but for part of the pupils for the second term only, are shown by present reports Definite information useful to principals and teachers in classi- fying and instructing children is not supplied Reports on Non-Promotion "Incomplete" and "Misleading" Fact base: Figures in annual reports of the city superintendent; returns from questionnaire sent to all elementary principals and teachers concerning 569,612 children on register at the end of February- June term 1911, not including the children who left before end of term: (63% of principals' answers contained errors) : Bachman report on non-pro- motion: 115 pages Blanks prepared by city superintendent could not be tabu- lated in more than one way; directions to principals were inadequate Most frequent rate of promotion (made last day of term, not during term) is from 89 to 90%, with exception of lA (76%) and 8B (97%) Unnecessary Clogging in lA 10,314 pupils in lA were left back in June to re-enter this grade in September, to overcrowd classes and to congest the schools Causes were inability to use English language, part time, immaturity, oversized classes (minor factors) and absence Of pupils absent 10 days and less 89% were promoted ; only 40% of those absent 41 days and more were promoted 26 Defects — Continued Non-Promotion Largely Due to Absence One registered pupil in 19 was absent 41 days and above Absences in two lowest grades are particularly large because pupils are young, amount of sickness is greater, school- going habit not yet acquired, parents do not feel necessity of regular attendance Lowest absence rate in 8B grade, 4.83% absent 21 days and more compared with 13.90% in 5A and 39.73% in lA Rate of promotion varies inversely with absence ; of those absent 10 days and less, 6% were not promoted, while of those absent 41 days and above, 47% were not promoted Non-Promotion Not Increased by Large Classes Of 568,612 pupils June 30, 1911, 13% were in classes having more than 50 Oversize classes were confined June, 1911, to 6B and lower grades lA has largest number of large classes Number of oversized classes (over 50) could be reduced 10% by (1) standardizing classrooms; (2) forming mixed classes in grades 1A-6B ; (3) care of principals in organ- izing classes; (4) putting groups of pupils from 2 grades in one class Data not at hand to show to what extent classes having over 50 ofifer less favorable opportunities for w^ork than do smaller classes Teachers and school officials stated that classes over 50 should be eliminated and all classes be reduced to at least not more than 45 pupils; yet rate of promotion in all grades, excepting lA, was the same in classes of 50 and under Non-Promotion Increased by Overage Fact base: Above figures and age-grade standards used by city superintendent; ages for June 30, 1911 215,333 or 37.87% children were above normal age, accord- ing to reports to school inquiry committee [rate given by city superintendent was 23.3%] Of these 56% are less than one year behind their grade, 29% one and two years behind ; 10% two and three years behind Pupils between one and two years overage drop out in in- creasing numbers after 6B grade Pupils between two and three years overage leave after 5A Rate of non-promotion for overage pupils was higher from 4 to 10% than for pui)ils of normal age except in lA grade; overage children tend to fall fartlier and farther behind Defects — Continued 27 Inability to Use English Language Reduces Promotions Special fact base: Principals' estimate of reasons for non-promotion Rate of promotion for pupils using English was \9% higher than lor those unable to use it School work of 8,739 pupils in total register of regular classes was interfered with by inability to use English ; 55% of these in lA and IB grades Presence of these pupils had no material effect on rate of promotion of their grades as a whole Part Time Slight Factor in Non-Promotion 68,610 children on part time June 30, 1911; [90,000, Sept., 1912] of whom 24% were in lA, 22% in IB, 13% in 2A, 12% in 2B, 27% above second grade; 11% above third grade ; in four dififerent kinds of part time classes — a.m., p.m. ; alternating morning afid afternoon ; and Ettinger part time classes Children in part time classes are in school 3^ to 4 hours ; though Ettinger part time classes have a five-hour school day and a considerable number of children receive not only a whole day's schooling but a considerable amount of personal attention From one to seven more pupils out of each hundred pupils were promoted in Ettinger part time classes than in whole time classes in the same grade; yet of 68,610 pupils on part time only 8% were in Ettinger, 64% in alternating, 13% in morning and 13% in afternoon classes Educational superiority of Ettinger classes over whole time classes not yet proved In 4A, 4B and 6B grades promotion rate in whole time classes is lower by .6 of 1% than in part time classes; in other nine grades promotion rate higher by less than 2% than in wdiole time classes 782 less children promoted among 68,610 part time pupils (all grades) than would have been promoted if rate in whole time classes were applied On the basis of rate of promotion, alternating- part time classes afiford less favorable opportunities for advancement than whole time classes ; in grades 1A-3B from one to three fewer pupils per liundred were promoted Opportunities for advancement in a.m. and p.m. classes com- bined are less favorable than in whole time classes ; from one to five less pupils are promoted per hundred No practical difference between rate of promotion in alter- nating and in a.m. and p.m. part time classes combined Part time has slight direct effect on promotions; probably has no effect on increasing congestion ; though there may be important indirect effects including indifference to school work, bad conduct and truancy 2S Defects — Continued Putting on part time the 60.166 wliole time pupils in lA and IB grades would free enough rooms to eliminate the major portion of part time in classes from grades above IB Pupils Leaving Elementary School Not Studied Xu reports liave ever been made for whole city on number leaving elementary schools and reasons therefor 15,8'^" boys and 15,148 girls (5% of total enrollment) dropped out during February -June term, 1911 Losses from 14 to 15 years were 20% of total losses; from 15-16, 14% ; from 16 to 17 years, 7% 55% of pupils leaving regular classes were under 14 years 51% of these were subject to compulsory education law Fact that no account is taken of thousands of pupils leaving school leads to a defect in certain of the reports of the city superintendent Report on ages made by city superintendent includes only pupils on register at end of term and omits 30,995 children leaving regular classes during term Impossible to solve problem of elimination when reports of pupils leaving and reasons therefor are not tabulated "Forced Promotions" Fact that rate of promotion was uniformly about 90% gives weight to statement made repeatedly by teachers and prin- cipals [number not given] that they were "unofficially expected" to promote approximately 90% Increase in rate of promotion in the February-June, 1911, was 4% over rate for same term, 1910, an unusually large increase for New York City. When due allowance is made for whatever increase in efficiency there may have been, it must be admitted by all who are acquainted with school conditions and school work that this extraordinary increase was due in most part to the "pressure" exercised by the city suj^jerintendent of schools "to secure more generous promotions" No decrease in requirements was made to permit larger number of legitimate promotions Teachers "felt forced" to promote even children not fit for promotion, though variations in rate of promotion (1) with absence, overage, etc., (2) in diff'erent schools, (3) in same grade of difi^erent schools, (4) in diff'erent grades of same school, indicate that promotions were made on judgment, not on a mere inechanical basis Rate of promotion ought ultimately to be about 100% Conditions Favorable to Maximum Promotions not Encour- aged Variatifjns in promotion rate in different grades, schools and districts give little support to the thought that the maxi- mum rate has been attained Defects — Continued 29 No one actually knows whether the best age of entrance to elementary school is five, six, seven or older; therefore best to follow custom of making six lower age limit General agreement that children cannot be kept with profit under the regime of the elementary school much beyond the beginning of pubescence, i.e., 14 years Little regard paid to desirable limits of elementary school period (six to 14) as based on custom of entering at six, and on average age of reaching maturity, 14 64% of children from 13 to 14 years old (1905-1908) con- tinued in school one additional year, 27% two additional years ; 7% three or more additional years Actual length of attendance in elementary schools averages only seven years for children reaching fourteenth birthday Of those graduating in last six years, 23% were under 14, 36% from 14 to 15, 27% from 15 to 16, 10% from 16 to 17 Actual total length of present elementary course exceeds by from one to four years the actual time that 76% of pupils are in attendance by their fourteenth birthday Of all pupils entering, but 88% reach sixth grade, 61% the seventh grade, 47% the eighth grade, only 41% are ever able to complete the course No consideration is given to varying abilities of children due to home conditions, foreign parentage, financial status No one knows with exactness how long the present course of study is Arbitrary high school entrance requirements and arbitrary assumptions of what elementary school graduates ought to know determine rate of promotion, though rate can only be determined in view of rapidity with which normal children in regular attendance must advance in order to finish an entire elementary course of study Wrong Method Used in Estimating Teachers Needed in Elementary Schools Fact base: Estimates, discussions, budgets, official records, register, attendance: Bachman report on estimating teachers needed: 73 pages Facts have not been presented by the board of education in the past to demonstrate clearly the needs of the schools In 1911 teachers were requested for 6,000 more pupils than there were reasons to expect; i.e., 28,000, the estimated in- crease in register, was the average increase of December over the preceding May for the years 1902-1909, whereas the average increase of December over preceding December for these same years Avas 21,707 Estimates for 1912 and 1913 were respectively 3,500 and 7.000 higher than the highest estimate that would probably have been made had principals, when estimating, taken into ac- 30 Defects — Continued count the losses of pupils in achancing from grade to grade and the actual increases in such grades in previous years The district unit used for 1913 has four defects: (a) no uni- formity in method of making estimates, which cannot be verified, (1>) tabulation of total register supplies no basis for estimating distribution by grades and by kinds of classes, (c) no data to determine where more or fewer classes are needed, (d) no data on number of months for which new teachers will be necessary Temporary absence of children on account of weather and holidays reduces number of pupils in average daily attend- ance, but in no wise lessens the actual needs for teachers Average daily attendance should not be made basis of budget- ary estimates because (1) represents minimum, not total, service of school, (2) varies directly with weather, illness and holy days, (3) no exact relation between it and expendi- tures for instruction, (4) more variable than register Present monthly register shows only number of pupils at the end of month, includes transferred pupils and others who have not been in school one full day, but excludes dis- charges even when they have been in school during the month Estimating increase by individual schools is inaccurate be- cause: (1) little uniformity in rise and fall of register of each, (2) changes in neighborhood make forecasting impos- sible. (3) impossible to forecast distribution among grades and classes, (4) cost of operating in past year not reliable index Preventable Truancy Not Prevented Fact base: Published reports of city superintendent, associate in charge, and permanent census board, etc: manuscript reports of district superintendents, office records, "numerous conferences": Burks re- port: 75 pages Annual reports of district superintendents have never beea published separately or utilized for comparative study of methods as a basis for administrative standardization Reports for 1910-1911 compared as to 23 items prove extra- ordinary variation in practice which is completely hidden by the gross figures of the published report Variations in practice relate to 20 different matters including number of truancy cases reinvestigated, number of times chiblren found truant were returned to school, number placed on probation, number of cases per attendance officer Weekly and monthly reports of attendance officers are am- biguous and incoherent No alphabetical lists for cumulative data under each case; therefore is impossible for attendance officers to deal with children in light of past experience Defects — Continued 31 Daily time and service records of officers are too general to be of A'alue in supervision No general, clearly defined standards of procedure for con- ducting preliminary investigations Forms used by principals in referring cases limit information to most obvious and superficial facts about each child Unnecessary repetition of records kept by principals and at- tendance officers Length of interval between reference of case and attendance officers' report varies from 48 hours to over 16 days Data included in statistical reports of attendance officers, if properly analyzed, classified and interpreted, would serve as an invaluable commentary on city's program of education, health conservation, charitable relief and police protection Value of annual report as a source of information is seriously limited (1) by the omission of important data, (2) by unan- alyzed totals, (3) by defective arrangement, (4) by clerical inaccuracies, (5) by arbitrary adjustments to "force bal- ances" that were assumed to be called for in certain groups of items, and (6) by variation in definition of terms em- ployed No one individual in the organization is charged with com- plete authority and responsibility for general administrative control Limits of authority and responsibility of each member of the organization are not clearly defined and described No adequate provision for field supervision and inspection of work of attendance officers No special provision made for specialization of attendance officers in coercive discipline, prosecution of court cases, social service, etc No systematic provision for most effective working relations with department of health, state labor department, public and private agencies actually or potentially cooperating with the compulsory attendance service Attendance service directed at present to performance of police functions, rather than to the discovery and treatment of deeper causes of truancy Of 90,000 children absent for at least one month, February- June, 1913 (30,000 absent over two full school months), only 6,579 children were reported by officers as having been truants for five days or more during entire year Very large number of children by sporadic absence for trivial causes lessen their own chance for satisfactory progress in school Failure to secure money for 20 additional officers in 1912 due to lack of competent evidence that additional officers were needed and the failure to reorganize department as proposed by the associate superintendent in his 1908 report ^2 Defects — Continued Ungraded Classes for Feeble-Minded Inadequate in Number Equipment and Teaching Fact base: Examination of 46 [out of 2,500] children in three Lout of 31] ungraded [feeble-minded] classes; of 81 [out of 25,000] children in "E" [overage] classes; of 22 [out of 2,461] children in "D" [working paper classes]; of 115 [out of 666,538] children in regular grades in five schools; of five cases in one high school: visits by the in- vestigator in person to 125 classes [out of 131 with 2,500 children] in 95 schools; suggestions from teachers and principals "wherever possible"; appli- cation of results of "most extensive study ever made" with Binet test in a Southern Jersey town which showed that 2'^c of 2,000 public school chil- dren are feeble-minded: Goddard report: 23 pages There were in 1911, 15,000 feeble-minded children in New York's public schools Some normal children are in classes set aside for feeble-minded Five high school children selected by teacher were found to be feeble-minded, because according to the teacher "they were not allowed to stay more than two years in any one grade so they are promoted whether they are fit or not" Of 46 children examined in ungraded classes, 29 were distinct- ly feeble-minded, 14 probably so Of 81 children examined in special "E" (overage) classes, more than one-third were distinctly feeble-minded; probably 2,500 defective children in these classes alone Of 22 children examined in special "D" classes (preparing for working certificates) 40% were found feeble-minded ; prob- ably 1.000 feeble-minded children in this group alone Of 115 selected children in regular grades of five representative schools 33 were distinctly feeble minded and 30 more were border line cases Probably high percentage of 1,464 children in "C" (non-Eng- lish speaking classes) and of 490 children in classes for cripples are feeble-minded Many feeble-minded children who are crippled, blind or deaf are shut out of public school Large numbers of feeble-minded children probably in schools not "public" Nearly all teachers feel that ungraded classes should not be in regular schools and that these children should be in institu- tions. 1)Ut admit that very few parents would allow it Method of choosing children for ungraded classes inadequate because (1) grade teachers are not able to recognize the moron. (2) pride of principals and teachers sometimes pre- vents, (3) physical defects complicate diagnosis MI grades of mental incapacity in same ungraded class; no opportunity of grouping according to capability Defects — Continued 33 Bookvvork all forenoon felt by teachers to be largely wasted on children in ungraded classes Very general eflort on part of teachers to get some of these children back in the grades Teachers of the grades who had taken these children back sometimes reported that they ought not to have been sent back No records kept of progress and history of children ; no basis for conclusions about methods of teaching Very few classes have any adequate supply of material to work on ; some of them, indeed, have not any equipment Rooms are not equipped for this kind of teaching Teachers of ungraded classes have not had adequate training; certified teachers found in these classes who are in no way fitted for the work Practically impossible to obtain an adequate supply of trained teachers Little or no supervision of these classes ; the one inspector has 131 classes scattered all over Greater New York Principals of schools in which there are classes have no official responsibility for them Of 497 elementary schools. 402 have no ungraded classes Efficiency Low in Arithmetic Fact base: Eight Courtis tests [five with 20 examples each, one with 16, one 19, one 8] applied to one- tenth the number of pupils in grades 4 A — 8 B, and to one general and one commercial high school, in all, 33,350 children in 90 classes in 52 schools (27,171 records); tests in speed for (1) addition, (2) sub- traction, (3) multiplication, (4) division, (5) copy- ing figures, (6) reasoning in simple one-step prob- lems, (7) fundamentals (abstract examples in the four operations), and (8) reasoning in two-step operations, cited by Prof. Hanus as "illustration of the scientific method of investigating and apprais- ing educational results": Courtis report: 158 pages In view of efl'ort, time and money expended, conditions could hardly be worse ; great inefficiency and inaccuracy in speed and reasoning Study more than justifies the severest criticism of the effi- ciency of training in arithmetic afforded by the public schools that has yet been made by the "man on the street" Class averages of one school were abnormally high and its results rejected altogether. (Testimony of one child as to illegitimate preparation) Of 1,000 boys. 13 only could do accurately examples like those in Test 7 (fundamentals) at speed of 1.5 examples or better a minute ; 336 could do accurately one example a minute ; 773 could do accurately one example in 1^ minutes; 850 could do accurately one example in two minutes 34 Defects — Continued On basis of one example per minute nine boys of 1,000 in 4th grade can qualify in speed, none can qualify in accuracy Training in grades 5 to 6 enables 86^^ of class to qualify in speed and but 34% in accuracy Low efficiency due to neglect of difference in powers and capa- bilities of individual children 80% of children in each grade could be replaced by an equal number of children from the grade above without changing in the slightest the ability of the grade in the first test Of 5,670 sixth grade children tested for al)ility in the multi- plication tables, 18%) had score lower than average of the 4th grade. 38% lower than the average for the 5th grade, 48% exceeded the average for the 6th grade, 38% exceeded average for the 7th grade Differences among individuals within a grade greatly exceed differences between grade averages Difference betwen the grade averages of any two 6B classes chosen at random will be on the average much smaller than the difference between the scores of two individuals, also chosen at random from either class Knowledge of the tables is not in itself any guarantee of ability to work examples In spite of strenuous and conscientious efforts of the Nevir York teachers, that so slight an advantage (gain in speed) has resulted bears eloquent testimony to uselessness of at- tempting to work changes in children without a knowledge of the factors involved Careful study over years of repeated measurements of same individuals fails to disclose any basis of classification on which to place scheme of uniform instruction on different topics, like addition, subtraction, etc Test of 50 employees of John Wanamaker's store (average length of employment two years, average age, 19) shows that standard required by emplover could be met by only 51% of 8B boys and 56%, of 8B girls Comparison of results in one general and one commercial high school, shows that commercial work produces marked dif- ferences only in addition and subtraction tests Boys in commercial high school show no greater development in speed of work than they would have done had they taken the general course, while the girls show less One-half of the boys and one-third of the girls are more accur- ate than they would have been had they not taken commer- cial work Differences in the effect of work in these two schools are slight Defects — Continued 35 That unsatisfactory achievements in fundamentals are not changed during the period of preparation for commercial life is not favorable to the success of the work of the commercial courses Tendency of pupils in part time classes is to fall below average of their grades Girls' classes exceed all others slightly in speed, markedly in accuracy Gross differences in mental ability are likely to arise from differences in parentage, social station and physical growth Gross inefticiency of present conditions is caused by lack of exact knowledge of conditions acted upon and of effects produced In tests for speed and accuracy question of foreign parentage does not seem to affect work Average child in New York City will be able to do abstract work rapidly, but inaccurately ; simple reasoning work slowly New York averages compared with standard scores show chil- dren slightly better in speed but correspondingly worse in accuracy, and very poor in reasoning- General use of practice test increases speed but decreases ac- curacy ; too much drill is harmful Standard Size for High School Sections Not Met Fact base: 656 German classes in 20 high schools; standard of 30 pupils per section set by associate superintendent in charge: Ballou report: 142 pages Great variation in the size of sections among (20) different high schools and among different classes (average 32 classes) in each high school All high schools have sections with 25 or less pupils; all but two have sections with IS pupils or less There are sections with five, six and seven pupils There are sections with 50, 55, 60, 65 pupils 29% of 656 sections in German have under 25 or over 40 pupils When standard of associate superintendent in charge (30 to 40 pupils) is applied to German sections only 51% come within standard Practice of organizing first term pupils into sections of 40 or more pupils must be emphatically condemned Redistribution of pupils would have avoided 93% of first term sections with less than 30 pupils ; 94% of first term sections with over 40; 75% of sections above the first term with less than 30; and 95% of these sections with over 35 Detailed study of organization in three selected high schools shows that in most cases most small sections are result of bad distribution by principal ; most large sections are un- necessarv and indefensible 36 Defects — Continued Large sections cannot be defended on ground that proper number of teachers is lacking; duty of principal and board of superintendents to secure the teachers needed No well organized experiments have ever been undertaken to determine the number of high school pupils which should constitute a recitation section Department Chairmen Ineffective as Supervisors Fact base: Assignments of 116 chairmen of depart- ments in 20 high schools; standard of periods set by associate superintendent in charge: Ballou report In 12 large high schools (with over 1.000 pupils) 75% of chairmen are teaching more periods than maximum stand- ard (12 to 15 periods) fixed by associate superintendent in charge In eight small high schools (with 248-983 pupils) 86% of chairmen are teaching more periods than the maximum standard (15 to 18 periods) Two periods a week of study hall supervision is averaged by all chairmen In large high schools, average four periods a week (instead of 11 as intended) left for supervision of department and administrative duties assigned by the principal (only 40% of intended time) In smaller high schools, one period only left for supervision, etc. (19% of intended time) Too little supervision of classroom instruction because of prominence of administrative duties Clerical work whicli might be done by highly paid employees takes time away from supervision High School Teachers Work More Than Standard Hours Fact base: Study of 671 teachers in English, German, mathematics, biology and history in all high schools; standard set by associate superintendent in charge: Ballou report Number of periods of teaching varies from 6 to 34 in English, 18 to 28 in German, 4 to 28 in mathematics, 15 to 28 in biology, 7 to 25 in history 82% of teachers arc teaching 20 to 25 periods; 15% less than 20; 2% more than 25 periods 32% of 226 teachers in l-jigHsh are teaching more than estab- lished standard periods (20 to 21) 14% of 445 teachers in other subjects are not teacliing in ac- ^cordance with established standard (20 to 25 periods) 75% of 671 teachers are doing an average of more than 25 periods of teaching and study hall supervision Defects — Continued 37 Over 50% of these teachers are also carrying other adminis- trative and clerical responsibilities, including recess and corridor assignments, sororities, school publications, ath- letics, supplies, lunch room, bulletin boards Administrative duties of teachers include charge of an official class room and its supplies, records, etc., requiring an aver- age of five hours a week [based on study of six high schools] Number of clerks is not sufficient [no examination of work made] "It is absurd to require teachers to perform clerical work which could be performed better by clerks at from one- third to one-half the salary" "Further, it is equally absurd to expect teachers to do a full day's work in teaching and then perform administrative functions after school hours or as 'odd jobs' " Over 15% of 671 teachers are teaching less than minimum standard (20 periods) because of work other than teaching High School Organization Defective Fact base: See page 35; Number of classrooms, teach- ers, pupils in 20 high schools and their annexes; course of study: Ballou report Study of principals' daily program had never been made by superintendent Time allotments for studies in every course of study are hap- hazard Attempt made in every school building to care for more stud- ents than building was designed for Method of increasing or decreasing number of teachers does not provide teachers where they are needed, because data for such reorganization are inadequate Control of factors affecting organization of high schools lies with department of education rather than with principal Board of superintendents in determining curricula has not considered (1) relation of curricula in one school to size of sections, (2) relation of electives to cost of instruction, (3) relation of daih' program to time allotments for subjects In 10 high schools with more than 1,500 pupils each, organi- zation cannot be effective because (1) it is impossible for a principal to discharge his duty to pupils, parents, teachers ; (2) schools are too large as administrative units ; (3) all pupils cannot assemble at one time High school annexes are undesirable temporary expedients and increase congestion in main building In the 21 annexes, including usually work of two terms, teach- ing "likely to be inferior" ; teachers change often and do a relatively larger amount of teaching than teachers in main 27330G 38 Defects — Continued building-; equipment usually not as good; supervision not as effective; classes larger; conditions generally militate against successful work Small rooms, never intended for classroom purposes, are be- ing used in high schools which means expensive instruction Large rooms and consequently large sections due to con- gested conditions often mean ineffective instruction False economy to force the use of inadequate classrooms by not providing classrooms of the proper size In manv schools not enough teachers to maintain standard size of section and standard week's work for a teacher Wrong Method Used in Estimating Teachers Needed in High School Fact base: Board of education blank used in 1911; figures given by principals, 1911; annual report of city superintendent: Ballou report Method used to appoint teachers is inadequate as based on average number of pupils per teacher in school as a whole and on average number of pupils per teacher by depart- ments in a school Blank unsatisfactory, lacks continuity and coherence. No data covering size of section, amount of work in each sub- ject or amount of work teachers are doing Data given covers only three year period, insufficient to avoid using temporary or exceptional conditions as a base "Average number of pupils per teacher" is an unnecessary and misleading basis because such averages (1) mean noth- ing in SA'stem of general and special schools with from 200 to 4.000 pupils; (2) vary from term to term; (3) are based on gross register which includes many pupils (sometimes 400) who never attended school, and many assistants, lib- rary and clerical, who do no teaching- Dates in various tables do not correspond High School Course of Study "Unwisely and Unjustly Inflexible" Fact base: New York course of study issued in 1908; actual programs; courses of study from other cities: Davis report: 76 pages Excessive uniformity of course of study constitutes most seri- ous defect and gravest weakness of administration of prog- ram of studies Courses and schools do not satisfactorily meet needs of either those who have decided on future careers or those who have not Defects — Continued 39 General course particularly weak in industrial work; no courses whatever for boys, and only single elective course in cooking for girls Compared to courses of study of ten representative cities, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Newark and St. Louis, New York's general course varies as follows: 1 — Scope is decidedly narrow, especially in newer and more practical subjects and differentiated courses in older, conventional subjects 2 — Some of the subjects provided in other cities and not offered in New York are: debating, dramatics, com- merce and industrial history, economic geography, astronomy, geology, minerology, analytical geom- etry, calculus, natural history, history of music, musical composition and harmony, history of art and architecture, psychology, ethics, home sanitation and nursing, household management, laundry, dietetics, metal Avorking, pottery making and military drill 3 — Offering in New York is pursued with less intensive- ness than is the ofYering elsewhere in respect to English, history, civics, economics, mathematics, natural science, commercial subjects, industrial sub- jects and music 4 — Course in New York is more rigidly administered than in other ten cities, measured by the 70% pre- scribed work of total amount required for gradua- tion ; i.e., general course administered with less re- gard to special interests and aptitudes of students than in any city save St. Louis 5 — No other city prescribes entire course for first year students Three years' prescription of a foreign language and two years' prescription in mathematics for every pupil seeking to graduate from the general course in New York City are indefensible As actually administered, the general course is decidedly more narrow than printed announcements indicate Opportunities for pupils to elect work that is adapted to their special needs are restricted to an amount considerably less than small maximum which printed course of study sets forth Compared to provision for special or technical courses in the same ten cities, New York's special courses are seen to be far from abreast of the times, and inadequate to meet de- mand of complex business and social interest High school principals assert that long distances between high schools impose a prohibitive expense of time and money on many pupils 40 Defects — Contbuicd Commercial Courses Ineffective Fact base: Analysis of commercial courses, teaching assignments, etc, in 13 high schools, elective courses in 11 general high schools and two exclusive special high schools; visits, conferences with principals: Thompson report: 44 pages Open question whether or not general school is not giving- at present more appropriate training for the major business needs Loss of membership from commercial courses is from 5 to IO7& higher than for high schools as a whole Reasons given by principals are "attractive openings before course is finished"; "many elect commercial courses who do not expect to remain long," etc Xumber graduating in 1911 shows two girls for every boy Usual testimony of principals of general high schools is that commercial pupils constitute less desirable element of the school ; because commercial education does not offer oppor- tunities in energizing occupations; social prejudice against applied education No carefully organized effort to give vocational guidance in elementary schools so that pupils may select course most suited Of 96 teachers in the Commercial High School, 78 came from lists designed to furnish teachers for academic high schools; 18 are so-called commercial teachers No provision to secure teachers of commercial English, com- mercial modern languages, economics or business organiza- tion Not surprising to find in special schools a considerable num- ber of teachers who have no other sympathies and use no other methods except those of an academic high school Teaching assignments of commercial teachers show propor- tionately larger number of teaching periods than the average for other courses Standardizing by regents' examinations tends to produce a certain degree of uniformity in subject matter and achieve- ment and to perpetuate standards whicli are "artificial, not real" Natural inclination of teachers is to disregard real test in busi- ness world and emphasize regents' tests Commercial students get but little related academic work Practice of having commercial museum has hardly begun In the main, in all schools, facility in business (clerical) tech- nique is the major aim Evidence of business world is against assumption that clerical training is the main objective of commercial education since of 50 largest commercial houses in New York answering questions about desirable preparation for employees, 9 to 1 Defects — Continued 41 chose "fundamental principles of business" over clerical arts Of 66,617 boys and 65,191 girls from 14 to 16 years tabulated by the permanent census board there were as stenog- raphers 586 boys and 3,244 girls; as bookkeepers 824 boys and 1,364 girls; i. e.. preponderance of girls in clerical positions Studies of business organizations made by the New York and Boston Chambers of Commerce show that (1) only 13 to 15% of employees are engaged in clerical work; and that (2) transfer from clerical department to other departments is unusual In Commercial Migh School, course of study includes sub- jects not justified for any reason as requirements; such as music, drawing, geometry No evidence that stenography should be a requirement for boys in commercial high school Course of study is too choppy; too many subjects and too few periods are assigned to each subject New York City's commercial courses are academic rather than vocational; i. e., general subjects are in most cases not re- lated to tlie vocation; specific vocational subjects cover only a part of the vocation and the lesser part at that Misconception of aim of commercial education is not confined to New York but is country-wide In evening schools, commercial work is almost wholly clerical and without most of the liberal features found in the day school course Trade Training Inadequate Fact base: Visits to Manhattan Trade, Boys' Trade and Parental Schools; reports of superintendent; curriculum: Schneider report: 56 pages Considering small per cent reached by these schools, problem of industrial education is in fact not being met at all Majority of children who are of an age to acquire industrial training are not in school Average daily attendance shows : Boys' Vocational School 266 Girls' Vocational School 360 All elementary schools 586,673 All high schools 30,252 All night elementary schools 27,725 All night high schools 9,343 Problem is probably more vital, more complex and more press- ing in New York than in any other city Number in Boys' School, 266, "almost negligible in the sum total of boys who go to work before 16"; 35.478 working certificates granted during first 10 months of 1911 42 Defects — Continued Present system of night and trade schools is too restricted and does not meet the needs of future and present workers Too much stress is placed upon manual skill in one particular trade or one particular branch of a trade Day high schools with full manual training courses do not pretend to be industrial schools Ability of trade schools for energizing occupations to turn out skilled worker has been seriously questioned New York lacks system of trade education accompanying gainful employme'nt as demonstrated (1) at Fitchburg by four years coordinated half time work where average stu- dent can acquire an energizing trade and do nearly as much school work as that required by high school, in drafting rooms, chemical shops and laboratories, machine and pattern shops, building trades, boiler shops, outdoor work of rail- roads, track, signal bridges; (2) by various cooperative plans (Fitchburg, Mass., Solvay, N. Y., Lewis Institute, Chicago) where course is found commercially profitable to manu- facturer and student and economical to school; (3) by ex- perience of four years here also, showing that no confusion or inconvenience caused to shop organization ; (4) by contin- uation schools in Cincinnati which have proved that worker in energizing trades who goes to school one half day a week (on pav) is a better producer per week than if he does not go ; (3) by cooperative courses for department store em- ployees from 8 to 10 o'clock and in the evenings at the stores to teach psychology of salesmanship and give fairly expert knowledge of things they are selling Night Schools Not Fit for Enervated Worker Fact base: Report of district superintendent in charge, and visits to classes [number not told] : Schneider report "The classes visited, which exist because of the compulsory law, inspired no feeling but pity for the children; some of the pupils were asleep, and all but a few of them looked fagged out" In 1910, 338 pupils attended night high school every evening (120 evenings) ; 15,640 attended less than 60 evenings; 2,234 pupils attended elementary night school every evening (90) ; 33,393 attended less than 60 evenings but more than one week and 11,937 attended one week or less Standardization of courses without an analysis of daily work of students had had much to do with the losses and small attendance It is not obvious that charging a fee for night school delin- quents would have any good effect In trade subjects taught in evening trade schools, tendency is to provide for energized workers only, neglecting the very important problem of the enervated workers Defects — Continued 43 Method of Running Buildings Extravagant and Inefficient Fact base: Study of heating, ventilation, power, fire protection, clerical work, designing, lighting, plumb- ing, cleaning, use of buildings, care of apparatus, supervision, operation in 49 elementary and two high schools: Armstrong report: 68 pages Boiler plants are not concentrated even in the same building Some schools have as high as six separate plants in use Extremely wasteful condition in almost all of the schools in oldest form of coal burning appliances, "natural draft," which causes loss of more than two-thirds of heat liberated Proportionate amount of grate surface is too large, consuming only 3 lbs. of coal per sq. ft. instead of an accepted standard of 17 to 22 pounds per sq. ft. per hour Present drinking arrangements are unsuitable and unsanitary Oil used costs twice as much as oil used by other departments No uniformity as to temperature for hot water Hot water tank in one building exploded In many schools windows so loosely fitted that much heat is lost and drafts prevail Heating systems in general are poorly designed Separate return lines to basement from each radiator are wasteful and expensive Present systems of ventilation are in most instances so faulty and antiquated as to be a direct menace to pupils and teachers In only one building visited by us are modern methods in use Systems used are forcing dirty air into classrooms, and lack proper humidfying apparatus Present methods of cleaning are antiquated and unhygienic Impossible by present sweeping methods to remove dirt and dust from floors, walls, ceilings and their crevices Public school buildings are conspicuous by lack of fire pro- tection None conform to fire regulations Enclosed stairways are merely exits, not fire preventions Fireproof buildings are made entirely unsafe by quantities of inflammable material inside Extravagance of $'^5,000 a year for electricity because con- tracted and paid for by another department Schools very much over-inspected Confusion of authority and lack of coordination between dif- ferent divisions of department of inspection Standard for buildings does not meet requirements for fire- proofing or ventilation Method of issuing "book of rules" for janitors is not efficient as each plant differs Seating capacity of schools is by no means utilized to its fullest extent 44 Defects — Continued Seating capacity is fully adequate to provide proper and ade- quate accommodations for all children of school ag;e with- out crowding: or erection of single additional building at this time, if properly used Unnecessary Loss of Time and Money in Building Fact base: Study of construction of 20 public schools from selection of site to completion; records and correspondence of board of education, board of estimate, architectural department, finance depart- ment, etc: Armstrong report: 131 pages Schools have required in some cases eight to ten years for completion after needs became apparent, during which time the pupils would have outgrown their school days Selection of sites not founded on scientific basis; location of site is determined by local request and speculation rather than by scientific census calculation assisted by local surveys Review of plans by city departments entailed an average of four and a half months, time wholly chargeable to necessity of outside approval Unnecessary loss of time on departmental approval of work not pertaining to that department, and in useless formalities between departments due to requirements of each depart- ment Time is lost in design, in approval of contract and in con- struction because the general construction, heating, ventilat- ing, plumbing, drainage, electrical and furniture plans and specifications are submitted to various city departments separately through long intervals of time instead of simul- taneously Much time and financial loss is occasioned by too frequent use of new designs for school buildings Delays and loss of efficiency because of unscientific mechani- cal designs Best grade of work not secured and financial loss results from apparent necessity of selecting the lowest bidder, practically regardless of experience or integrity Extra building construction, expense and delays are caused b)' lack of economy in use of present buildings Public school buildings require from 50 to 400% more time for construction than buildings presenting equal natural difficulties but privately owned and constructed Procedure for site selection and acquisition is complicated thrrmgh reference of request by local school board, district superintendent, principals, citizens, to board of education's committees on sites and buildings, city and associate superin- tendents, permanent census board, committee on finance; to board of estimate's budget committee and the board it- self; to board of aldermen, their committee on finance, and finally back to the board of education Defects — Continued 45 Fact that there are approximately 90,000 pupils on part time is due in a large measure to erroneous method of locating sites Board of education has been careless in conserving city funds and exhibited lamentable lack of foresight in engineering matters Average cost of school buildings per cubic foot is 23 cents in New York, 14 cents in Chicago, 14 cents in Cleveland. This shows comparatively high expenditure for schools under present system of design Waste places suitable for instruction are unused Serious Degree of Overheating in Some Schools Fact base: Careful physical, chemical and bacteri- ological air study of 10 typical schools from Dec. 2, 1912, to March 15, 1913; subsequent examination of 22 other schools (out of 500 schools); 4 differ- ent night schools visited: Baskerville-Winslow re- port: 200 pages Overheating and unsatisfactory ventilation due fundamentally to absence of skilled and careful operation Atmospheric conditions in night schools found unsatisfactory as to overheating and air stagnation Conditions aggravated in some instances by burning of gas light Relative humidity is low: ranges between 25 and 50% of saturation and rises above 50% in only 10%) of records Certain schools show distinctly bad results indicating insuf- ficient air supply Certain schools show extravagant variations of temperature with gross overheating In one-sixth of rooms studied distinctly bad conditions found in temperature due to careless operation by janitors or in- terference with janitors by teachers RECOMMENDATIONS CLEARLY REQUIRING ADDI- TIONAL MONEY As to Continuous Investigation (Elliott) Establish a bureau of investigation and appraisal as an in- tegral part of the system to serve as the central agency for gathering and interpreting statistical data, and for making such investigations as are necessary As to Superintendents (Elliott) Establish a supervisory council including city superintend- ent, all district superintendents, selected directors, prin- cipals of elementary, high and training schools, repre- sentatives of teachers in different grades and schools; to possess general powers of initiation and direction of all matters relating to aims, means and method of instruction As to Special Branches (Elliott) Appoint additional assistant directors of kindergartens As to Discipline (McMurry) Organize in certain schools, special classes for persistently troublesome children in which corporal punishment under careful restrictions will be allowed Increase the number of parental and disciplinary schools As to Supervision by Principals (Mc]\Iurry) Assign clerical and routine duties to minor officials so that principal has little responsibility in regard to them As to Non-Promotion (Bachman) Distribute poster in several languages emphasizing im- portance of beginning school on time Provide "C" classes for all pupils, at least in lA grade, un- able to use English language As to Ungraded Classes for Feeble-Minded (Goddard) Enlarge radically work of ungraded classes Greatly increase expenditures Equip classes promptly and adequately Appoint separate superintendent of schools for feeble-mind- ed, four additional associate inspectors; five examiners, psychologists and physicians, to discover and classify de- fective children Segregate ungraded classes in special schools as fast as possible, free from rules and regulations of regular schools Establish as rapidly as possible the right kind of training schools for teachers of defectives Sul)stantially increase bonus now paid to teachers of de- fectives Appoint a number of special assistants to follow up history of defective, feeble-minded and crippled children after they leave special and ungraded classes 46 Recommendations — Continued 47 Test all repeaters and overag-e pupils in special classes by Binet-Simon scale in hands of experts As to High School Organization and Administration (Ballon) Employ enough teachers to keep sections reasonably within standard of 28 to 35 pupils Relieve chairmen as far as possible from all purely clerical work Furnish each principal with a sufficient number of compe- tent clerks to perform the clerical work Erect no high school to accommodate more than 1500 stu- dents, the satisfactory size, educationally and economically Establish types of specialized high schools throughout the city as a basis for studying their effectiveness Build high schools to take the place of annexes in various parts of the city Limit seating capacity of classrooms to maximum standard size of section As to High School Course of Study (Davis) Introduce manual training for boys into first and second years of general curriculum of every school, one year prescribed for graduation Make two years' offering in all general high schools of do- mestic science and applied art for girls, one year required for graduation Add other general courses: introductory social science (municipal activities, civic and vocational guidance) ; fine arts, additional courses in commercial work, English, science and music; specialized and general "appreciation" courses in science, mathematics, history and English whenever interests of pupils make them desirable Make special courses more available by incorporating (1) additional special or technical courses parallel to the gen- eral course in the general high schools ; (2) elementary courses in semi-technical work as electives in the general course Issue a New York City high school diploma as w-ell as the regents' high school diploma Give serious consideration to possible plan of defraying ex- penses of transportation of those pupils who are beyond walking distance or cannot afford car fare As to Commercial Education (Thompson) Begin at once cooperative plans between commercial schools and business houses Appoint temporary special commission of commercial teachers and business experts to examine business con- ditions in relation to commercial education 48 Recommendations — Cont'mncd Appoint a supervisor of commercial work for all g-rades Segregate sexes for purposes of etlective commercial edu- cation and differentiate training according to aptitudes of each Appoint special teachers, "coordinators," as field agents for commercial schools As to Trade Training (Schneider) Broaden curricula of present vocational schools to embrace a larger number of types of occupation Establish (for children who must or want to work or are tired of school) more prevocational schools like Parental School, with most energizing and diversified types of work possible Inaugurate to a limited extent cooperative system of educa- tion accompanying gainful employment whose elements shall be 1 — Combination of . manual work in commercial shops with school work, usually equal parts of each, alternating 2 — Agreement between group of manufacturers and school svstem 3 — School course devised by school authorities A — Apprentice courses in shops approved by school au- thorities 5 — Apprentices paid for their work 6 — Coordinators to link work of shop with school in- struction 7 — Duration of course determined by time required for thorough apprenticeship plus necessary coordin- ated schooling 8 — Trial of two months to be sure candidate likes the trade Establish (for children forced to go to work when law permits) day continuation schools for all trades, with underlying science for highly energizing trades, and lively, interesting courses for more enervating trades, "brilliant and healthful pleasure courses" Study carefully occupations into which children go in order to "wisely devise" continuation courses Enlarge the Parental School so that children sent there may remain longer than seven months Make comprehensive survey showing (1) number of boys and girls in different occupations; (2) whether work is energizing, enervating, juvenile only, seasonal (3) vo- cational statistics on wages, home conditions, reasons for leaving schord, etc As to Handling of Correspondence (Avcrill) Establi'ih a central bureau of information at the hall of the board of education Recommendations — Continued 49 As to Construction and Care of Buildings (Armstrong) Centralize wherever possible the separate steam plants in one building or in adjacent buildings Install automatic elevators in all schools having more tiian three stories Install suitable number of pedal operating drinking foun- tains at earliest possible moment Install mixing valves to regulate hot water temperature with 115° as maximum Tighten windows where necessary- Install good, economical and modern system of vacuum heating Extend temperature control system to all schools heated by steam Employ modern sanitary vacuum cleaning process Provide all schools immediately with automatic sprinklers, standpipes, fire pumps and automatic alarms Replace all wooden stairways with steel Install sanitary and fireproof furniture Employ competent instructors to teach janitors how to get best service out of their plants RECOMMENDATIONS INTENDED TO SAVE MONEY As to Special Branches (Elliott) Eliminate special teachers in certain subjects (music, draw- ing, physical training) by requiring competency on part of regular teachers As to Elementary Course of Study (McMurry) Omit the teaching of (1) considerable part of arithmetic course, (2) technical grammar and English history as separate subjects As to Non-Promotion (Bachman) Consider seriously whether, if segregated into classes of standard size with adapted course of study, many overage children cannot be provided for without incurring in- crease of 50% for special "E" classes As to Intermediate Schools (Bachman) Establish intermediate schools wherever conditions are favorable if present findings are substantiated by further investigation As to Ungraded Classes for the Feeble-Minded (Goddard) Use institutions for feeble-minded as model schools for teachers taking training in this line of work As to High School Organization and Administration (Ballon) Study program making by principals to reduce number of unnecessary oversized and undersized classes 50 Recommendations — Continued Erect specialized type with single curriculum as more effec- tive and economical for New York City Provide study halls to accommodate 125 or 150 pupils and thus economize on time of supervising As to Trade Training (Schneider) Abolish elementary night schools now in operation under compulsory education law As to Handling of Correspondence (Averill) Institute a system of blank forms to eliminate or diminish much of tlie work now done by stenographers and type- writer copyists Remove the so-called "city superintendent's file" to a cen- tral room, thereby dispensing with the many individual files that now duplicate clerical work and entail the mis- placement of documents As to Construction and Care of Buildings (Armstrong) Install controlled draft system and proper grate bars to prevent loss of heat, and burn smaller coal Reduce proportionate amount of grate surface Install recording instruments and weighing apparatus Have engineers keep accurate records of weight of coal and ashes, steam and electric production and consumption, duplicates sent periodically to school board Purchase oil under proper specification, thus saving 50^ Change large per cent, of coal to buckwheat No. 3 and save $295,000 annually bv installing apparatus costing from $2500 to $3000 per school building Take advantage of wholesale rates to reduce light and power bill $95,470.41 a year Install simple form of isolated plant if sufficiently low price cannot be obtained from Edison Co. Reduce inspection force 60% with pro rata increase of efficiency Janitor-engineer should be competent to report all repairs he cannot himself remedy Save annuallv $630,922.41 by Changes in heating plants $350,000.00 Reorganized inspection 142.527.00 Wholesale electricity 95.470.41 Use of modern lamps 42,925.00 RECOMMENDATIONS PER SE NEITHER ADDING NOR SAVING MONEY As to Examiners (Elliott) Arrange service on board so as to permit each member to devote every fotirth year to supervisory or other special duty in the school system Recommendations — Continued 51 Take steps to secure the reading and rating of written ex- aminations by persons not immediately connected with school system As to Method of Rating (Elliott) Require reports on teachers applying for renewal of license to furnish detailed, positive evidence in support of re- newal, including reports by principals showing number and duration of visits to classes, variety of work inspected Base approval of first year service entirely on principal's report ; base second renewal on careful examination by district superintendent; final renewal on inspection by in- dependent visitor; eliminate recommendation of division superintendent As to Superintendents (Elliott) Secure wider responsibility and participation of members of teaching and supervisory staff in making and oversee- ing educational policies As to District Superintendents (Elliott) Transfer many of their supervisory responsibilities to prin- cipals of schools Provide for their larger participation in the making of edu- cational policies As to Special Branches (Elliott) Make elementary school principals responsible for super- vision of kindergartens to same degree as for other classes As to Principals (Elliott) Place a premium on supervisory capacity by providing freedom of action to every principal in accordance with his competency, in order to increase number of (a) those competent to act as supervisors and to make a conscious effort to subordinate routine ; in contrast to (b) those con- tent to confine their activities to mechanics of school operation As to Elementary Teachers (McMurry) Fix autliority of class room teacher more definitely Print well defined plan guaranteeing freedom to teachers Discover reasons and remedy for present dissatisfaction among teachers As to Discipline (McMurry) Simplify mode of commitment to parental and disciplinary schools As to Elementary Course of Study (McMurry) Rearrange whole curriculum to establish fuller correlation among studies S2 Recommendations — Continued Include in syllabi statements of workinof aims and princi- ples of instruction, and establish impossibility of one fixed and best method of teaching details Vary curriculum for particular children to whom it is to be taught Plan through principal and teachers a curriculum for each type of environment, to be adopted or modified by prin- cipals and teachers in neighboring schools As to Spelling (McMurry) See that teachers make grade lists of words in "active vocabulary" of pupils, class lists and personal lists As to Arithmetic (McMurry) Emphasize fundamentals during first six years, then their application in connection with other subjects As to Music (McMurry) List appropriate classic selections for grades and school as whole ; subordinate technical knowledge to school sing- ing; pay much more attention to individual attainment instead of concert work; outline more definite require- ments for each grade as to application and scholarship; take more care in choice of selections; establish good standards of taste As to Nature Study (]\IcMurry) Reorganize course completely; select subject matter with reference primarily to pupils' interest; group studies to bring out human interest in larger problems; suggest regular nature study for grade 6; make required work very small, leaving most to selection of teachers As to Reading (IMcMurry) Place greater emphasis on silent reading in literature As to Supervision by Principals (McMurry) Classify principals' duties so that definite understanding is reached that principal shall identify himself primarily with duties requiring the technical abilit}^ of the educa- tional specialist Make principals responsible for developing a theory of supervision which shall be revealed to teachers by the efifective manner in which they are aided through its means, and to superior school officers by reports on this subject Make principals the real, not merely the nominal heads of their schools Judge teachers' ability to instruct in terms, not of what the teacher does but of what the child does Reduce frequency with which teachers are rated Recommendations — Continued 53 Let princii)als and teachers take initiative in making cur- riculum in all sujjjects for their school So discuss methods in syllabi that in no way will principals' hands be tied Establish defmite avenue of approach to superior officers so that recommendations that express the consensus of opin- ion of principals when forwarded to these officers shall command careful consideration and full reply within rea- sonable time As to Age-grade Reports (Bachman) Change age-grade reports to insure (a) facts by each of 16 grades ; (b) one report at the beginning of the school year and another at the end; (c) consideration of total register including graduates and those dropping out and children in special "E" and "C" classes; (d) use of up-to-K^^ as "normal" for finishing 8B ; (e) ages and grades of same day (i. e., ages on date of closing of official school term, grade in which children have been during same term) Take ages on first day of school term to show age-grade condition in each class as based on normal age limit for entering each of 16 grades; (i. e., 6 to 6^ years for lA, 6y2 to 7 for IB, etc) Make parents go on record in getting date of birth, vear, month, day Compute child's age at beginning or end of official school term in terms of years, months and days (30 days to a month) Report separatel}^, with ages, children in classes for blind, deaf, cripples, mental defectives, aneemic, etc As to Non-Promotion (Bachman) Enforce compulsory educational law in lA grade, to avoid trouble with parents and "cure many an incipient case of truancy" Amend by-faws so as (1) to prohibit entrance to lA grade after last day of fourth week of school term to children who will not be seven until after the end of the term; and (2) to exclude children who miss 40 days during the first half of term Have census board send to each principal at beginning of each term the home addresses of children who (1) will be seven before end of that term ; (2) will not be seven until after its close; (3) are seven and should enter school Require new attendance report for lA grade to show cause of each absence, and separate reports for children not amenable to compulsory education law Investigate each child now in "E" classes to determine to what overage is due 54 Recommendations — Continued Provide classes in which special attention is given to all pupils two or more years behind their grade Make course of study so flexible that additional time may be devoted in regular classes to aiding children to acquire working knowledge of English Insist that principals establish wherever necessary and possible the Ettinger part time plan as superior in rate of promotion and hours of instruction to other part time plans Collect by terms, from current and cumulative records, data relative to promotions, non-promotions and part time (suggested blank given) Investigate relative merits of whole and part time classes Make actual total length of each elementary school course correspond with period between 6 and 14 years of age and with length of time pupils may reasonably be ex- pected to be in attendance during this period Discontinue practice of holding pupils in elementary schools long after they are 14 Collect and tabulate, term by term, reports from several schools on pupils leaving and reasons therefor Consider 100% the desirable uniform rate of promotion in each grade in each school For extra-bright children who are able to do more than maximum requirements, make course more difficult by raising requirements Adapt requirements to varying abilities and educational needs of different groups (1) so that all normal children in regular attendance will be able by 14 to complete the elementarv school course, and (2) so there will be as many different courses of study as there are groups of children having different abilities and educational needs Revise actual total length of each of these different courses and the requirements of each in view of above data to be collected by terms As to Intermediate Schools (Bachman) Take special care to maintain sympathetic relations be- tween intermediate schools, contributing schools, and high or vocational schools, thus developing systematic voca- tional guidance Use complete records of work and cost of such schools to improve them and judge their efficiency As to Estimating Teachers Needed in Elementary Schools (Bachman) Make entire system (not individual school or district) the unit in estimating the total register for which provisions are rccjucstcd, because more exact, simpler to make and includes all data needed Recommendations — Continued 55 Exclude from re^^ister used all pupils transferred to other schools and include only pupils who have been in school at least one entire day during- a given month Base estimated register on the actual average annual in- crease for a series of years ranging from one to five Estimate for each month of the school year the total register of the system as a whole, since the total register of each elementary school changes from month to month Distribute the total estimated register among the different grades on the basis of the average annual increase or de- crease in the register of each grade for a series of years Make each individual school the unit in determining the number of pupils for whom one teacher should be pro- vided, studying by months and grades the number and size of classes in each school Expand and define regulations of board of education con- cerning (a) standard size of class in each grade ; (b) combination of small classes ; (c) division of large classes As to Compulsory Attendance (Burks) Reorganize the compulsory attendance staff according to kinds of work; i.e., (a) preliminary investigation and re- port; (b) preventive treatment; (c) disciplinary treat- ment (d) corrective (institutional) treatment Division of Enumeration and Investigation Should maintain complete census of all children of school age; make preliminary investigation of all referred cases; list children as moved or not found ; and account for all cases before they are finally dropped from record of cases under consideration Division of Prevention and Probation Should make further investigations to ascertain facts re- garding physical, mental and social conditions affecting each case; diagnose and outline treatment; obtain co- operation of teachers, physicians, parents, charitable so- cieties, etc ; confer with parents and teachers in cases of irregular attendance ; act as probation officers for children placed on probation by district superintendent, courts and truant schools Division of Discipline and Prosecution Should prepare cases against children or parents, cooperate with police department in enforcing newsboy law, etc Division of Correction Should include institutions for temporary detention or per- manent care of children, a day detention school in each district and parental schools for habitual truants 56 Recommendations — Continued Reorg-anize reporting: forms and classification of data in detail [suggested blanks given J to include (a) daily time and service report for officers ; (b) monthly summary of time and service reports; (c) report on investigation of pupils' absence; (d) cumulative record of each case inves- tigated ; (e) daily summary record for each school ; (f) monthly summary by districts (or by individual attend- ance officers) As to Tests in Arithmetic (Courtis) Undertake systematic experimental work in measuring fac- tors making for efficiency Study relation between race, nationality and social condi- tions of children and their scores and growth in standard tests Study social life of all types of children to determine ma- terial available for problem work Study relations between physical and mental growth, as measured by standard tests Study individual children going to work to determine needs of different classes of children Determine by experiment best method of developing speed and accuracy, and whether oral drill or written drill is more important Adjust drill on basis of measured needs of each individual child Use comparative graphs as practical classroom device for keeping track of children's needs As to Ungraded Classes for the Feeble-Minded (Goddard) Place as many children as possible in an institution or colony for permanent segregation Make appropriate manual training (such as can be seen at the Institution for Feeble-Minded, Waverly, Mass.) the principal work in all these classes Ascertain actual number of feeble-minded children who are crippled, blind or deaf and have been shut out of school As to High School Organization and Administration (Ballou) Adopt 30 pupils provisionally as the standard size of a reci- tation section Allow chairman as well as teachers one free period each day Have chairmen of departments spend at least two periods per month in the class room of each teacher Decrease number of teaching periods when chairman are assigned administrative duties Have principals and superintendents differentiate definitely between what is clerical and what is administrative work Allow principal of 1,000 pupils 15 periods of time from his teachmg staff for necessary administrative functions; Recommendations — Continued 57 principal of 2,000 pupils 30 periods; of 4,000 pupils 50 periods Subject courses of study to continual revision by committees of high school principals and teachers and board of super- intendents Use regular knowledge possessed by principals and teachers in all general administrative matters affecting internal organization Expect and require principals and teachers to contribute results of their experience Base every act of controlling administrative agency on knowledge which comes from direct contact with schools To determine need of additional teachers use blank which calls for essential facts concerning (1) size of sections and (2) amount of teaching As to High School Course of Study (Davis) Encourage principals and teachers to make thorough analyses of needs and desires of the communities in which their schools are located and of dominant interests and real needs of the pupils that enter their schools Give greater intensiveness and continuity to instruction Reduce uniform prescriptions for graduation not to exceed 55% of requirements for graduation Encourage individual election of studies to minimum amount of 45% of required work Prescribe for all students only courses in English, social sciences, natural science including physiology and hy- giene, physical training, manual training for boys and domestic science and art for girls, ethics, music and drawing Print subcourses centering in some major subject and circu- late them among pupils as suggested guides Require each pupil to take, before graduation, at least three years of work in some department other than English Omit foreign languages and mathematics in absolute pre- scription for graduation, but permit alternative choice of these two, or on advice by the principal, prescribe neither Adapt special high schools to various needs of pupils (1) by differentiating subject matter of included academic sub- jects so as to give them a decidedly technical bent, (2) by permitting individual specialization in third and fourth years, (3) by encouraging organization of special courses to meet needs of pupils whose stay in school must be short As to Estimating Teachers Needed in the High Schools (Ballou) Adopt new blank [facsimile given] which gives information on (1) net register, numlier of pupils and teachers for each subject by terms for period of five years; (2) analysis 58 Recommendations — Continued of organization of school for the year, size and number ot recitation sections, total teaching- and study hall periods per week for each teacher, number of clerical and labora- tory assistants; (3) estimate of the number of additional teachers and assistants needed Revise the blank from time to time in accordance with sug- gestions made by principals Invite representative high school principals to be present at all conferences of school authorities and board of estimate concerning high school estimates As to Commercial Education (Thompson) Appoint council of chairmen of commercial departments to study, weigh and recommend improvements in courses and methods Establish course of study with subjects of merchandise and salesmanship as a vocational group in connection with Washington Irving High School Segregate commercial pupils in general high schools into a commercial department Abandon regents' tests for commercial subjects Make separate eligible lists for all teachers giving instruc- tion in commercial schools and courses Establish one year and two year courses wnth specific objec- tives for those who cannot stay longer Include in commercial school course assembly talks by business men As to Trade Training (Schneider) Inaugurate a system of advisory boards of representatives of employers and employees to help bring school and shop into cooperation Open every school gymnasium every night under the direc- tion of physical directors As to Handling of Correspondence (Averill) Secure a supply of printed forms giving information in answer to questions which experience has shown to be re- current, and blank forms which can be filled out in answer to various requests Detail a clerk to attend to queries involving the compila- tion of special data Establish a system for the complete recording of business which is transacted verbally, thereby making records complete and fixing responsibility for what is now rele- gated to memory Detail an office organizer to reorganize and coordinate the correspondence work not only of the superintendents' offices but also of the other offices wherever necessary, grading work so that supervisory officers drawing salaries Recommendations — Continued 59 of from $3,000 to $10,000 shall not be engaged in clerical work which can be done by clerks drawing $900 to $2,000 annually Enable higher supervisory officers to give to educational supervisory work time now given needlessly to clerical work and unnecessary questions As to Delays in Construction of Buildings (Armstrong) Select sites for new schools upon data obtained from accur- ate census calculations and local surveys Utilize permanent census board records to determine present and prospective school population and future transportation facilities Estimate seating requirements at least two years in advance Have designed by board of education all plans of any one school in one unit, such as general construction, heating, ventilating and electrical plans Complete partial standards of school buildings by board of education and evolve an absolute standard set of school building designs for elementary schools. The savings would amount to at least 10% of total cost of construction Have standards of sufficient variety to conform to architec- tural requirements of locality Have complete set of rules issued by each city department whose approval of plans is required, outlining require- ments Retain for the designing force of the board of education an engineer of as well established ability as its architect, to have full charge of mechanical design of school buildings, and maintenance Make walls, floors and ceilings and all furniture in school buildings of washable material devoid of angles or un- sanitary projections Run the schools "all the year round" with four terms per year, use auditoriums constantly, etc As to Construction and Care of Buildings (Armstrong) Investigate coal storage at Parental School to avoid spon- taneous combustion Evolve perfect school design to reduce architectural and mechanical force now required Separate architectural and engineering departments, and put supervision of janitors and purchase of engineering supplies under department of engineering Give kindly, intelligent and personal instructions to janitors instead of a book of rules As to Janitorial Compensation (Armstrong) Consolidate work now carried on by committee on buildings and stafif of committee on care of buildings 60 Recommendations — Continued Decide definitely whether board wishes to continue or dis- continue indirect employment of firemen and cleaners Organize fixed staflf of janitors and assistants for each school building Fix definite compensation for period of six months, not to be increased unless additional rooms or buildings are added Have salaries and grades of janitorial positions fixed by board of estimate, and let board of education assume sole charge of promotion and transfer to grades thus csta]-)lished As to Ventilation (Baskerville-Winslow) Operate fans in schools during night sessions Make occasional study by visiting engineers in each school of temperature and volume of air at room inlets Install thermograph in each school building; inspect records carefully as efficient control of ventilating S3'stems and janitorial service RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING STATE LEGISLA- TION As to Examiners (Elliott) Reorganize l^oard to have nine members including city su- perintendent, ex ofiicio As to Superintendents (Elliott) Abolisli board of superintendents and position of associate city superintendent As to Non-Promotion (Bachman) Amend compulsory education law to apply to children who will be seven before end of given school term instead of to children who are seven at beginning of a given term As to Ungraded Classes for the Feeble-Minded (Goddard) Amend child labor law so that defective children may gc to work as soon as it is clear that it will be more profit- able for them to work than to go to school As to Trade Training (Schneider) Enact a compulsory continuation school law requiring four hours a week in day time at employer's expense, if em- ployers oppose continuation schools As to Delays in Construction of Buildings (Armstrong) Establish by changes in charter if necessary, a technical efficiency bureau, whose duties shall be to pass upon the mechanical and architectural adequac}^ of all building plans of all departments Establish by law a board of censorship for contractors, to make public a list of contractors whose intelligence, ex- perience, integrity and financial ability render them eligible for city work FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS SAID TO BE NECES- SARY BY TEN SCHOOL INQUIRY INVESTIGATORS To Determine Powers and duties in detail of city superintendent, board of suj^erintendcnts and associate city superintendents, to secure more efficient distribution of achninistrative and supervisory powers (Klliott) How elementary schools can continue the main lines of work begun in the kindergarten, while giving mastery over symbols (McMurry) Main objects elementary instruction should aim to accom- plish, in terms that are significant to teachers and laymen alike and that breathe a broad spirit (McMurry) Advantages of intermediate schools based on data collected for a number of terms (Bachman) Localities where conditions seem favorable to establishment of intermediate schools (Bachman) Actual age-grade conditions in elementary schools (Bach- man) Causes of overage (Bachman) Actual total length of present elementary course of study (Bachman) Actual length of time children are in attendance between 6 and 14 years (Bachman) Which groups of children have different abilities and educa- tional needs (Bachman) Best age of entrance to elementary schools (Bachman) At what age children need a regime different from that of elementary school (Bachman) Num])er of normal children entering and completing the present course of study (Bachman) Relative educational achievements of pupils in whole time and part time classes (Bachman) Relative educational worth of classes of each of several sizes (Bachman) Extent to which pupils now in "E" classes are classified and instructed according as their overage is due to late en- trance or to retardation (Bachman) To what extent 51% of those who left school during Janu- ary-June term, 1911, had legal reasons and to what extent their leaving was due to inefficiency of the department of compulsory education (Bachman) Value of methods and results of all institutions to which children are now committed for custodial care (Burks) Adequate supervision of children paroled and placed on probation (Burks) Method of placing in school non-attendants found on the streets (Burks) 62 Further Investigations \"alue of hearings of cases by district superintendents (Burks) Metliod of prosecution of parents and truant children (Burks) Whether child labor, mercantile and newsboy laws are prop- erly enforced (Burks) Relation between the physical and mental growth, race, na- tionality and social condition of children and their scores and growths in standard arithmetic tests (Courtis) Material available for problem work by study of social life of all types of children (Courtis) Best method of developing speed and accuracy in arithmetic (Courtis) Relative progress of high school pupils in large and small sections in same term and same subject (Ballou) Intellectual and physical effect upon teachers of handling large and small sections in higli schools (Ballou) Whether high school teachers doing less than 20 periods of teaching a week are not doing too little teaching and too much other work (Ballou) Whether those having more than 25 periods are not teach- ing too much (Ballou) Relations of (1) number of curricula in one high school to size of sections and number of teachers; (2) number of electives to cost of instruction; (3) daily program to time allotments for subjects (Ballou) Proper number of high school periods per week and which su])jects should be taught (Davis) Accessibility of present high school opportunities and high school needs not now provided for, in order that the dif- ferent types of courses or schools may be located where required and within walking distance of the homes of pupils (Hanus) Trend of population and its growth in density, block by block, shown clearly on a map (Armstrong) Available sittings occupied and unoccupied, district by dis- trict (Armstrong) Present results of commercial education ; business conditions in relation to commercial education (Thompson) Possiljilities for cooperative relations between commercial courses and commercial houses (Thompson) Number of girls and boys employed in different occupations ; whether the work is energizing or enervating; whether it is juvenile work only, or whether it offers good perma- nent employment ; whether or not it is seasonal ; together with the usual vocational statistics on wages, home con- ditions, reasons for leaving school, etc (Schneider) THIRTY-FIVE SUBJECTS, NOT COVERED BY THE SCHOOL INQUIRY, SUGGESTED FOR INVESTI- GATION BY TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS AND PARENTS THROUGH THE SCHOOL EDITOR OF THE "GLOBE" Training schools for teachers Over-worked teachers Extra curriculum activities of teachers Effect of attendance at college on teaching ability Promotion examinations Coaching for examinations Visiting teachers and teachers' visiting Teachers' organizations Pension and retirement policy- English used by principals and teachers Night schools Vacation schools Recreation centers All-year school Popular lectures Open-air classes Use of museums and parks for teaching Social life, fraternities, etc Relation of public to parochial and private schools Physiological age School nurse and medical inspection Sanitation of buildings Athletics — expense, value Cheap meals, school lunches Vocational guidance and needs Adequateness of educational supplies Educational value and effect of part time (except in relation to promotion) Congestion Moral training Local school boards Litigation— extent, success, necessity, avoidability School records — adequacy, complexity Text books — needless purchase, adequacy School publicity Decorations and atmosphere 63 HOW THE INQUIRY STARTED For years prior to 1910 differences witliin the board of educa- tion, between the board of education and its superintend- ents, between the board and the board of estimate and the public, prompted numerous suggestions that the schools be investigated, especially school tinances In May, 1901*, the Bureau of Municipal Research in its What New York's Next Mayor Should Do, included two sugges- tions about schools: (1) make a thorough investigation of the public school system, its curriculum, its administration, its plans for the future, its relation to pri\ate and parochial schools, its provisions for children's health, and its principal needs; (2) work out and inaugurate a comprehensive plan for industrial training with provision for studying and for publishing the result of all plans tried In October, 1910, during the discussion of school budget esti- mates, the school editor of the Globe published over and over again a demand for a thorough school investigation as the only means of settling differences which had arisen year after year about the correctness of school estimates and the soundness of school proposals for spending money At the request of the board of estimate, Henry Bruere, director of the Bureau, drafted a resolution authorizing a school inquiry which Comptroller Prendergast introduced (see page 4) ; $50,000 was included for expenses wdiich the alder- men cut out and the mayor failed to put back by his veto power; funds were made available by transfers; President Alitchel of the board of aldermen, Comptroller Prendergast, and President Miller of the borough of Bronx, were ap- pointed a committee by Alayor Gaynor; the inquiry proposal was universally welcomed ; assurance of cooperation was given by board of education ; scores of constructive sugges- tions were made by teachers and principals through the school columns of the Globe, and many others by editorial writers Resolutions calling for the school inquiry and for two other departmental inquiries were distributed throughout the country by the Bureau as Efficient Citizenship No. 401 Upon request of the inquiry committee the Bureau outlined a tentative plan which it submitted to several leading educa- tors for criticism and suggestion ; wrote to scores of school men inviting suggestions; arranged luncheon and dinner meetings for considering plans and investigators Scholia Club, Columbia University, invited President Mitchel and Director Allen of the Bureau to explain the purpose and method of the inquiry ; among those present were Professors McMurry, Munro, Strayer, Suzzallo of Teachers' College, and B. G. Lewis, Luther T. Gulick, Leonard P. Ayres, Supt. A. B. Poland, Jesse D. Burks, etc How THE Inquiry Started 65 Study of business aspects of schools began to include account- ing methods, handling of complaints and correspondence, supplies, sites, buildings, etc ; W. A. Averill of the Bureau staff, loaned without cost for the study of office methods, handling of correspondence, etc; Director Brucre helped to supervise non-educational aspects After conferences with President Pritchett, Dean Russell and several other educators, a list of proposed investigators was submitted by President Mitchel to Commissioner Snedden of Massachusetts for ranking; Professor Paul H. Hanus was chosen as director of educational aspects, no one else having been offered the post, and was given power to select collaborators ; outline was agreed upon of facts the inquiry would have ready for making the 1912 school budget; suggestions were written by him for modifying the blank then before principals calling for facts on attendance, over- age, non-promotion, etc; from facts furnished by Professor Hanus press notices were prepared by the Bureau as to his educational experience, similar notices being sent during the summer as new investigators were announced; at Prof. Hanus' request Bureau released Dr. Bachman whom it had engaged HOW THE INQUIRY WAS RECEIVED Both morning and evening papers gave as much attention to successive individual reports as they could have given to the whole report if issued at one time. The school editors of the Globe and the Evening Sun quoted, commented and analyzed for wrecks. In the latter Miss Louise E. Tucker, a school principal, challenged the investigators' findings under headings like : Bachmaii Suggestions in Report are Impracticable, Elliott's Suggestion to Abolish Board of Superintendents too Drastic, Hanus Experts' 'Inbreeding' Theory Unsupported by Fact, Omissions by School Inquiry, Muck Raking by Educators is Profitable, Hanus-Elliott Report Shown to be Wrong in Every Particular In his series of articles on Investigating the Schools, Tristram W. Metcalfe, school editor of the Globe, emphasized the principal findings of each investigator, connecting these re- sults with the experience of the schools during recent years and particularly with the efforts, successful and unsuccess- ful, of the School Progressives and outsiders to secure in- formation or action in line with inquiry findings Teachers and principals were first brought together for study of the inquiry reports by Mr. Metcalfe of the Globe; Janu- ary 24, 1913, a special council of teachers and principals organized to represent 24 different school organizations; February 5th, the city superintendent called meetings of 66 How THE Inquiry was Received principals in each borough at the hour previously arranged for the above mentioned council to meet, to select members to cooperate with him in studying the reports ; at the next meeting of the board of education, a resolution called upon these committees to report to the board as well as to the city superintendent ; subcommittees began a study which continued for months but without published results, up to September The city superintendent, February 1, 1913, requested principals to meet as above, tlirough a circular in part as follows, pub- lished in newspapers: "I ask the press and the public to suspend judgment on the report of Prof. Elliott and Prof. ISIcMurry, and upon the reports yet to he submitted by other mem- bers of Prof. Hanus' committee who have been investi- gating the public schools "I ask that the allegations, arguments and conclusions in these reports be not accepted as final until they have been subjected to a rigid scrutiny by those who know our schools best — teachers, principals and superinten- dents" The associate superintendents were the first to challenge publicly the inquiry findings; sul^nitted April 23d to the board of education a 30 page Review and Reply of the Hanus-Elliott Report; its chief points digested on page 68 Meantime, unofficially, principals and teachers studied the re- ports and their own schools. In no other profession in New York probably, would such sweeping and scathing — and often vulnerable — criticisms have been given a half- school year's start and reiteration without challenge ; it is a happy sign, however, that indiscriminate and irrelevant "T'aint so" argument seemed clearly out of place; thanks chiefly to the board of education's own publicly expressed attitude, teachers and principals fairly grabbed at the helpful suggestions; detailed analysis will begin in October The district superintendents conducted some careful and gen- eral studies; tabulated facts which time sheets, working papers and reports should have shown as to time spent in classes and schools by investigators, schools and classes not visited, etc ; report forthcoming The board of education twice appointed committees to review the reports, once in V)\2 and again February 10, 1913. the latter to cooperate with teachers and principals; the former could do little because of the delay in issuing the reports; several of the reports were anticipated by special reports by board committees; the semi-annual report of President Churchill to the board of education made several references to the school inquiry indicating a disposition to utilize all findings and recommendations where found useable, but How THE Inquiry was Received 67 noting the fact that before the inquiry reports came out regarding teaching, syllabus, etc, the board of education itself had called for revision of the curriculum ; due in part to the inquiry, the board's attitude toward suggestion and criticism from whatever source is entirely changed ; the division of reference and research started September, 1913, upon President Churchill's initiative is the board's best an- swer to the inquiry and a promise of continuing openminded- ness, self-analysis and cooperation Citizen organizations did less than occasion required ; the Public Education Association opposed the 1913 legislation re schools as contrary to inquiry recommendations, joined in a public dinner to Professor Hanus, supported through two bulletins the rejected Moore report; and in August, 1913, began the publication of digests and appraisals; 200 citi- zen agencies paid no official attention to the inquiry reports The Bureau of Municipal Research was given a fund in Octo- ber, 1912, with which 22 school inquiry follow-up bulletins were issued to 2,000 school superintendents, editors and others interested in education and to New York principals and commissioners; beginning December, 1912, numerous reports were published of a study made by its Training School for Public Service of P. S. 188 Boys, Manhattan, at the request of Principal Edward Mandel ; January 15, 1913, a card announced that the reports were to be published "next week" and told which papers would give full accounts ; in July, 1913, a fund of $5,000 was given for follow-up dur- ing the summer and fall; this fund is being used for this digest, other bulletins, the study of 1914 budget estimates, etc, to tide over until the Public Education Association or- ganizes for the analysis, appraisal and follow-up which it hopes to guarantee THE ONLY REPLY BY INSIDERS TO OUTSIDERS, PUB- LISHED YET.— RE ELLIOTT REPORT ON BOARD OF SUPERINTENDENTS Report inconsistent and misleading; conclusions unjust and unfair, not sustained by anything more than general statements and anony- mous criticism Reviewed record of city superintendent since 1902, but of board only since 190G and ignored entirely minutes of board for six previous years Many problems of school administration were overlooked by the investigator because discussion was not in minutes, though con- ference with members would have brought them to light Whatever "conferences " held did not include members of board of superintendents, and investigator was present at only one meeting of board Investigator ignored fact that from 1898-1902, borough superintendents established many features now boasted by schools, such as training school for teachers, three high schools, course of study, manual training, kindergarten, cooking, vacation schools, playgrounds, etc No basis of fact for statement that board is "bureaucratic"; transfer- ence of duties to city superintendent as recommended, would bring about bureaucracy; such duties are impossible for him personally to perform and should not be delegated to a clerical force Recommendation that authority of city superintendent should be increased is inconsistent with criticism of "machinery," "military methods," etc Detailed reports of associate superintendents show that as division superintendents they give close attention to instruction and to all matters merely referred to in general reports District superintendents have participated in making course of study, recommending text books, organization of classes, selection, pro- motion and approval of teachers, and have been called into con- ferences with board of superintendents at nearly all the meetings Information about cooperation with district superintendents, prin- cipals and teachers could have been easily obtained by Prof. Elliott and Prof. Hanus Principals have been left free to try various systems of teaching, part time, grading; to adapt curriculum to needs of special children; to develop social side; to place teachers, select text books from ample list, etc Investigator did not tell which recommendations had not received attention, or verify by minutes or questions the statements of teachers Best features of proposed "supervisory council" have been in opera- tion for 11 years Extravagant misstatement that "investigation that is needed is not carried on at all"; bureau of appraisal and investigation could not act without friction; better to have branch investigators associated with board of superintendents No discrimination now against outsiders; about one-sixth of ele- mentary teachers, and over one-half of all high school teachers have been credited with outside experience Age of principals due to refusal to merge eligible lists or reduce required classroom experience No system of examination can determine qualifications for an officer of the grade of district superintendent or director Not fair to criticize the board of superintendents for clerical work which it did not require 68 GooDNOw-HowE Report 69 ADDENDA A digest of the Goodnow-Howe report, released October 15, 1913, is added to our digest published on July 17, 1913 Throughout this pamphlet we have used or referred to con- crete illustrations whenever these were furnished in the original reports At the present time we have not called attention to the omis- sion of concrete illustration but have omitted all criticism whatsoever of the reports, their findings, supporting data and recommendations, acting solely as reporters to the pub- lic on the statements of the school inquiry investigators We are strong believers in putting out the most complete array of supporting statements possible, whenever a find- ing, criticism or commendation is alleged At a later date we purpose to present the relative disadvan- tage of reporting to the public statements that do not illus- trate exactly what conditions are, precisely what the inves- tigator has in mind, and that do not show whether the denominator of a condition reported is one unit, a few units or the entire system WHAT THE GOODNOW-HOWE REPORT COVERS History of the development of the city school charter from the Act of 1851 to its present form Interpretation of the present charter defining relations be- tween the board of education and the City of New York, the board of estimate and apportionment and the depart- ment of finance Controversies, compromises and present procedures between the school board and these bodies Analysis of school board estimates and resulting apportion- ments by the city authorities How the school board is organized; its powers, duties and policies ; special account of internal committee organization How the board conducts its meetings How the various bureaus and offices of the department of education are organized Detailed account of the actual procedure of each bureau such as of audit, supplies, care of buildings and school admin- istration Critical comment with recommendations on findings relating to organization and procedure of the entire school board and of offices and bureaus of the educational department Judgment base: Interpretation of city charter Fact base: (1) City charter; (2) school board min- utes; (3) committee minutes; (4) calendar of board meetings; observation of board meetings; (5) crit- ical examination of methods and work of boards, committees and officers; (6) all other school in- quiry reports; (7) report of W. H. West, C.P.A., on accounting procedure, etc. [No account taken of changes in 1913 B. M. R.] WHAT THE GOODNOW-HOWE REPORT PRAISED As to Board of Education Observes special school fund segregation made by board of estimate Attendance of members at meetings is fairly regular; 325 absences of 1553 possible attendance or 2\Jc at 34 meet- ings in 1911 As to Bureau of Audit Accounting practices of bureau of audit insofar as they ex- tend, are commendable Procedure is simple and effective Divisional organization and use of modern statistical ma- chinery are worthy of special comment Auditor evinces a high order of ability As to Bureau of Supplies Supplies bureau observes a well-regulated and orderly pro- cedure General purchasing policy is commendable The superintendent has been conscientious and indefati- gable in his work As to Bureau of Buildings Procedure gives evidence of a high degree of efficiency Internal organization is that of a well planned administra- tive unit By much thought and care, the superintendent has attained various desirable results All employees are instructed and governed by carefully for- mulated rules, regulations and organization charts Reports to keep the superintendent currently advised as to progress of work are called for Building plans and details have been standardized to a considerable extent Thoroughness in preparation of plans for construction con- tracts is to be commended As to Board Meeting Minutes Index of minutes of board meetings is prepared in elabo- rate and excellent form EXTENT AND CONTROL OF EXPENDITURES Expense of conducting the schools has been increasing out r^f all proportion to the numl^er of those receiving in- struction, after taking into account new activities and teachers' salary increases. A 40% increase in attendance with 128% increase in school property and 68% increase in current expenses The present control of the board of estimate cannot be charged with causing the interests of the schools to suffer 70 CONDITIONS SAID TO NEED CORRECTION Attitude of Board of Education Toward Board of Estimate and Apportionment Hampers City Government Exact relation of board of estimate and board of education has not been understood ; no agreement has been reached ; insistence of or upon opposed views has prevented coop- eration. Charter provisions regulating expenditure of funds are am- biguous and in some cases not consistent; sections 262, 1064 and 56, secure to the educational administration an independence of municipal control not accorded ordinary departments ; other provisions in section 1064 place the de- partment of education in the position of an ordinary city department Court of appeals considers that the state policy has treated the board of education as a corporation separate from the city Past legal decisions do not furnish proof that the board of education is relieved from the ordinary financial control which the board of estimate exercises over other city de- partments Board of education alone among city departments has refused to conform to uniform accounting procedure Board has failed to observe many of the important regula- tions, refused to furnish schedules and documents and in- formation exacted from other departments: 1 copies of open market orders 2 schedules of open market orders issued 3 copies of invoices 4 monthly reports of contracts, orders, invoices and vouchers 5 schedules of vouchers 6 monthly statements on general ledger appropriation accounts corporate stock bonds etc contracts The comptroller has not made his requests sufficiently com- prehensive, definite or categorical to subserve the purposes either of estimates or of the general city accounting sys- tem; he has made little or no attempt to secure a correla- tion of school board accounts with school board budget estimates Board of education is disregarding the law, unnecessarily hampering the operations of city government School board accounts have not been kept so as currently to develop the information desired by comptroller; the board has not had this information or a way to get it 71 72 Defects — Continued Divided responsibility for selection of sites and details of buildings between board of education and board of esti- mate is objectionable Confusion and conflict due to charter inconsistencies have been increased because neither the board of estimate nor the comptroller has disciplinary means of enforcing obli- gations recognized by law [sec 226 charter] Teachers' Salary Accruals Have Been Annually Misstated by at Least $250,000 [Method explained to investigating committee by the audi- tor ; report notes that accrual records have since been in- stalled] Record of withdrawals during a given year does not include those between May 31 and December 31 of the previous year, though provided for in the estimate for the next year Record of nev/ teachers does not segregate appointees for replacement from those for extension does not include new teachers in replacement of withdraw- als during the last seven months of the preceding year, if appointed in that year No consideration is given to the amount of time involved in the unearned salary item of a withdraw-al School board's estimate of 1912 accruals was $150,000; actual 1912 accruals were closely approximated to be over $400,000 Ori^anization of Board of Education Has Made It a Failure The size, internal organization of 14 separate standing com- mittees and legal limitations of the board are responsible for most of the undesirable conditions covered in this report Political machinery provided by law is primarily responsible for the failures in the administration of the largest annual budget item; the care of $135,000,000 worth of property; the education of 700,000 children It has failed to rise to its obligations as a legislative and pol- icy making body It has failed utterly in the only field where it was expected to function Bylaws and practices adopted have imposed upon the board duties intended by the charter to be performed by the ex- ecutive committee and in addition an enormous mass of routine never intended by the charter to be performed either by the board or its executive committee The exercise of the administrative functions by the board as a whole is as repugnant to all principles of economy and expedition as it is inconsistent with the intent of the charter It has a])dicated to departmental experts the important func- tions of molding the school policy Defects — Continued 73 It has failed to delegate power to do petty routine work to paid office heads, though enabled to do so by law It has added enormously detailed functions of a purely rou- tine character 85% of all action taken in 1911 should not require action of board but merely of administrative officers [example a] ; 9% should be delegated to executive committee [b] ; only 6% should have been properly exercised by the board [c] a — -approving bills, awarding contracts, loaning furni- ture; appointing, promoting, retiring and transfer- ring teachers ; excusing absences ; granting per- mission to use school buildings etc b — approving plans, leasing premises, selecting sites, dis- ciplining etc c — amending bylaws, establishing trade schools, adopt- ing estimates, requesting corporate stock issues etc Work and methods are 75% routine, petty, rubber-stamp and detailed rather than policy making and legislative Members are not familiar with the whole school problem, nor have they the means to that end Board fails to awaken a proper sense of responsibility among members It is difficult if not impossible to locate responsibility, so widely is authority distributed among board, committees and bureau heads Men sincerely desirous of public service are deterred from accepting membership because of lack of opportunity for efficient work Board is not directly responsive to public or to city officials responsible to the public for the schools It is limited in power to shape its internal organization Investigation of individuals can be made only by formal res- olution of board of education ; this gives those to be in- vestigated advance notice Board has not at its ready command necessary professional and expert service for investigation Control of board of education over board of superintendents is weak and unsatisfactory Board's power to determine kinds of teachers' licenses is lim- ited Board Meetings Are Merely Mechanical and Perfunctory Treatment of matters in calendar is too brief to give board members adequate idea of what they are to vote on Reading of reports by secretary is not adequate to proper understanding of subject matter Printed reports are seldom prepared for members and when prepared, there is unnecessary delay 74 Defects — Continued Board not infrequently adopts resolutions of prime import- ance without having before it in writing the language of the resolution or other document pertinent to it Printed minutes are never in secretary's hands before more than 3 weeks after a meeting; members never have min- ute? of preceding meeting; no printer's composing is done till after meeting Board's action purely a perfunctory ratification of committee reports 34^ of 348 resolutions presented at six consecutive meetings adopted unanimously without discussion; another count shows 192 of 194 at five consecutive meetings Board votes on 10 to 30 resolutions as one On other occasions the board discussed only 16 out of 203 measures acted on, and was divided only on 4 Proceedings a mechanical dialog between the secretary and president, while disinterested members engage in conver- sation or retire to committee rooms A number of strong individuals mold the board at a maxi- mum of effort and a minimum of efficiency Meetings seldom begin on time School Board Committee Organization is Cumbrous and Inefficient Executive committee has failed utterly to assume the func- tions expected of it by the legislature and has become a mere interim committee for the summer months Conflict between committees has resulted in creating minia- ture boards of education within the official board There is great waste of energy, ability and money for clerks, printing etc; direct and ready action is encumbered Able men can make their influence felt only by circumlocu- tion Deference to committee recommendations traditional and prevents inquiry or challenge Committee reports in many cases fail to present the wording of bills treated A non-official organization of teachers gives a bill more care- ful consideration than the board Reports on disciplining teachers give verdict without dis- cussing evidence Reports on rejection of teachers' nominations do not state reasons Committees, assuming approval of board, complete important matters before submitting them to board for approval Defects — Continued 75 Committee on Finance Lacks Data for Estimates Efficiency of activities for which requests were made is not shown ; the only available source of data is the city super- intendent's report, the tardy publication of which limits the board to 1910-1911 statements as a basis for 1913 ap- propriations Requests for corporate stock are made without information Only 4 of 20 requests for special revenue bonds in 1910-1911 explain the purpose for which bonds were wanted Transfers from funds are requested without presentation of supporting data Estimates for enlarging a single department are not collated but are scattered under 2, 3 or 4 heads Estimates do not distinguish enlargement from innovation Estimates are passed in a perfunctory manner without inves- tigation of superintendents' estimates Changing Decisions of Committee on Sites Suggests Insuffi- cient Reasons for Requests In 3 years no request for a site has contained such data as the rate of increase of population Reports rescinding sites frequently not supported with data Recommended in May 1910 the recission of 22 site selections of which nine had bee;i made within 6 months by the very same committee Took no part in preparation of 1912-13 estimate, merely draw- ing up a list of buildings called for by the building commit- tee and not yet provided with sites Decided not to exercise discretion in making this budget but neglected to refer 44 communications re buildings to other authority Added a site merely on a member's motion without reference to board of superintendents for need and with no letters be- fore the conimittee re need for site Sites acquired but not used have involved a loss through taxes of $660,000 or more Estimates of Committee on Buildings not Supported by Census Board Claims 11 building requests constituting 25% of all elementary school buildings asked for in 1912-13 by building committee were declared undesirable by permanent census board. Of these 5 were not necessary; 2 of doubtful necessity; 2 larger than necessary ; and 2 not properly located Census board not invited by committee on buildings to co- operate until after latter's estimate had been printed 76 Defects — Continued Order of priority of buildings requested and sent to board of estimate not regarded as final and materially changed Committee is without administrative power or assistance and must accept the services of the bureau of supervisors of janitors over whose work it has no control Work performed in awarding contracts is purely perfunctory Authorization of repairs is a palpable absurdity and a waste of time and money in that the committee knows nothing of conditions and must acce])t the word of the superinten- dent Bureau of Buildings Has Only Partial Control Over Matters for Which It Is Responsible Superintendent of buildings is charged with the repair of heating and ventilating apparatus, with no control over its operation, or over choice and purchase of fuel and other operative supplies Estimates for draftsmen and inspectors are based on no ap- plied percentage to construction cost The adjustment of the bureau force to fluctuating building demands is accomplished with difficulty Present leasing procedure involving outside review and ap- proval by sinking fund commissioners is unnecessarily time- consuming Method of purchasing furniture by entering into contract for each school and by grouping different kinds of articles to- gether in one contract item prevents the department from taking full advantage of (a) direct purchase from special dealers (b) purchasing in largest possible quantity Field survey notes for repair estimates are inadequate for any- intelligent outside review as to the necessity for repairs enumerated Accounts of Bureau of School Supplies Inadequate, Tardy and at Variance with Other Reports Accounts are kept on single entry system, which is inadequate in that it permits of errors which cannot readily be located; no attempt is made to effect any control over stock pur- chased through any stock accounts Accounts maintained neither with reference to nor in harmony with general board of education accounts Financial reports are not accurate Errors are admitted in practically all accounts Bureau has no accounting officer responsible for all accounts Bureau has not supplied comptroller with salient facts Defects — Continued 77 1912 accounts not compiled until May 1913; this is earlier than customary- No supporting data for estimates show stock on hand in schools or depositories at the close of the school or fiscal year Published transactions of the supplies bureau show actual transactions only in part; general supplies expenditures amounting to $180,094 were not enumerated [year not stated] ; expenditures for fuel aggregating over $500,000 annually are not shown Transactions under general supplies fund as reported by the superintendent of supplies are at variance with facts pre- sented to the mayor in school board reports to the extent of $31,422 in 1906 to 1910 inclusive The inspection system in operation at depositories is weak in that supplies packed to be delivered are inspected by those responsible for specific supplies packed The issuing of purchase orders by boroughs now required under statutory provision entails unnecessary clerical work in that five orders are currently issued where one would suffice Committee on Supplies Works Unnecessarily Outside Its Proper Sphere Has interfered in an unwarranted manner with the auditor in the exercise of his rights [See under auditor] Performs many functions which the superintendent of supplies ought to be competent to perform, such as approving offi- cers' bills, granting routine requests for pictures, maps, and board minutes Committee on Care of Buildings Needlessly Engaged in Detail Work Supervises the operative force, but another committee [on supplies] chooses and purchases fuel, and still another [committee on buildings] is charged with installation and repair of operative plant Busies itself with petty details such as trivial complaints against janitors on which their supervisor should act; min- utes shows requests as to which door a principal should keep open, slight changes in office space, pupil keeping a motorcycle in building, use of buildings for meetings Committees Interfere with Work of Bureau Chiefs Character of business in bureau of audit requires very little committee supervision 78 Defects — Continued Committees lack impartial investigators having for investiga- tions only bureau supervisors, often under investigation Committees interfere with bureau chiefs in salary and disci- plinary matters affecting employees by reason of the fact that these matters must come up for committee considera- tion Committee on bylaws does not hold public hearings Formality, Delay and Duplicated Work Characterize the Ofhce of Overpaid School Board Secretary Indexing of minutes of school board and committees is greatly in arrears The secretary has paid little attention to improving such con- ditions Formality, as against expediency, is the characteristic pro- cedure of the office The secretary has accentuated these adverse conditions by assuming secretarial duty to all committees Neither the secretary, his assistant nor chief clerk seems to exercise much supervision over the work of committee clerks The clerk of committee on care of buildings performs admin- istrative work without reference to the executive officer of that committee Unnecessary formality, duplication of work, delay and ex- pense is entailed in the procedure of this office A central library of reports and publications both local and country-wide is lacking With respect to his prescribed duties and work assumed, the salary of the secretary is excessive Methods Employed by Bureau of Audit and Accounting De- tract from Accuracy and Value of Reports Auditor maintains no control over supplies bureau accounts reflecting transactions of approximately $2,000,000 annually Auditor should have asserted his authority more positively to remedy this serious condition Failure of auditor to effect an independent audit of supplies bureau accounts has produced undesirable conditions Information as to salary accruals has not been properly de- veloped ; both data and method of estimating salary ac- cruals are inaccurate and fundamentally misleading Department has refused to observe comptroller's requests for monthly trial balances and other statements From any i)oint of view, statistics as to expenditures for sup- plies and fuel are of little \rilue Defects — Continued 79 Trial balances of ledgers and subsidiary records are not taken off monthly, but as work requirements make possible or as occasion demands Balances of funds on hand at end of year are shown without any information as to encumbrances against same Ineffectual Board of Superintendents Hampers Educational Endeavor Is an ineffective administrative body which has outlived its usefulness It unnecessarily complicates administrative procedure Because of its form as a board it consumes time on tasks which could be done more easily and quickly by the city superintendent Board seriously limits the shaping of educational endeavor by the board of education Board has based recommendations for sites on uncertainties; in the 1912-13 estimate, 8 high schools were requested; one month later only the 8th on the list was wanted City Superintendent Has Not Used Available Information Office force is inadequate Has not made proper use of information currently developed and available His recommendations for corporate stock requests have not been reliable A large amount of time is consumed in furnishing clerical information relating to vacancies, licenses and qualifications Much of his time is unnecessarily consumed in administrative work with board members and committees Submitted 1913 corporate stock estimate to building commit- tee without supporting data ; when asked for data he fur- nished figures so inadequate that buildings committee was obliged to make a separate survey of the situation Inserted two important building items the necessity for which had escaped the original list City Superintendent's OfBce Methods Faulty Data on teachers' personal record cards and book records duplicated Book records little used and not kept up to date Efficient administration calls for statistics far more reaching in their scope than those now collected and collated Handling unimportant inquiries involves reference from one office to another Local School Boards Are Ignored There is little opportunity for local boards or parents' associations to participate in framing policies or in con- trol of curriculm RECOMMENDATIONS CLEARLY REQUIRING ADDI- TIONAL MONEY As to Business Administration Establish the ofhce of business manager to control the work now done by the auditor, superintendents of buildings and supplies and the supervisor of janitors As to City Superintendent's Office Extend statistical work to show currently conditions and results in activities throughout the system ; Employ an experienced statistician to collate and interpret educational statistics; install modern statistical machin- ery and methods as are employed in the bureau of audit; employ two additional clerks Furnish additional technical assistance to enable the super- intendent to effect thorough and scientific study before submitting building recommendations Transfer work of furnishing information on vacancies, li- censes, qualifications, etc, to the central information di- vision urged in connection with the secretary's office As to Audit Bureau Add a small inspection force including one inspector trained to investigate construction and repair claims, and one or two other competent men to supplement the inspection effected outside the auditor's jurisdiction; as field audi- tors these men could check up teachers' attendance If present organization at education headquarters is not adequate to secure data for comptroller, provide for ade- quate organization in the budget As to Supplies Bureau Secure a central supply depository with adequate accommo- dations; from evidence submitted in superintendent's memorandum and from conditions observed the need for a depository is imperative; this involves capital invest- ment intended to eft'ect economy in current expenses Provide executive assistance to superintendent of supplies As to Care of Buildings Increase executive force and double inspectorial force of office of supervisor of janitors; two additional clerks re- quired for office routine under proposed innovations As to Bureau of Investigation and Appraisal Establish a central reference and information bureau as a unit in the school board secretary's office Should pass upon the results of administration and super- vision Should conduct experimental and informative investigations for the intelligent development of the school system Borrow and apply to New York such experience of other cities as would be advantageous Report findings first to the city superintendent for review and thereafter to the school board 80 RECOMMENDATIONS NEITHER DIRECTLY ADD- ING NOR SAVING MONEY, BUT INTENDED TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY As to Estimates Place the making of recommendations for new buildings and sites on a scientific basis, utilizing the work of the permanent census bureau to the utmost As to Auditing Bureau Set up controlling accounts over stock accounts of supplies bureau Devise a scientific method of ascertaining salary accruals Extend general fund accounting information to correlate actual with estimated expenditures for a given period Establish controlling accounts and furnish schedules and other data in agreement with comptroller's requests As to Supplies Bureau Revise the present inadequate accounting methods along the line of a complete double entry accounting system to be controlled by the auditor and providing for a daily control of stock, location of responsibility, and the com- pilation of definite data in respect to supply purchase and consumption and the appraisal of the system of pur- chase inspection Formulate and adopt a uniform method of presenting esti- mates meeting the requirement of the board of estimate Inaugurate an independent inspection of supplies issued Conduct efficiency studies on purchase of supplies As to Building Bureau Relieve bureau of its engineering functions and establish a bureau of engineering Institute a percentage method of estimating cost of drafts- men and inspectors Publish percentage records of operations and bureau cost as a means for review as to work and efficiency Provide a lump sum contingent fund for temporary drafts- men and inspectors to avoid outside formal procedure to secure emergency help Establish a system of time and cost records to determine adequacy of inspection work As to Secretary's Office Print minutes in time for adoption of next meeting Use titles in minutes to facilitate reference Publish minutes semi-anually, promptly at termination of such period Transfer secretarial work of committees from the secre- tary's office to the bureaus and offices supervised by committees Transfer the several committee clerks, now in the secre- tary's office to the various administrative units to which their work relates 81 82 Recommendations — Continued As to Budget Estimates It niav be expedient to give the board of education power to purchase sites without the comptroller's consent, de- spite the board's record Accounts of general fund expenditures should be extended to show a — All expenditures classified under budgetory esti- mate item numbers b — All expenditures in terms of "teaching service ren- dered" in addition to cost thereof, such teaching service representing number of teachers pro rata, to actual days' service rendered It would not be safe to decentralize the financial control of the schools It is necessary that demands for educational expansion be weighed by some independent body Growing demand for wider use of schools for civic and recreational purposes makes advisable the concentration of financial control and responsibility in the board of estimate Board of estimate should segregate school budget only to determine large questions of policy As to School Board Accounts Board of education accounts should be made to conform to those of other city departments Board of education claims not in form for finance depart- ment certification sliould not be passed As to Executive Committee Under present organization the executive committee should resume the functions contemplated by the charter RECOMMENDATIONS INTENDED TO SAVE MONEY Exempt contractors from building delays only for legal cause -I Department should exercise its right in executing leases so as to avoid delays Adopt open contract basis for purchase of furniture and equipment Elaborate field survey notes for repair estimates and make them a matter of permanent record Maintain under the supervision of janitors fuel heat and service records As to Board of Education Create an internal committee in board of education on economy and efficiency to review methods, materials and usage thereof Avoid formal correspondence with interdepartmental bureaus and offices where reference would suffice RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRING STATE LEGIS- LATION As to Duties of Board of Education Amend charter so as to relieve both board and executive committee from administrative work As to Size of Board Amend charter by providing that the board of education shall consist of 8 members, three appointed by the mayor for the city at large with three votes each ; five appointed by respective borough presidents, the Manhattan and Brooklyn members to have two votes, the others one vote One-fourth of the membership of board to retire each year As to Board of Superintendents Abolish the board of superintendents by charter amend- ment and make its members assistants to the city super- intendent As to Supply Bureau Amend charter to allow purchasing of supplies for entire city instead of by boroughs As to Administrative Agents Existing bylaws regarding administrative agents should be repealed, and plenary power to administer schools lodged in the school board as now accorded the board of estimate to administer city aflfairs A short, simple school charter should endow the board of education with practically all authority over administra- tion and policy, subject to financial control of the board of estimate As to Local School Boards Board of education should develop local school boards by devolution of some of its authority to local administra- tive agencies The form of local school boards should not be provided by state laws, but left to the board of education As to Supervisors and Teachers Powers of teachers, principals, district superintendents, should be determined by the bylaws of the board of education [not by state laws] to awaken talent now dormant As to Budget Segregation If board of education furnishes comptroller with data as de- sired, financial authorities should not continue detailed budget segregation INDEX PAGE Absence of board members 70 Accounts 71, 76, 77, 78, 81, 82 Accruals See salary, 72, 78, 81 Administrative procedure. ... 72, 79 Associate superintendents. See board of sup'ts Audit of supplies 78 Auditor 70, 77, 78 Board of education, accounts 71, 76, 82 attendance 70 by-laws 72 calendar 73 meetings 74 members 73 organization 72 printed minutes 70, 74 printed reports 73 reading of reports 73 size 72, 83 state policy 71 Board of estimate 70, 71, 72, 81, 82, 83 Board of superintendents. .. .79, 83 Budget estimates 82 Building recommendations. 76, 80, 81 Bureau of audit. . . .70, 77, 78, 80, 81 Bureau of buildings 76, 81 Bureau of engineering 81 Bureau of investigation and appraisal 80 Bureau of school supplies. . .76, 78, 80, 81, 83 Business administration 83 Business manager 80 By-lav(^s 72, 83 Census board 75 Charter 71, 72, 83 Clerical work 77, 79. 80 Committee clerks 78, 81 Committee interference 77 Committee on buildings, 75, 76, 77, 79 Committee on by-laws 78 Committee on care of buildings. 77 Committee on economy and efficiency 82 Committee on sites 75 Committee on supplies 77 Committee system 74 Comptroller 71, 72, 76, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83 Contracts 76, 82 Corporate stock 75, 79 Cost records 81 Curriculum 79 Depository — supply 77, 80 District superintendents 83 Dormant talent 83 Double entry accounts 81 Draftsmen 81 PAGE Emergency help 81 Engineering bureau 81 Estimates 72. 75, 76, 77, 78, 81 Executive committee 74 Experience of other cities 80 Finance committee 75 Fuel 78, 82 Furniture 76 Index of board minutes 78 Information 71, 79, 80, 81 Inspection 77, 80, 81 Investigation 73, 78 Investigation and appraisal bureau Leases 76, 82 Legal decisions 71 Library 78 Local school boards 79, 83 Meetings — school board 73, 74 Membership of school board. . . .83 Minutes — school board... 70, 78, 81 New teachers 72 Parents' associations 79 Policy of school board... 72, 79, 82 Principals 83 Priority of buildings requested. .76 Purchase of supplies 81, 83 Purchasing furniture 76 Recommendations. . . .80, 81, 82, 83 Records 79 Repairs 76, 80 Resolutions, action on 74 Responsibility 72, 73, 77, 81, 82 Revenue bonds Routine work 72, 73 Salary accruals 72, 78, 81 School board accounts School policies 72, 79, 82 Secretary — school board 78 Segregation — budget 70, 82, 83 Single entry accounts Sites 75, 79, 81, 82 Special revenue bonds 75 Statistics 78, 79, 80 Stock — supplies 77, 81 Superintendent of buildings 76 Superintendent of schools. . .79, 80 Superintendent of supplies, 70, 77, 80 Supplies. . .70, 76, 77. 78. 80, 81, 83 Supervisor of janitors 80 Teachers 72, 80, 83 Time records 81 Transfer of finds 75 Trial balances 79 INDEX OF TOPICS AND INVESTIGATORS Absence 3, 19, 26, 30, 81 Administration, elementary, 17, 23, 33, 46, 49, 51, 52, 59; high school, 10, 36, 47, 56 Age-grade reports See overage Annexes See organization Arithmetic 22, 33. 34, 52, 56. 62 Armstrong. 12,43-45, 49, 50, 59, 60, 62 Assoc. supt's..See superintendents Attendance 3, 11, 30, 53, 55, 61 Averill 18, 48, 50, 58, 65 Bachman. . .8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24-30, 46, 49, 53, 54, 60, 61, 65 Ballou. . . .10, 35-38, 47, 49, 56, 57, 62 Board of education 1, 3, 66, 67 Board of estimate 4, 64 Board of supt's . See superintendents Budget. ..7, 10, 29, 31, 38, 54, 57, 64 Buildings 12, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 59, 60, 62 Bureau of Municipal Research. 64, 67 Burks 11, 30-31, 55, 61 City sup't See superintendents Classroom instruction . See teachers Clerical assistance. . .17, 18, 23, 36, 37, 46, 47, 50, 58 Commercial education. . .10, 34, 40, . . 47, 50, 62 Composition See gram.mar Compulsory See attendance Continuation school 48 Cooking See special branches Corporal punishment. See discipline Course of study, elementary, 9, 21, 24, 29, 49, 51, 54, 61; high school, 10, 38, 47, 57, 62 Courtis 33-35, 56, 62 Curriculum See course of study Davis ; 10, 38-39, 47, 57, 62 Discipline 20, 46, 51 District sup't... See superintendent Drawing See special branches Drinking cups See buildings Elementary See teachers, etc Elimination See promotion Elliott. 8, 9, 13-17, 46, 49, 50, 51, 60, 61 Ettinger plan 27, 54 Estimating teachers. .. .See budget Ettinger plan 27, 54 Evening Sun 65 Examiners . . 8, 13, 17, 24, 50, 51, 52, 60 Feeble-minded. .10, 32, 46, 49, 56, 60 Fire precautions See buildings Forced promotions. See promotion Geography 22 Globe, New York 64, 65 Goddard 10, 32, 46, 49, 56, 60 Grammar 9, 21 Gymnasiums 58 Hanus 7, 62, 65 Heating See buildings High schools See teachers, etc Hygiene 23 Instruction See teachers Intermediate schools.. 12, 49, 54, 61 Investigation 15, 46, 61 Janitors See buildings Kindergarten 9, 20, 21 Large classes See organization Licenses See examiners Literature See reading l^ocal school boards 19 McMurry . 8, 9, 19-24, 46, 49, 51, 52, 61 Method of inquiry 7 Music ■.22, '52 Nature study 9, 22, 52 IMight schools 11 41 42 Non-promotion See promotion Organization, elementary 26, 43 high school, 10, 35, 37, 47, 49, 56 Overage 9, 24, 26, 53, 61 Parental school H, 20, 48, 51 Part time 11, 25, 27,35, 45 Permanent census board 41, 53 Physical training 22 Principals.. 8, 14, 17, 20, 23, 33,"37, r. . 51, 52, 65 Promotion.. .8, 11, 24-29, 46, 49, 53, 60, 61 ; of teachers, see examiners Public Education Ass'n 67 Rating of teachers. .See examiners Reading 9,21, 52 Recommendations 18, 19, 53 Records 10, 18, 30, 33, 53 Repairs See buildings Salaries See principal, teacher Sanitation See buildings Schneider.il, 41-42, 48, 50, 58, 60, 62 School inquiry committee. See board of estimate Sections See organization Shop work See special branches Sites See buildings Special branches. 9, 17, 22, 46, 49, 51 Spelling 9, 21, 52 Superintendent. . .city, 8, 18, 28, 66; associate, 16, 15, 37, 46, 48, 50, 58, 60, 61, 68; district, 16, 51, €6 Superior merit 14 Supervision See administration Syllabus. See course of study Teachers, elementary.9, 13, 14, lfi-10, 51, 65; high school, 35, 36, 62 Thompson 10, 40, 47, 58, 62 Trade training.ll, 41, 48, 50, 58, 60,62 Truancy See attendance Ungraded classes. See feeble-minded, promo- tion, overage Ventilation See buildings Vocational guidance 40 Winslow-Baskerville 12, 45, 60 BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH January 1st, 1906 Organized as "Bureau of City Betterment" May 3rd, 1907 Incorporated as "Bureau of Municipal Research" PURPOSES To promote eflScient and economical mnnicipal government ; to promote the adoption of scientific methods of accounting and of reporting the details of municipal business, with a view tofacilitating the work of public officials; to secure constructive publicity' in matters pertaining to municipal prob- lems; to collect, to clarify, to analyze, to correlate, to interpret and to publish facts as to the administration of municipal government. (Articles of incorporation) Helpful Publications for School Workers (Postage prepaid) ivies aud Health, W. H. Allen - - - $1.48 Woman's Part in Government, W. H. Allen - 1.62 New City Government, Henry BruEre - - 1.66 Organized Democracy, F. A. Cleveland - - 2.66 Helping School Children, Elsa Denison - - - 1.40 Conditions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin .14 School Reports and School Efficiency, Snedden and Allen 1.11 Outside Cooperation with the Public Schools of Greater New York - .28 A Report on the Division of Child Hygiene (l91l) - .28 School Progress and School Facts (1909) - - .29 School Stories : A Topical Guide to Education Here and Now (Illustrated; abridged) .... _o7 Help- Your- School Sur\''eys (Waterburj' and St. Paul) .15 School Inquiry Follow-up Cards Series of 22 bulletins on the New York school inquiry, Wiscon- sin state survey, etc., issued 1912-1913 Classroom instruction card for teachers and supervisors, 10 for 10c; 50 for 40c; 100 for 75c St. Louis and Philadelphia Follow-up Cards Series of 20 bulletins giving in condensed form some "high-spots" from the N. E. A. meetings of the division of superintendence BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH 261 Broadway, New York UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-25m-9,'47(A5618)444 LA 339 Bureau of munic- N4B8d ipal research, New York - A digest of the New York school inquiry. i LA 339 N4B8d AA UUUb3ijZ44 7 :!St^5Si!H?.v:;.:t; !;^j!S??