No Soap

Investigators last week told New York City that its public-school system needed a thorough cleaning up. For one thing, there were "no soap, no towels, no hot water" for 884,300 pupils. But the investigators also said no soap to the system's whole administrative structure. To the city they suggested bargain possibilities : improved schools at a saving of more than $52,000,000 (over five years).

Since 1940 State Senator Frederic R. Coudert's Legislative Subcommittee has been chiefly noted for its efforts to wash out leftish teachers (TIME, Dec. 16, 1940; March 31, 1941). But in its new report the Committee advocated several left-of-center measures, wound up by citing Britain's welfare planner Sir William Beveridge: to get maximum war effort from citizens, make them feel that the Government is planning "a better world" now.

The Committee's most striking suggestion: turn the school administration over to a one-man Superintendent, limit the Board of Education to policy making. To save money the Committee would retire teachers over 65, cut classroom hours in high schools to levels accepted in other cities, reorganize purchasing, improve accounting, economize on heat and power, rebind old textbooks, set up a typewriter repair shop. Out would go the "venerable but vicious system" whereby most school janitors operate on contract, some earn more than $11,000 annually by "subcontracting" and exploiting janitorial helpers.

To check rising delinquency (TIME, Dec. 14) the Committee urged smaller classes, supervised creative work, recreation, individual guidance.

Who Buys What? One Committee proposal was attacked by the Board of Education, Board of School Superintendents and teacher organizations: to put the purchase of supplies in the hands of the City Department of Purchase. The attackers feared that a purchasing agent outside the school system might bring it under political control.

In general the Committee report was well received by New York City educators. Said Legislative Representative Abraham Lefkowitz of the Teachers Guild, who is also Samuel Tilden High School's Principal: "The report contains many admirable recommendations. If they could be enforced and all that money saved, it would be a miracle. There is danger that unjustified optimism may lead the Legislature to cut State aid to schools." The Legislature now has an opportunity to act on the Committee recommendations.

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