20 Report of the President 



to its people such free educational opportunities, on the 

 whole so well conducted, so orderly, so influential. 



Thoroughly democratic in operation, these institutions 

 are open at all times, with only reasonable restrictions, to 

 people of all classes — they are planned on a scale com- 

 mensurate with a city destined to be the leading city of the 

 world. This is the bright side of our educational system, 

 namely, the opportunity which the City now offers, and its 

 appreciation by the people. 



The undeveloped side is, first, that in none of these institu- 

 tions is the connection with the schools as close or as 

 penetrating as it should be; second, that all these institu- 

 tions are short of funds to build, equip and maintain them- 

 selves, and to pay adequate salaries to teachers who are 

 devoting their lives to them. We regard curators and 

 librarians as educators no less important than the teachers 

 in our schools. The physical condition of many of our 

 schools is disgraceful. It is a question whether the bad 

 example of crowded and unsanitary surroundings does not 

 in many schools offset the zeal and earnestness of the 

 teachers. 



A SEPARATE SCHOOL TAX NECESSARY 



In round numbers it costs twice as much to build schools 

 and other educational buildings; it costs twice as much to 



equip and to maintain them ; it costs twice as 

 Cost of much to properly pay the teachers as it did 



ten years ago. This is a situation which must 

 be met sooner or later by doubling both the expenditures 

 and the revenues devoted to education. Where is this 

 money to be found : twice the money which has been ex- 

 pended hitherto? In our opinion this should not be found 

 by placing a heavier burden solely on the existing tax- 

 payers, which, under our present system, constitute only 

 one-tenth of our entire population 1 . This is an aristo- 



1 In 1919 there were 578,043 taxpayers in the City of New York, out of a 

 total estimated population of 6,740,000. 



