• U.S.

Education: Whirlwind

3 minute read
TIME

Lincoln Steffens once called Boston the most corrupt city in the U. S. During the past eight years the Boston political machine ruled State as well as city. Last week Massachusetts’ new Governor, cowcatcher-chinned Leverett Saltonstall, began the Augean task of purging Massachusetts of corruption. First pile into which he plunged his shovel was the State Education Department.

State Commissioner of Education is balloon-chinned James G. Reardon, 37. In 1935 he was superintendent of schools in Adams, Mass. (pop. 12,697). Then famed old Education Commissioner Payson Smith, who had served with distinction for 18 years, was ousted after he had refused to give jobs to friends of newly-elected Governor James Michael Curley. Governor Curley asked Louis Joseph Gallagher, president of Boston College (Roman Catholic) to suggest a bright young Catholic for Commissioner. Dr. Gallagher chose Mr. Reardon, who had twice flunked State examinations for a superintendent’s license.

Massachusetts’ educators and press and the National Education Association howled. This did not disturb Mr. Reardon, who proceeded to replace Dr. Smith’s expert staff with “homebred” applicants. He sneered at Harvard professors, fought a bill to raise the compulsory school age to 16, championed a teachers’ oath law. His critics fell silent, waited for a whirlwind. Last week it appeared that a hurricane would be Mr. Reardon’s undoing.

In the path of the hurricane that swept New England last fall were, among other things, several State teachers’ colleges of which Mr. Reardon has charge. To repair the damage to them, it was estimated by the Education Department’s business agent, one George H. Varney, would cost $16,500. When contracts for hurricane repair work, signed by Mr. Reardon, reached $410,232, the Massachusetts Federation of Taxpayers Association decided to investigate. What the federation discovered caused Attorney General Paul Dever to investigate and stop payment on most of the contracts and Governor Saltonstall last fortnight to demand Mr. Reardon’s resignation. His charge: “You are incompetent and unfit.”

To the State House for a hearing before the Governor last week went Mr. Reardon and his attorney.

One day last fall, said he, Governor Charles Francis Hurley told him: “You’re not an expert. . . . Mr. Varney is not an expert. We need a man to take charge of this.” Selected to “take charge” was Architect Edward T. P. Graham, who had previously done work for Boston politicians. Month later, said Commissioner Reardon, Governor Hurley telephoned him: “Mr. Graham is on his way to your office with the contracts. You stay there and sign them.”

Massachusetts citizens began to speculate on Mr. Reardon’s likely successor.

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