The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-04-07

The COMMON School SYrxx.-A number Of
petitions sent from various counties in our
State, have lately been to Albany, praying tor
reform in the present common school sys-
TEN. These petitions were referred by the
Assembly to select committee, who, after
having examined the subect matter of the petitions,
have presented long and elaborate report upon the
subject.
The petitions represent that
The laws Of this State for the purpose Of education
and the diffusion of knowledge defective and com
pick, almost beyond the comprehension OF those who
are bound BY pains and penalties to administer them -
and ask that they may be modified and made a. sim
and comprehensive as practicable.
be consolidated and their entire revenue applied 10 the
encouragement and support Of common schools. and
distributed pro upon ell the chilirsn in the state
3d. That the act creating the Normal School bs re.
pealed and that institution abolished.
an That the ONCE Of county superintendent be abo
5th That the appropriation for the publication Of the
a district school journal" be discontinued
oth That the powers Of the Office of State 6uperin
tsndent Be abridged, and explicitly defined.
The Committee, in examining into these topics,
begins with an inquiry into the question, What is
Education 7" And after few paragraphs, they ar
rive at the definition that Education swhat those
should have In view who attempt to write or legis.
late upon this great subject" Such is the Com
mittee's definition Of education, and the Commit
tee gravely declare that this is definition Of edu.
cation" they affirm, in the proper sense Of the
word In the broad and full acceptation Of the term
intellectual and moral, including all that is neces-
sary to the formation Of truly manly and virtuous
characer-a that is necessary to dispense the dark
in which the venal the ambitious, the design
~ IL - 4 n -
necessary to constitute the character of freeman"
This is strong praise of the definition, while the
definition itself, though put forth by Committee
on Education, seems not quite so comprehensive
as it Is here alleged TO be; indeed one feels at loss
to understand what it defines, or even what it
means. II education is q something which certain
persons should have in view, it were very desirable
to know what that something is. This, however,
the Committee have passed over, SUB slentio and
as this definition of education comes from the col
lective wisdom OF the State, in answer to the So
lemn inquiry, "What is education 7" we must
take it to be Gas the Committee indeed say it s) the
broadcast and fullest and best definition that has
ever yet been given to the word.
The Committee, after this, 60 on to show what
wretched, miserable education our ancestors re-.
ceived under their collegiate and academical system
of education, and this is shown by single quota.
ton from writer whom the Committee call can
able American wnter"-the very sentences OF
whom, which the Committee have quoted, being
mere bombast and idle verbiage, are enough, of
themselves to show that he is not, at all events,
can able writer" Enough is shown in the dif1use
enquiry of the Committee, to convince every SEN
sible man that Of all bad systems of education, the
New York State system is the worst. the most
inefficient, the most complex and dangerous
system that human art and folly could ever have
invented The Committee comes to this conclu-
sion; and asks "What confidence can the people
have any longer in system which, after trial Of
forty years, has proved wholly ineffectual"
The Committee conclude their turgid report and
enquiries, ''ds omnibus rsbus ct qwbudam alus,"
with the following preamble and resolutions
And whereas, after trial of forty years. at an az.
pen:e to the people Of this State Of more than
400 900 dollars Rev. Dr. Potter, from committee ap-
reported that "The principal evil connected with our
present means of training teachers s that they contr
mon thus showing beyond or o.V ha
they had ever been an unmitgated curse to com.
mon schools.
Resolved, That the common school system Of this
State has been weighed in the balance Of public opin
Resolved, That the revenues Of all the educational
funds of this State ought to be applied support Of
common schools, and that moro money ought to BIO
given to any college academy in the State Of New
York.
Resolved That the act Of May 7th 1884, creating the
State Normal School, ought to be forthwith repealed
the officers principal professors and teachers in that in
stitution Discharged and the pupils permitted to return
to the homes of their parents.
Resolved That the Office Of county superintendent Of
common schools ought to be Immediately abeliahed.
Resolved That the law spproprating - 500 for the
pub caon of the District School Journa" ought to be
imms diately repealed.
Resolved That the request Of the petitioners that the
laws relating to common schools in this State be mod
practicable just and righteous request and ought to
be granted without delay.