The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-02

this body have had some effect, at least in
rousing them to a sense Of their duty, although
1t would seem their eyes are not yet fully opened,
or else that the election for school commission
ers and ward officers having passed, and the
dangers consequent upon a reelection passe
with it, they have stopped short in their career
OF reform.
Soon after the appearance of our last article,
in which we threw out some suggestions in re-
gard to the mode of making appropriations for
the purchase of sites for school houses, and for
their erection, resolution passed the board, d.
recting the Committee on Buildings and Re-
pairs TO report a general and uniform plan for
the erection of school houses to be thereafter
authorized by the board. On the 18th of March
the committee made their report, from which
We extract the following paragraph
"Your committee are Of opinion that in all epplica.
lions for tho establisbnsut Of schools 10 the duty
of the ward ecers to state all tho facts tending to
the necessity end expectancy Of establishing such
schools and In order that the Board Of Education
be enabled to decide correctly upon the application the
ard officers should state whether they desire organ
lots and erecting budipg and BY the latter mode
the to purchase lots and such estimated
additional win no required for the erection Of
the building. The Board having information those
points, will be enabled to determine upon the expe-
diency and necessity Of granting the application"
1t will be seen by this extract, and by reference
to our article, that the committee have adopted
our suggestion, both literally and in spirit; but
from what occurred at the last meeting upon
the presentation of the report, it appears the
board are not disposed to carry out the views of
the committee ;upon that occasion, after feeble
effort made by one or two members to sustain
the report, it was laid on the table-the majority
declaring that ward officers ought not to be tram
melted in making applications for grants of pub
lie money for school purposes. Ward officers,
said they, are the best judges of the necessities
and wants of their respective wards, and should
be allowed the free exercise of discretionary
power in the erection of school-houses, and the or
ganizaton of schools, without the interference of
the board. Granting that they are the best judges
of the wants and wishes of their constituents;
does 1t follow that men will always be found
to act in accordance with an honest judgment
and a sound discretion, with such temptations +?
We think not although we do not mean to I'm
pute to any of the present ward officers the slight
est deviation from rectitude In their dealings
with the public money; we only question the
the soundness of the principle adopted by the
board in abandoning that conservative control
with which the law invests them over ward in
spectors and trustees. Does 1t never occur to
to those gentlemen that ward officers, in time to
come, might have some bosom friend, some hum.
Bile dependent, to whom they might wish to ex
tend their patronage at the public expense2 Such
things have happened before, and are likely te
happen again and therefore we desire that the
Board of Education, instead of abandoning theil
supervisory power should rigidly exercise it by
requiring from trustees and inspectors an accurate
and wel-authe nticated statement of facts and cir
cumstances in support Of their applications The
over.taxed inhabitants of this city not only ex
pect, but require it the members of the board
are legally bound to do SO at all events, they
are amehable to public opinion for any neglec
of duty or abuse of this power.
If the views of the committee, as shadow ed
forth in the report, were adopted, it would not, al
heretofore, be matter of course for ward officers
to come to the board for appropriations and &c
them, without any questions being asked. APP
plicstlons for the establishment of new schools
should, then, be accompanied with statement o
facts, showing the necessity for their establish
ment, that the board might decide understand
ingly on their merits; moreover, the applicants
would be confined to such grant as would ther
be made and from the necessity of tho case
economy
Under these circumstances we would sugges
to some Of the members to call up this repor
again, and urge upon the board its acceptance
1t occurs to US that it would be an excellent an
udicous rule, if adopted, not only for the present
but all future boards 1t would be wholesom
check on the extravaganza of ward officers
They could not, as they now do, return to tn
charge second and third time, under one sill.
prstext- or another, for additional grants.
would oblige them to husband their resources
to square their contracts with their means. Il
a word, it would act as complete Safeguard
to the public purse
Our RELATIONS WITH MKxIoo.-The last &C
counts from Mexico are unfavorable for tn
ratification of the treaty. We think it highl
probable that no treaty will be confirmed b
Mexico during the present summer, and perhap
not until after our November election. We hav