New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-26
Admissions into the Free Academy-The fuo-
lie schools.

| hey ond reasonable doubt.
Admissions into the Free Academy-The Pub
lie schools.
To The Ediors u The Tribune
Ihave repeatedly been grauned with your ludicious
advocacy Of the progress Of General Education Ou'
hin. Under the impression that unjust differences may
be drawn from portions OF your sraeie IN TO-DAY
,.ner under the head Of The Free Academy" such
mart. particularly as relate the Common Schools Of
hi. civ. permit me to submit few thoughts hastily
/ thrown together upon the subject
While heartily agree with you that mere elaPtraP
.bous or cu,.snd-dred Exhibitions real test OF
the merit. Of such institutions, yet allow me to correct
tho i3ea advanced On substaDceJ " that the late TX
animation oi Candidates for the Free Academy proves
| I'D ,-t conclusiv.y that ont ~ Al Common schools
there are only - pupils qualified for admission tnere
Now gentlemen, every teacher knows 81 oo-ef'hA'
examiners Of these schools must be aware that scarce
IL half of thos. VINO really qualified ever desVe
fnucn less apply for admission into mat institution
the uecunary condition Of their parents. or their own
inclination 10 mercantile mechanical pursuits satls
hes tls large portion and their parents with good
sound English education, such ~ they can Obtain In
! well conducted Common school Ano theh again, o.
those who have desired 10 pursue their studies su
higher in that noble Institution which has hitherto
been dcsideratum in our cry, ~ must not De 10Y
gotten that l43 were admitted only last February al
lowing about months land one or two OF these sadly
broken into by the bot weather and the prevailing cpl
/ der or enter
strange that the number Of admissions Al me late
| Examination should be comparatively smslf bspeci
ally when We bear IN mind that II Is expected the Prn
cps ,ha not couine his attention ercisfrfy 70 the
ore parao q candidates but il 10 have close super
! Vision over the whole school, and 10 make a" the
! boys learn.
l. il lust then in view Of the foregoing, TO Judge OF
| the character or condition Of any particular schoo
from its number Of admissions into the Free Academy
when perhaps many may have the credit oil part
thereof simply by a late change OF residence on me
~ a. aNaan 10 "a
conclusion that because class of some - or ~ boys
appear to have been well instructed, the remaining o.
visions of the school IL the aggregate ID many cases
numbering 200 or JJOi are equa'y wen a'IeHueu ~ OF"
! N 4de to learn 2
Would any one venture to give a positive opinion OF
| a man.on when be had only seen the cornice tnereo
Or o the sp,ndor Of church edhce when perhaps ne
had merely seen the spre Neither would II be- just
10 make the small number Of pupils that any particular
school may send said Institution the s0N criterion oil
il. merit without taking into consideration its Ocaty
the pecunisry circumstances Of the majority oil the
parents pupils and the bent that perhaps most OF
/ them may have toward some mercantile or mechah'c'i
| en- ployment
Inaye penned the foregoing. gentlemen. not in any
fault finding spirit, being only anxious that just ana
/ true views may obtain this subject OF Admissions
''' ''' Yours. &c SUBSCRIBER
NEw.YoRK, Wednesday, July Is.
! - The suggestions Of A Subscriber that many
pupils in the Public Schools who are qualified to enter
the Free Academy do not apply Tor nor desire admis
sion 10 that Insi,uton are iorcble but the point Of
his talk about "inclnations for mercantile or meehan
icAl pursuits being satisfied with good sound Eng
high education, such be obtained in well con
Quoted Common School" the Principal not being ex.
pected 10 confne his attention exclusively TO the pre-
paration of candidates for the Free Academy &c is
not 50 clear II rightly comprehend the require
nemts of candidate for admission into the Free Aead
envy they proficiency in the various branches OF
i'll A sub
scriber" seems to think would be sufficient for Mer
chant or Mechanic and such he assumes as may be
obtained in a w,lregulated Public School. Then why
talk of the Principal of Public School devotng him
self exclusively to the preparation OF csndidates As
though different OF training from the one ordi
narHy pursued provided always that the ordinary
course he an efficient one were necessary acquire
good English education. OF course every day spent
at Public School should be devoted to fitting the
pupil for the Free Academy regardless Of the question
whether il may be the boys intention TO enter the
Counting House or the High School the next m onih.
We have also a communication from "A Teacher re
marking the statement in regard to the large
proportion OF boys that found on examination
not to be qualified for admission 10 the Free Academy
says chose unacquanted with the facts mi ght
suppose that tie whole business # Offering candidates
for admission to the Free Academy, or keeping them
back rested with the Teachers that the boys them-
selves and their parents took decided part In the
matter but lust acted the Teachers wished and sd
vised Now the fact know is that in a great many
cases the pupils went forward 20 the Examination in
direct opposition 10 the advice of the teachers. The
teachers required, not allowed 10 exercise
any control over any application for admission they
merely certify that pupil hes spent me 'l1s required
by law IN their school, they say nothing Of her atd1
mats Most teachers have sense enough 10 know when
a boy is sufficiently prepared though they sometimes
make mistakes Aregard for his own credit VIII usual
Is induce teacher keep boy with him as long AS
he rather than send away promising student who
mi CHI do him credit, unprepared.
Our remarks have called out the following In I'D
dition to the communication Of A Subscriber and
Teacher
| To fls Editor of The Tribune JrKY IS. lsi9.
Your IN this days paper regarding the sys
tenn of Education pursued IN our Common schools are
not less appropriate than scrupuously just Compe
tcncy ana merit are not aroys the controlling consd
CREATIONS the appointment OF Teachers VINO should be
capacitaed to iupUf instruction well as possess In
telleciual requirements and pateTnsl morality. lew
days ago, upon taking up the copy-0ook OF child
about ten advanced IN writing his copies, an
fhs saohs hand horufng) commenced with the word ac
i4efau0n anu ended with IrOc0l yrium-wOrds OF the
meaning Of which he (the child had not the most dis
iant idea No wonder, sir that they are dddte-heGds
Having opportunity OF seeing some " great big
BOYS and girls who prided themselves and their pa
/ rents upon their knowledge OF English grammar, sc, !
arithmetic sc acquired IN the Common schools, but
t-ncc which thus dclGied. Did You see person
plfe apple par with pair OF scissors When,
Sir viii the children be made 10 ioIruf
Yours. sc. l. T. A.
The Late ID avid B.Ogden.