New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-02-09
The Free Acsaemy-Iu Care, Government
and MauaGemeuf.v

The Free AcrdeWy-Ifs =" are, GoyerDreBi
and Management"
Oar structures On the Free Academy have had
the effect Of drawing the attention OF many prsctt
cal men 10 the subject Of Us management Several
persons have called on rs and others have written
- US. approving our views and from what we can
learn, there Is probability that the next election
u the Executive Committee vii indicate that
many members OF the Board Of Edrcaton think
some material changes IN the administration Of the
affairs Of the Free Academy 10 be needed.
We have received number Of Communications
rejecting On our remarks, from the a5iest n
which We extract below all the essential point.
adding on each few words Of our own. II
70 far, however. that the readers Of The Tn
bae should know that the writer IS specially
Interested party, end rightly considers himself,
u an extent, responsible for whatever Of ms
management there may be Of the affairs Of the
Free Academy. Our correspondent says
mo SUDDEN Is either Obliged or advised by he Board,
he Executive Committee the Professors 70 study GreeE
and Latin either Of them Entire freedom Is allowed 20
privilege direct .er children 70 study any Of theee
suages ancient or modem, or To omit eli Of them.
There IS not what may be termed an English
course Of studies in the Free Academy, AS in the
High Schools o. Boston and Philadelphia therefore
the student has not 70 choose between an ancient
modern language course and proper English
course, but between a language course and such
fragments Of English studies as are attended to
oy those studying the langus ges-such as an exer
else in composition once in three weeks. SC Pa
ents have, in many cases-conhding in the pract
cal wisdom Of the managers of the institr
non, 0r lacking the time or capacity, they
think to Judge tor themselves-told the chi.
sren D. consult DR. Webster the Principal
D. Webster has in all such cases, as he him
self says. inr0riobi2 recommended the boys 70
study the ancient languages. This gentleman
knows well the occupations Of the parents Of these
boys and has every available means Of judging Of
their probable future career Yet he does advise
them TO study what he knows they can get along
without, before they know what is in a measure il
disPensable to their success and comfort in any de-
par,ment in life The Executive Committee
some Of them At least--the Principal and some of
the Faculty know that this il so-that tits possible
and quite easy to get on, except only a teacher
OF the dead languages withouta knowledge Of Lat
10 and Greek. They aware that men who DO
not know very much OF either of these languages are
thought by the community to possess the requisite
degree Of intelligence TOR experimenting the ed1cn
tonal affairs ct the city, and they know that the
services of man as the Principal Of institution
of'camins are sometimes considered valuable, q
though be may not understand Greek. We ven
ture 10 say that our correspondent himself wouid
not lose much by the bargain, II he were TO eN
L - L 1 ~. L -
capacity 10 use French and German professionally
When ihe French Professor deems his compensation
insult cni be viii doubtless intimate the TACT 70 the Boar
Unu. that !. dons there would be for
third persons 10 complain u.si 10 IL too small
The Press claims and exercises when il thinks pr
per the privilege Of discussing the propuety ofir
crcasing decreasing equalizng the salaries Of pub
c servants aud is often uncouteous 10 dothis
and much more without the advice or consent, and
even against the wishes Of parties interested. We
said, and say still. that the French teacher and
the Latin teacher should be placed at leas; on the
same footing If the Frenchmsn is very wei
treated treat the Roman in the same manner.
The reason why none have studied Spanish or German
We; thar Of hose who have entered have desired
10 DO go"
We grant that many may not have desired to
study German and Spsnish-a few certainly have.
The reason Of there being so few is quite simple
No posture attempt has been made by the commit
tee TO introduce either Of those languages In thei
report to the Board OF Education, more than year
ago they cavaherly remarked, 1t may be found
necessary to furnish instruction in German not q
word uore-while in the same report, the ancient
languages quite revercntialy referred to, Ia
several places and once As follows
deemed best TO appoint the chair Of Ancient Lsr-
guages distinguished and able man IN order to exhibit
the strength othe department aud the character Of the In
sirucuon 70 be given 10 III
Every subsequent act Of the Committee has con
formed to the same spirit 1t IS not then strange
that the teachers and scholars should catch 1t ~
The consequence is that the fact Of there being al,
German or Spanish teacher at all has come TO be
regarded by every one as pleasant fiction When
a student enters he sees no German or SPANS b
teacher or scholars, and if he says anything about
learning those languages he is told that they vii
be taught by and by, when the scholars understard
Latin better. SO he IONS some one Of the other
departments. in hopes Of learning German ard
Spanish in the last year 81 the regular course, If he
stays long enough Our correspondent confines
"lf the existence Of all these fscine. and the endencios
Of such institution desi aee then the Free Aoade
II
cious results thas far challenges the continuing conh
dcnce and favor OF the people Fortunately is Win
them &. yet justly an object Of pride and favor"
We fear that our correspondent sadly mistakes
the people on this question if he THINKS that few
words borrowed for the occasion and warranted
not 10 mean anything or to moan everything will
make them think that the Free Academy is prop
ery administered They will, If we mistake not
want TO know what he means by suspicious re-
suits Perhaps he refers 20 the fact that one
fourth Of all who entered the institution at rs open
ing not quite yesr ago, have left IT, fully charged
with Latin and Greek but deficient IN that Prscti-
cal knowledge which in their present vacations
would be Of service to them. He says further
Those who hsve been 10 the Academy v-sr v.
now commence the study Of Chemistry under hghy tavof
sbe opportunities for improvement They could have
commenced earlier with much comparative Advantage %
themselves | understand that the Executive Commute
have already Determined upon The early Introduction 90
me study OF Book keePins
No student should be required to remain year
II the Free Academy before he can learn
Chemistry or Book keeping. especially the latter.
We have never heard a satisfactory reason from
Chemist for Postpcnins the study OF Ih,t cse:.'.
science to late period OF the students career
To conclude, our main point, which our corresPon-