The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-07-12

- - 49, -
FY,~ ~ - Yw,i xsaaiar Paa.
Cese q nhusa11eo - lew EegA.
In the snuuai upssna4s II Mayor kingsiand
the common coqnpai II January last, it may BE-
msmbersd thatths sttsstlon Of the public was
Fitsd 10 the fact that the city government was
quired to furnish 143l 900 annually for school
lrposes, without possessing any control what
sr over it, expenditure; and the tax payers
bre warned, that unless action is had with
ference 10 placing ia the municipal authorities
me control over the expenses Of this institu
bn, they will increase from year to year, until,
the end, there may be revulsion of feeling
ninst an organization SO enormously expen-
c, which may result in serious injury to the
)blest cause that ever commanded the atten.
Pn Of philanthropst viz: that of universal
ucation."
The board of education very naturally felt
lied upon to take official notice of this para
aph, and ut once appointed special committee
consider and report upon our educational sys-
pa, with special reference to its economy.
nther Bradisb, esq, member Of this COM
ttee, was selected to prepare this report, and
3 result Of bis labors and of his associates has
st been published, and is now before us. 1t
finishes complete answer to the imputation
the mayor, and proves to demonstration,
ht for the present, at least, no department of
public finances under the control of the
mmon council, is half as wisely or as eco
mically administered.
1t is well known that we are not and never
ve been particularly partial to any system Of
vernmental education; but We cannot escape
conclusion which Mr.. BradisL's investigations
We established, that no system OF private in
IF nj nrtf hno dx.xrs oaI
BIT was not more than twice as expensive as
1t which il now administered by the beard of
ucation in this city, and it is equally clear to
minds, that the same system under the
arge of the city government would have been
less efficient and economical.
Mr.. Bradish's report is clear and mastery
rvey Of the whole economical aspect Of the
estion prop0unded by the mayor, and embraces
Pariety of statistics which could only have been
ilected by a scientific and most laborious in-
irer. and which have been dgested and ar
hged with admirable clearness and judgment
ON this report one thing is shown most con-
hsively, that in no part of the United States is
same grade of education to be produced,
neither in public or private establishments, at
small an expense as on this island. BE- ston,
bose free school system has long been the pride
our country and the glory of Massachusetts,
Ys more than twice as much for each pupil
heated at her free schools, as New York
e aggregate annual expense Of
Common Schools in New York
with population of 5l5,343,
and an attendance at the schools
Of los, 9O6, is -: ~. f. $40O02S 81
Boston, with a population OF
only 1864, and an attendance
Of 81 6 10, the expense amounts
TO 1896 90
tito of expense according to po-
pulation in New York OTIS
Ito of expense according to po-
pulation in Boston 2.345
tito of expense on valuation of
property in New York 0.0Ol39
Ito of expense on valuation of
property in Boston -. 0.00l78
ito of average attendance in
New York 9.oo5
tito of average attendance in
Boston ~. 1853
This makes the average expense Of each pu-
in New York $3.50 per annum, and in Bos-
$l4.36.
comparison with the cities Of Philadelphia
Baltimore, exhibits equally marked results.
g average expense of each pupil in Philadel.
ia is $S.ll, and in Baltimore $l2 90.
Again; the population of New York in 1850,
Ais 1894, and the amount of money paid for
support of common schools, during the year
ling April 80, 1851, was $274,794 SO. The
b appropriated for purposes other than cur
i charges, was $lll,SS2 %, amounting in the
ole to three hundred and eighty-six thousand
hundred and seventy-six dollars and eighty
cents, which sum. divided by the total num-
of souls in New York city, gives only seuen-
i've cents as the actual average cost Of public
cation upon each individual.
n Boston, during the same year, the popula-
being one hundred and thirty. six thousand
hit hundred and eighty four, the amount paid
current expenses of common schools, was
40 900, sites $40 900, for new school houses
900, for repairs Sl5 900, for books $l0,-
and for high school Sl380O, making total
hree hundred and nineteen thousand six hun
d and fifty-nine dollars. The average cost
each inhab. fant, therefore, was t,oo dollars
thirly four cents, or more than three times as
th as in Neo York city. And in this calcu-
bn, il deserves TO be considered that in Boston
upiIs furnish their ON n books, while in New
k, books and stationary are furnished at the
blic cost
'he whole number in attendance at our free
bols for the four past years, ending February
were as follows:
70 Fe5'y lst, 1848 $500
l8l9 95045
1850 l02 974
1851 l07,363
or these four years the actual cost per
,lar for tuition for $40 days of year, or for
weight weeks Of full five days each, includ-
the expenses for books, stationary, fuel and
pther matter, except interest on the cost OF
school houses and their sites, comparative
rihing item, was sir dollars and fjfy cents.
here is certainly no public instruction in this
htry, nor have we reason TO believe there is
ny other, so cheap as this. and we believe
t persons will agree with us in thinking that
mayor has been particularly unfortunate in
selection of his point of attack upon the
id IF education He probably overlooked
fact that the juvenile population of New
is constantly increasing, and limited his
(rvation to the single fact that the schools
kuruallv roou;rinu l,rror recommendations