New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-27

Committee 10 whom was referred Co much Of the Ad-
dress of the President "a relates to Non.Aendince OF
Children at the Public Schools.
ALBERT GILBERT, CleFt
To n, Boa-1 Of Education ofthe Cay Of Ne'r-iOrk
The Committee. much OF the remarks or COM
mppi.aiion of Andrew II. Greco, esq, President OF
The said Board on the subject OF the attendlnce o.
children at school and other matters, respectfully re-
PORT:
That there was great prOpnety IN presenting the sub
ec, upon which WIS founded the aforesaid comHu3i-
cation TO toe attention OF this Board |, was vey OBJ
yous TINT some should be devised II could be
DONE in order that there should be none et oil those IN
our midst who are ignorant and uneducled with
out the pale of the system which the prue and the
goly ofthis great and growing metropolis.
II mus. also be apparent 20 the mind OF every one,
that the vast amount OF crime ana psuper'm winch
is 10 be found prolific In this community, ~ 10
great extent attributable to the exercise OF the vicious
and ienorazing influence, education and moral train.
irg on the part of those who are Entrusted with tue
care and guardianship OF the offspring com hl''ea 10
their charge.
Wba, then is TO be done TO prevent the increase Of
this social and moral evil Il is believed that the OF
peru et of the present system OF schoos thus Tar de-
yelo, ed under the ro this BJard with such addi
tons and improvements as may DO suggested anu
adopted by them in their wisdom, will remedy the dii.
culty and supply the needed antidoe 10 the poison OF
vice and ignorance. ,
The system now in use, and which has been alluded
to- Intended 10 operate on every CLASS, Wuuou
tinction OF caste sect nation position so that by the
liberal provisions which are made for education, no
child shall grow up in ignorance.
This education may be dehnei a. instruction IN
ttose branches of knowledge most use.ul aud import,
ant TO the child and that moral tauing best adapted
10 mplsnt viruOus habits aud correct ideas oil duty
toward God and man. There Is another view OF lu-
cation of children "a opposed TO school etuciuon
which ia unfortunately redom brought into prominent
notice sut which il is of the utmost conequence hst
ell should besr in mind, thus, namely, that no ctild
grows ND without being educsed; that II not educate
az schOo at home, he is educate in tue Streets
not instructed by teachers then by companions older
than himself in wckCdness If not educated IN virtue,
then in vice; end that The latter kind OF education, by
the very nature of man. 10 usually more hofough aud
more efficient Of its kind than the former. All mere
police regulations cannot prevent it; stop 1t In
ore way and |, reappears 10 anofher IL can
only be diminished and ultimately superseded,
by an extension of School Education; and having RET
erence 10 the subject under consideration, we are ID
determine the best means of effectiDg this end Some
may do lbt the feasibility of per orming this great UNI
dertaking but when reflect that 1t 10 duty ncun-
bent ON society constituted Il is in this land of lib
ety. free schools and free speech, We must not hest
tate In the work of progress aud advancement but by
spccess eectuay despate the doubts and eire OF tho
uost tmid conservative OF the age:
We have seen ~ our sOrow and regret that IN our
midst large bumbels Of the youth OF our population
are being left to grow up 10 ignorance and crime.
Ignorance and vicious training sre the parents OF oil
"knds of crime, aud Criminals destroy wealth. instead
"of producing t. and become heavy tax on society,
"boih directly and indirectly. Statistics bearing upon
this subject ii your Committee could have had time to
prepare them would fully establish the truth OF the
fore going assertion. We confidently rely upon the fact
rs stated, and challenge its contradiction
The attention of your Committee has been tor some
tiue called 20 the subject under consideration which
SCENE 10 DO deserving of the most earnest deberaon
OF This Board, iDssmuch they are convinced tnaf the
number of children who non-atendants a, our pup
lie echo oils very large ana appears 10 be Increasing
20 ap alarming extent. Exact statistics on this matter
are difficult 10 Obtsn, thus far only few OF tue
wards have been canvassed, but approximations may
be reached sufficient TO alarm those who believe edu'
cation 10 be the foundation OF safe society, and to
ncite them TO renewed energies ID behalf OF consum-
"mation SO devouty TO be- wished"
In the Eleventh Ward, the Captain OF Police after
a cloee examination has given the numbers of truant
children between the ages Of aud Ii, ~ be about
$500 Ii portion OF the Eighteenth Ward lying east
OF The Third avenue the census a. aiken by the Board
OF School Officers, shows @o3l non attendants oeIHe5n
the sges OF > and 10.
The persons engaged in charitable libors in the
Fourth ard Seventh Wsrds estm:te the number OF
such children as close upon 600.
Those of the Eighth and Ninth are thought 10 reach
several thousand.
If snythiDg approaching this proportion be true OF
The whole city, there must be between thrty and t0Ty
hObsdsd children between the ages Of and 10, VINO
are not parakiDg in tie benefit OF public educstIon'
So far as your Committee learn the causes are va
rious for his amentabe state Of things The principal
reason appears TO be the poverty OF .rge portion OF
our foreign rstidents compelling them % employ their
children IN petty streeades durss the school hours
of the day. Beside this, numbers are vllfuy ruant
and are engaged IN pLfering and begging.
With others the ignorance OF the language, the In
difference of parents Or the Idle habits Of the family,
are eau,es OF the absence Of the children IRON the
schools.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS
To remedy there evils o number Of prlyate orsanlzs-
Mons have been formed within the last three or foor
years which have opened what are called Industrial
Schools" for this CLAN Of children. Your COMMITTEES
are happy 10 eIpres. their high ndation VI the
voluntary and self denying labors Of these organizi
tons BY the aid of visors and BY the indueement OF
an industrial branch, and simple meal, these schools
have gathered in many Of the poorest cses Of children
With the Children's Aid Society, are aasociated
Eve .uch schools containing III pupils; one evening
school for Italian children6o pupils and an evening
school for news boys-@i pupils. In addition, the
too ether $50 scholars making in ell about 100
chldren OF the lowest class broCght under this educs
ticnal influence.
Your Committee have 20 believe that the re-
fuits of these schools have been very happy, add that
the benevolent persons engaged in them have proved
that al Children however poor or yici Jusly trained
be brought within the reach Of school iastru oo
Still they also feel that labor Of this kind ought not
10 DO a burden on few, and that ne s"strge-
toH d The poor peculiarly belongs 20 the whole puols
ard therefore, 20 The sphere OF IBIS Board loey o.
seEve sso tha. the instruction OF these fhiy OF forty
thousand children non attendants On t1e school, Is
wolk too area. for any private be1syo,ence.
The ares.iop then vhch arises is, VIA, can be
done BY tie Beard Of Education 10 extend the Influence
of the public schools tho great mas OF trSant