The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-08

New MEANS OF EXPENDITURE PROPOSED
IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.-We publish this
morning the report Of the select committee on
the subject Of the nOn-attendance of children at
the public schools, which was presented some time
ago to the Board Of Education by Mr.. Shannon,
one of the members Of the committee 1t is re-
markabe document in its way, and makes
some very remarkable statements. The whole
report is highly benevolent in its tone, and is in
tended to be strong appeal to the humane
feelings of the community; but there is another
motive underlying this display, which it becomes
the taxpayers Of New York to look into.
The committee estimate the number Of chill
dren who are not attendants of schools of any
kind in this city at from thirty to forty thousand
all between the ages of five and fifteen. For the
education Of these they recommend 50 the Com
mittee on New Schools to inquire into the expo
diency of establishing in the several wards of this
city, where the school accommodations are made
quate to the education Of all the children who
are now atten dants in the schools of such ward,
at least one industrial primary school," &c
Here, then, in the committees recommendation
we have the whole onin,us with which the report
was prepared and the purpose for which it was
presented. AT least one industrial primary
SCHOOL, in such ward, which means in every
ward in the city; for your committees on build
ing are always most lavish in their expenditure:
and then, when the public money is expended in
such benevolent way, who would be so recreant
to all the feelings Of humanity as to object? Now,
the fact of the matter is simply this-aud it is
proved by the last report of the Board Of Educa-
ton-we do not want any more public school
buildings for some years to come. A new
school house in each ward Why it would in
volve an increased expenditure to the tax payers
Of at least six hundred thousand dollars,
in addition TO the thirteen or fourteen hun
dred thousand, which they will be obliged to pay
for the support Of public education ut the end of
the present year-two millions of dollars alto
gether: which would be between thirty and forty
dollars year for each pupil, according to the
present average daily attendance.
Let us look into this matter little more closely:
We are told by the report of the Board of Eiuca
ton for 1855 that there are about 24O schools
connected directly with the Board of Education
and that the whole number taught is nearly
100000 Now, our public school buildings of all
kinds, are capable Of accommodating perhaps two
hundred thousand children; aud in this we includ
all who are taught in the evening schools, which
are especially provided for those who are unable
to attend during the day, and who form no incon-
siderable portion Of our juvenile population.
Here, then, we have in this two hun
dred very large estimate of the chill
dren between the ages of five and fif-
teen in the city of New York, aud which may
be found on comparison with the census to b.
somewhat over the number A large proportion
Of these, it will be observed, are employed at va
rious kinds Of work; and when TO these are added
the children who are taught during the day, there
will be large reduction in the estimate Of the
committee, which is stated at between thirty aud
forty thousand.
We do not want any more new schools, &C.
cordipg to the report of the Board of Education,
and this recommendation Of the committee must
therefore fall to the ground. Besides, we have
already shown, when calling attention to the ex-
penses Of our system of public education, tha'
large amount of the money goes into the pockets
ofcontractors and dishonest officials Ofthe eleven
hundred thousand dollars expended last year by
the Board perhaps not one-half was paid in
salaries to teachers, many of whom are very in
adequately paid for their services We would be
the last to offer objections to any movement for
the increase Of the compensation OF teachers to a
Just and fair standard, but we will oppose, to the
very last every effort that may be made to divert
the peoples money into improper channels We
regard the recommendation of this committee
az entirely uncalled for and their estimate as
| wholly unwarranted and without foundation.