New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-28
TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATIOM

GENTLEMEN: You have been chosen oy your 'eno"-
citizens a. members of Board which has the eapenol
ture of large amount of money and the entire controi
Of an interest dear to every lover of his race ana IN
view Of the solemn responsibilities resting upon YOU IL
bebooy,s that YOU should bring to the office personal
digpity and the weight of good influence individuai
members of the former Board having brought upon II
disgrace and disrust it is be hoped that you VIII
remember hat your personal character will greatly IN
auence your usefulness. Avoid therefore, all inebra-
ton, and profane swearing. II has been too common
for members of the former Board TO proceed after
adjournment to the porterhouse Such men are not Ill
10 20 in and out before the youth OF our city keProVe
those teachers addicted to those vicious HABITS ana
should they not REFORM remove them' Inc on,ui t
whose interests YOU profess TO adyaace demand TINS
a, your hands The worthy and distinguished teach-
ers in your employ demand il. Purge the schoois VI
all drunkards and swearers. This you cannot 40 ccu
sistenty il guilty of there practices yOurseNes Asa'
in the SELECTION of teachers allow of no Discrimination
on tho Ground of politics or religion. In some wards IL
is useless for Protestant TO apply Tor situation, IA
other wards Roman Catholics are rejected. lhose VINO
have the al pointment Of teachers have no rght no
authority TO act in this manner. Religion cashoo Dc
taught in our schools 1t ought not to be. Your re,
ports abound with audatons Of Christian ana moral
instruction The thing if lmpractcabIe ana aecotuhs
10 the published views OF former Presloeht vi tue
Board nonsensca Why then profess to give lnstruc-
ton in those things when children not placed under
your for that purpose. L do not want my chld
instructed ID religion even in morals, by Nothing
arian an Infdel a Roman Catholic, Unyersalist or
perchance by one who visits the porterhouse ottener
than he does the sanctuary How can teacher who
viOlates.the third command reproye boys for swear
ing!
Again. il is important that you use economy in the
expenditure of the public money. One school has
been provided with three sets OF furniture IN ten
YEAR, Is this right The furniture taken out was in
admirable condition. Guaid against fraud on the
part Of those who repair paint the buildings, or
who furnish you with supplies for the scholars. DO
not initiate your predecessors by passing illegal and
exorbitant bills over the hes of your President.
Avoid those absurd festivals and exhibitions gotten up
TO afford some laxative school officers al opportunity
to peak p,eces as the boys say, and then TO have
them published at public expense for the grathcatlon
of their admirng friends. To get their names in print,
while the Board foots large bill of expense, are not
dollars have been appropriated for the purchase OF
pianos. Revoke this and discharge your music teach
ers, and the useless expense. Where is the
scholar who has learned the science of music in
schools Tho-e that play the piano have been
taught at lone, and it is too costly to provide pianos
to afford them an opportunity to shoe oB' Let there
Dc teacher at least in each department, qualified
10 sing with the pupils, and let there be daily prac-
tice, and all will be accomplished that now Is, at a
great saving. But very few in each school can use
the iustrumen.-and when consider how much
more thoroughly children need to to be educated
TO quality them for business every extraneous accom-
p-hment should be laid aside. Are there not yOung
iadies who love to thrum the public pianos, who
cannot read in company, fit to be heard speak or
write gIammati ally, or east simple bill of dry
goods
Again: Under the Public School Society the school
ROOMS were kept in order by the children themselves.
Now nearly $50 900 are expended for that purpose.
Economy demands that this should bessved. la each
department of five hundred scholars fifty per cent of
them least competent, ought to De competent,
to do the work now done by Janitors. Five different
children, each week in the year. would scarcely ex-
haust the number of those who ought TO practice the
essential elements of household economy, industry and
neatness They soil the floors with their feet and with
papers, and why should the public, heavily taxed
now for them pay nearly so 600 to sweep after them
great saving even would be effected by adding 800
10 the salary Of the Principal of the highest depart
ment in each rchoo building, 20 compensate him for
experimenting the cleaning, to be done by his pupils
and for leaving the building secure every evening. If
the Principal or his assistant will not do this let his
place be filled by one that will.
Again: Dispense with drawing teachers, and let one
teacher or more in each department be selected who
has the necessary qualifications to give the requisite
instruction. Thus by dispensing with Janitors, music
and drawing teachers, and pianos, over $50 VW can be
saved annually to the Taxpayers, and the children
ceive no harm. These suggestions submitted for
your consideration, with the hope that the present
Board may accomplish much in the way of refor-
nation. A School OFFICER.