New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-01

ranks Of crble ana wee arc aihoss rh''"-.f'y 70
c,u,sd from the ignorant classes Of community; and
,hst nrecisely 10 proportion knowledge " dIssemS
nafed and education advanced vice and erlme recede
| n mu.t be borne in mind in weighing these resuits
81 a, The highest standard Of education prevailing dur
re The period Ia which they refer was far nfrior,
bob IN quantity and quality, to that which - now
universally difnsed emOpg w. and that We ar. lar
very far from even attainabe perfection IN TINS ~
| spect.
Organization oftke Systen.
Under this head the Superintendent remarks: The
undersigned il OF opinion, er much ana careful r.
fecion and investigation oil the whole subject, lbat
any radical change in the organization OF tins system
would at the time be ibexpedsDt and unwIse; ttat
IL is uncalled for by any pressing necessity growing
Gu; either Of any Of it, details in the abstract or oil rs
practical administration, and that II would be exceed
inely difficult If not impossible to substitute ln ts
place taken as a whole, System capable OF afcol1-
pi.l,pe an equal amount II good. The SUCCESSFUL
tnerotion of any organized system depends far more
upon the wisdom, prudence and integrity win "1ch
~ administered than upon the abstract perfect on
of us detais. Indeed perfection IN THIS respect is
| conceded 20 be unatia:nable; and system which,
however defective and imperfect II may be soine or
even many OF is provisions, ~ found upon the Who,
and uaer many wears experience, satisfactorily To
accomplish the substantial Objects OF ne creatop ana
10 fulfill the public expectations, should not lightly be
subjected To the dangerous process OF revision ana
racSrstr,,e,on The element If public confidence IL
of too great importance Ia be hazarded in
atenpt 10 better that which already works well; and
| even If an undoubted Improvement could be sub.
| require many years 10 accustOm those for whose
benefit wax designed and hoaret cayit inteW ae
teal operation, to the working Of the new machinery
In the mean tine the tried advantages OF the existing
systcm might be exchanged for O mere experiment,
which however speoiOus and plausible in theory,
might prove wholly inappleabe IN practice. There
are no ieatures in existing system which, IN the
| hands OF enlightened, upright and consciencens
school officer. could not be rendered subscrvient TO
tle best interests of educatiOn and on the other
hand We may be confidently assured that in the hands
Of ignorant and corrupt demsgogucs, designing Poll.
,icians and dishonest public officers, the wises and
most perfect organization which the wit OF man can
devise would produce results fatally disastrous TO the
| adv ancem ent Of those interests. What we have
manlv and chiefly TO guard against in the admiDsira.
lion OF our system either il as rs may here
after become il the deeterious and fatal influence of
political strife and party spirit, combined a. 1t too
often IT, with personal corruption and reckless dis
| honesty. When these elements enter the arena OF
our Public Schools and force their way into the very
sancuaries of instruction we may rest assured that
no legislation however wise, long avert tine hnal
dissolution and abandonment Of the structure thus
miseraby perverted from its original design.
Course of Instruction.
There seems little room 10 doubt that the course OF
instruction prescribed by the Board for the several
schools and departments under it, charge is amply suf
fcent and extensive tor all the purposes OF sound
practical education. The arrangements OF the course;
| the proportioiate time assigned TO its several
branches; the comparative predOmnance OF certain
studies others and the number of studies stimuli
tancouFly pursued; all require, IN the Judgment OF
the undersigned thorough and careful revision Com
mencing with the alphabet and its combination into
words and syllabes, in the primary departments and
primary schools 1t extends through the various ee-
| msntary branches Of instruction, including reading,
spelling, definitions geography, grammar and 8rlth-
metic until il reaches It's termination IN the highest
classes the grammar schools in the higher branches
cfhistory, astronomy natural philosophy. physiology,
craving embroidery. music, composition and dsciss
| nation are common to all the departments tis,
moreover eminently due to both the teachers and
! pupils of our public schools generally, to say that
| these various branches thoroughly and system
aticay taught, and their nnutest details faithfully
| mastered by very large proportion OF the pupils OF
| both sexes Repeated and most minute examinations
of the several classes in all the departments in the
| presence of the school officers of the respective
Wards and large assemblies OF grathed visitors have
satisfactorily demonstrated the general efficiency, ex.
tent and completeness of the instruction communicated
in these schools. IL Is not too much to say that IN
these respects public schools will compare most
| favorsbly with the highest and most advanced phi
vate and corporate institutions OF learning OF much
| higher nominal grade. Experience has, however,
developed the existence of what are believed To be
serious defects in the thus prescribed, some of
which have already been pointed ont in previous re-
ports from this Department, and the attention oil the
| Board specifically directed TO the Importance ana
necessity of their removal Noaction however, having
vet been taken in this direction, the subject lie again
| respectfully and earnestly pressed upon the early
regard OF the only tribunal which can apply an adc-
quate remedy. There is scarcely class in either of
the departments, or in the Primary School which is
| not burdened with too many branches Of study, and
required if il fulfill the requisstions OF the Board, 10
devote TO the acquisition OF the lessons assigned, an
amount of time and labor clearly at variance with the
soundest principles of health, and physical and meua
| vigor. In the upper departments 1t Is by no means
unusual to find individuals and classes pursuing at the
| same time, from eight to ten, and even more distinct
banchesof study requiring for their adequate mastery
and recitation from eight to ten hours OF each day-s
fearful and altogether unwaTantabe over-taslng OF
|
tenn. There can be no necessity and there should be
no excuse for thus crOwding into single term or
single year, an amount OF study which could, far more
prutaby, be diifused several, even over the
| entire course. While however, the standard adopted
by the Board, calls for this ,Ny pressure upon the
time and faculties Of the puri.s the degree OF emula-
ton which exists among the several schools, and the
ardent desire for excellence on the part of each, will
| insure its existence at whatever hazard. Ambitious
and faithful teachers will not consent that the classes
under their charge shall come short Of the attanmens
accomplished in other schools or required by the De-
partment of Public Instructions and they will always
find among their pupils large number oi the brghtest
| and most intelligent who Will perseve .ngly second
| their exertions and respond 10 the utmost demands
made upon their intellectual powers. The effects Of
such continued tension upon the delicate structure of
the expanding brain cannot be otherwise than dsas-
| ferrous. In the absence of all necessary adequate
relaxation physical exercise this unremttng exer
on of the mental faculties speedily induces the germs
of disease, which, after longer or shorter interval
composites lie fatal mission, in premature decay and
death. Especially IL this the case with female pupils,
who prev ented by their positions IN life aud the
usages of society from awaiting themselves of the uu-
merous opportunities of exercise and amusement which
| open 10 the other sex.
In the of children between the ages of SIX and
sxteen-the period ordinarily spent in schoolfve or
six hours of consecutive study and intellectual exeron
daily all that should under any circumstances be
required. What cannot be accomplished, and tho
roughly accomplished within that time, should be de-
ferred. The soundest writers on education and ply
sioogy inclined TO regard this amount of time
devoted persistently to study inconsistent with the
requirements Of the laws of health. The physical sys-