New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-12

We recently called the attention Of the tar
payers of the City of New-York, to the extrava-
cant disproporton between the expense Of an edu-
cation in the Free Academy, and its valae-to the
f..e and fraudulent method of computing this eI-
pepse, and undertaking it in the annua' Reports
Of the intttutiOntO tie fact that the costly pro-
y.ion Of superior education within its walls was
expended upon but handful Of lads-tbat the
Academy served little other purpose than to dspete
the male schools, and to pile up, as it were, great
foundation OF boys, on which to rest scheme for
needless and most expensive metropolitan Universi.
ty It's DOW our duty TO call the attention of parents
and guardians to the important truth, thattne effect
Of the policy pursued ty the Free Academy to swell
the number of its Registered scholars, is to sscri-
flee tho educa6onsl interests Of the mass Of the
pupils IN the Ward Schools, to the greed and the
an biion Of few Professors.
The mcdest name of Academy" and the limited
but honorable field Of labor assigned to the teachers
within its rooms. iriiated the vanity, and dissats
fed the desires Of many, whose connection with the
institution gave them collegiate titles bat not COL
lesiate rank. -Four years sgoa scheme was hatched
to alter the name Of the academy to " metropolitan
University" Asa necessity, the policy which first
char actt rized its course Of instructions-rigid,
exact, and progressiye--had TO be departed from
That, here, as at West Point, would have the
effect to thin out the classes, aud diminish the
labOrs Of instructors. Numbers were needed, aud
numbers soon were got. The standard Of admission
was owersd-not by altering the published require.
ments Of scholarship of the candidates for exsnins
ton, but by turning the examination itself into
dishonest form, convenient to the lads and service
able to the future University. In July, lo52, oDly
l3l applicants were admitted, while not less
than l26 were rejected larger proportion than
is rejected at West Point. Bot In ls5i, the
period Of ambitious scheming, only IA boys were
rejected out Of IL applicants Tbs insured
an Introductory Class Of respectable and prom
isipg proportions, but not enough for foundation
TO University. A hint was taken from the sollc-
tous Punishment Of guess to the supper in JeSry,
and the next year, few weeks before the July eI-
animation one Of the sravst and most benign,n. Of
the high ofRcer Of the Academy ws dispatched
upon . social mission to the various principals Of
tCc grnuinar scnopis, acSus'"ueo W scho lsrge
numbers to the Academy, who, after inquuiuz
how many would probably be got up for il, sweet'y
suggested that n m,ry as possible shoald be per-
pit,ed to avail themselves Of is very great advaut
sges. The effect Of this mission Was magical.
Though the standard in Algebra had been I'D T.ueed
from Simple to Q ladratc Equations, and inowl.
edge Of the Constitution of the United States had
heen made an additional requirement, sud to these
had been superatded the 6rs four books Of Davie.s
Geometry the gracious examiners at the ambitiou
Academy, humaDely blind to faults and forssing'y
hind to fsilrg netted and secured an "Iutroduc-
"tory Class" of no lees than 323. Better lack
crowned their policy The next year (lS56). Thsy
tAen 81 a "Iatroduetsy" foundation Of 375