The New York herald., 1865-02-14

OVxxAOE6 ON TIN INDUSTRIOUS POOR.-W0
have rsoeived several communications, most
q thsn from women, complaining Of system
sf fswindling prevalent in this city which serious
ly a1scts tho poor and industrious classes
i sppsan that there are certain establishments
0as profess to obtain employment for those in
nssd Of H. and demand fec from the appli-
can't - . deposit, the proprietors promising
either 10 obtain the situation within specified
Hms or 10 return the fee. In many instances,
howsver, they refuse to fulfil either obligation;
and thus the applicant Is not only cheated
tefhis expectations, but Of his money also. This
as great hardship, and falls upon those who
can least bear it Another system, we are
sssared, Is quite common In some. manufactur-
ing establishments, by working for which poor
girls obtain at best but scanty living by the
most assiduous labor, and can therefore badly
afford to be desrauded even of the smallest sum.
It b customary, we are told, when giving out
work 70 require deposit from the work girl as
. guarantee Of the fulflment Of the job; but
whom, In case Of sickness or other misfortune
not uncommon In the homes Of the poor-the
girl h not able to complete the work fully, the
proprietors refuse to pay for the portion Of the
work done, and at the same time retain the
deposit Now, IL is bad enough not to pay for
the incomplete work; but to keep the money
after their property Is returned Ii downright
Eobbery.
There ID very simple way to correct this
evil. Let all those who are victimized by these
fraudulent practices make complaint at once TO
tie Mayor; and, Il he does not procure redress,
apply to some magistrate. And, II legal action
cannot be obtained from these sources, they
should appeal TO some Of the charitable institu-
lions organized TO relieve the wants Of the poor,
10 bring the matter before the courts These
institutions would accomplish more good to the
poor by protecting them In this way than by
ths nero disbursement Of aims, and We hope
that, n such cases should be brought before
than, hey win aos vigorously in tho matteA
ExaoRs m fnh Coln1os scuooL sYsrss.--A
radical error IN sm common school system Ia
the want Of primaries, and the unnecessary
excess Of grammar schools, which are not emily
. heavy burden 10 the taxpayers, but are SO
tedious In thelx course Of instruction that many
people cannot afford to keep their children
there long enough to obtain liberal education.
Tho cost per scholar at the smaller grammar
schools Il about sixty dollars per annum. We
understand that the number Of children attend
ing schools In the city, although nominally
stated ct two hundred and eight thousand, ia
really only about eighty thousand; the higher
ngurs being obtained by counting some OF the
children three or four times, aad sometimes
ofsener, according to the number Of times a
scholar may have lsft and returned 70 difYe-
rcst schools. Indeed, II has bcen stated that
mot more than eKhty-four thousand children
can be seated In al ne schools In the city.
We presume that the figures are thus over.
rated In order to enable the Board Of Educa-
zion to obtain the increase per capita ffom the
State Of seven dollars instead Of Eve, which
shsy are now endeavoring TO get In Albany.
The object Of tAe Board should be rather "a
decrease the expenses Of the system; and yet Il
appears, from the annual address Of the Pres.
Asna Of Ne Board. that the approurisions ol